Collen Out, Dykes In for Arkansas Womens Basketball

In early March, Tom Collen was fired as the Arkansas women's basketball coach.

Jimmy Dykes, former Razorback player, returns to his alma mater as the new women's basketball coach. Dykes has never held a head coaching position but has served as assistant coach at numerous universities, including Arkansas, Kentucky and lastly Oklahoma State under Eddie Sutton in 1990-91.

"People will say I've never been a head coach on the college level or the women's game," Dykes said. "Nothing I can do about that. But tell them if you play me, then the pressure's on you, isn't it?"

Dykes said he would rely on the help of his assistants in areas of the college game that he isn't fully familiar with. He is now the eighth women's basketball coach in U of A women's basketball history.

The team has lost in the first round of the SEC tournament for eight of the last nine years. Athletic Director Jeff Long and Dykes himself expect a turnaround for the team. The new coach expressed confidence in himself and his staff during a news conference at Bud Walton Arena, where he once proposed to his wife, Tiffany.

Arkansas and Bud Walton seem to be a lucky place for Dykes. He has been given an opportunity too good to refuse - to coach basketball and stay home, where he has always wanted to be. Dykes said he has passed up other offers so that he could stay in Arkansas with his family.

What will Jimmy Dykes do for women's basketball at the University of Arkansas? It could be the perfect match for the Hogs.