Dickenman retires after 20 years at Central Connecticut

Feb 19, 2016 - 5:36 AM NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (AP) Howie Dickenman, who led Central Connecticut to three NCAA Tournaments, will retire at the end of the current season, his 20th at his alma mater.

Dickenman, who was a college basketball coach for 40 years, announced his decision after Thursday night's 76-72 victory over Mount St. Mary's.

His 281 wins rank second on the school's career list, behind only Bill Detrick, his former coach. He currently has the second-longest tenure as a head coach at their alma mater, behind only Jim Boeheim's 39 years at Syracuse.

A four-time NEC Coach of the Year, Dickenman, a longtime assistant to Jim Calhoun at Connecticut, led CCSU to its first NEC title and NCAA Tournament in 1999-2000.

Dickenman, who graduated from CCSU in 1970, became the first player in school history to reach 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds and is still the only Blue Devil to do so in three seasons.