Thursday’s news of Leigh Ross taking over the softball program was just the latest development in a busy summer for Syracuse athletics.

‘We’ve had so much going on,’ Director of Athletics Daryl Gross said in his office Friday.

Gross’ full reaction to his hectic summer will run in a complete story in The Daily Orange on Monday.

For now, here’s a rundown of all that’s happened in the last few months:

May 10 – News surfaces Louie McCroskey leaves the men’s basketball team. The 6-foot-5 small forward, who started 21 games in three seasons, publicly clashed in the media last season with head coach Jim Boeheim over playing time. The Bronx native transferred to Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

June 6 – Keith Cieplicki resigns as women’s basketball head coach; Quentin Hillsman named interim head coach for 2006-07.

June 7 – The Daily Orange learns women’s basketball forward Amanda Adamson transferred to New Mexico before Cieplicki’s resignation.

June 15 – Mark Jackson, the No. 2 official in the athletic department, resigns his post as senior executive athletic director in order to become vice president of a private company promoting boxing in the U.S.

June 27 – Mary Jo Firnbach resigns as softball coach for an associate head coach position at Texas A&M.

June 28 – Gerry McNamara is not selected in the NBA Draft and accepts an invitation to play for Orlando’s summer league team the next day. The guard currently does not have an NBA contract.

July 12 – Syracuse announces, after confusion lasting almost a week, the Carrier Dome will host a regional final in the NCAA Tournament in 2010.

Aug 14 – Syracuse signs a deal with ESPN Radio 1050 in New York City to carry Orange football and basketball games as well as Greg Robinson and Jim Boeheim’s weekly shows, continuing Gross’ initiative to market SU as the state’s school.

Aug 24 – Gross hires Leigh Ross to replace Firnbach as softball coach. Ross coached the previous eight seasons at Bowling Green State.

Published on August 24, 2006 at 12:00 pm