UC's Cronin cleared to resume full-time coaching duties

University of Cincinnati men's head basketball coach Mick Cronin had been optimistic that he soon would to be cleared to coach again, and that wish came true Monday. Cronin has passed all his recent medical tests and has returned to full-time coaching duties, he announced at a press conference at UC's Fifth Third Arena media room Monday afternoon.

Cronin missed most of the 2014-15 season for medical reasons, with a non-life threatening vascular condition known as arterial dissection. But now, Cronin will be back on the bench for the 2015-16 season. UC started off-season skill instruction workouts Monday, and Cronin said he would be there. Monday's workout, closed to the media, was to occur right after the press conference.

"I'm excited. I can't wait to get started," said Cronin, who smiled and joked several times during the press conference. "Most importantly, I'm grateful to be 100 percent healthy. My artery is healed."

Cronin was sidelined for medical reasons for most of the 2014-15 season, with a non-life threatening vascular condition known as arterial dissection. Cronin recently undewent another round of medical tests to ensure he could be cleared to coach again.

The 43-year-old Cronin began having headaches around mid-December, and he stepped aside Dec. 20. It was announced Jan. 2 that Cronin would not coach in practices or games for the remainder of the season.

Associate head coach Larry Davis replaced Cronin on the sideline, as UC finished 23-11 and reached the NCAA tournament Round of 32. UC was 7-2 when Cronin left the bench and went 16-9 under Davis, with Cronin serving in an advisory role for the final months of the season.

"I don't think we were picked in any preseason magazine to make the NCAA tournament," Cronin said. "I'm proud of what our team did. It gives a lot of people hope for next year."

UC will seek a sixth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance next season, with senior forward Jermaine Sanders the only player leaving the 2014-15 team.

"It's an exciting time for our program," Cronin said. "The positive vibes around our program, it's huge, because I have perspective on where that was years ago."

"We are pleased that Mick is able to fully resume his coaching duties," UC athletic director Mike Bohn said. "His behind-the-scenes leadership was critical in last season's success, coupled with Larry's direction and the players' focus on the court throughout the year."

Cronin also thanked many in the UC administration and his team of doctors, notably Dr. Norberto Andaluz and Dr. Todd Abruzzo of the UC neurosurgery department.

More from Cronin:

-On Davis being approached for other head coaching jobs: "We're really proud of that. He has met with one school and will meet with another. We don't want Larry to leave, obviously, but the chance to be a head coach again is something any assistant would want. I think he's only going to do that if it's in his best interests. If the right one presented itself, he'd definitely listen. He's not hunting it down, people are contacting him ... He's a relentless recruiter. At (age) 58, he recruits like he's 28."

-On whether Cronin himself has been approached for other jobs: "I'm the only guy who has an agent that doesn't need one. I have no interest, none. The only job I have an interest in is the Cincinnati job."

-On his medical condition: "What happened to me is a very low percentage thing. It's not a result of a coach yelling. I'm cleared. When I say that it's because my artery is healed, I'm healthy. What I have is called spontaneous dissection. They do not know what causes it. ... Fortunately now, it's over for me. I can go back to worrying about being the son of Hep Cronin, and the hereditary heart disease in my family. I'll get checked up periodically, but nothing out of the ordinary."

-Hardest and best parts of his absence: "It was easy when we won and hard when we lost. We would probably have had the same record, so I give Larry all the credit in the world. Just the feeling of inadequacy that you can't help. That's by far the hardest part. That's your team and you're not there with them."

(Best part?) "Maturity as a person. The downtime allowed me to evaluate college basketball a lot and our program a lot. ... It's a life-changing experience. You're just more heightened to everything around you, to smelling the roses, to smelling the coffee."

-On UC's Fifth Third Arena and possible renovations: "The thing about Mike (Bohn) is he's extremely aggressive. He tells me, 'Coach and recruit,' and that's what I try to do. The best thing I can do is try to put out the best product possible, and the most excitement, and I think we're in a good place with that. I said this last year with the contract (extension) thing, if I didn't think it was going to happen I would have told you. I'm confident it's going to happen. When, I don't know about all that stuff. For me it's always been such a longterm approach. I'm just happy it's happening.

"I'm not like some coaches that have come in here with ultimatums ... I'm not leaving anyway. I'm just happy it's happening, that there's people here that want it to happen in our administration. When it does happen it's going to be a great thing, not a good thing. It's going to be awesome. From what I've seen behind the scenes, it's going to be awesome, the day it does come to fruition."