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Jim Calhoun Returning To College Basketball As Consultant For University Of Saint Joseph

Jim Calhoun won three national championships as head coach of the UConn men’s basketball program. He retired from coaching in 2012, but now he’s coming back to the game as a consultant with the University of Saint Joseph — a Division III program in West Hartford.

“I’m a full-time state employee at the University of Connecticut -- proudly after almost 32 years,” Calhoun said. “I love the Huskies and I’ll always be a Husky. [That] doesn’t mean I don’t have room for other love though.”

For almost 80 years, Saint Joseph was a private women’s college. But it recently became a university. And in 2018, it will officially go co-ed.

At a news conference Thursday, university president Rhona Free said the school wanted to make a “splash” in building its men’s basketball program that will begin play for the 2018-19 season.

“With today’s announcement, we position Saint Joe’s to rapidly get the visibility for men’s basketball that will build all of our women’s and men’s athletic programs — attract even more outstanding student-athletes,” Free said.

Calhoun said he’s returning because he misses coaching the game and its players.

“I love calling Kemba [Walker] and Ray [Allen] and Emeka [Okafor] and all the kids I had and calling them by their first name,” Calhoun said. “And I truly, truly miss that. That’s why I’m here -- I terribly miss the coaching on a daily basis. I miss the association with the kids.”

Calhoun can’t coach — at least for now -- because he still has a contract at UConn as a full-time employee. Instead, he will have a hand in recruitment and player development.

Frankie Graziano is the host of 'The Wheelhouse,' focusing on how local and national politics impact the people of Connecticut.

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