Published: May 16, 2008 01:50 am      

UCO's Roland Ware accepts head coaching job in San Antonio

EDMOND — Central Oklahoma assistant men's basketball coach Roland Ware is leaving the Bronchos to take over as head coach of the San Antonio School of Excellence.

Ware served as head coach Terry Evans' top assistant the past six seasons, with UCO going 117-62 in that span. Ware helped the Bronchos to three Lone Star Conference North Division titles and four NCAA Division II national tournament appearances, highlighted by this year's team that went 28-6 and won the South Central Regional crown in advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1992.

"I've really enjoyed my time at UCO and it's going to be tough to leave the people who mean so much to me," said Ware, who came to UCO after a five-year stint as assistant coach at Texas-San Antonio. "We had a lot of success here, but this is a great opportunity for myself and my family and it was one I couldn't pass up."

"Roland has been one of my best friends for 20 years and I hate to see him leave," said Evans, who played with Ware at Oklahoma from 1988-91. "Being able to coach together is something we had always wanted to do and he played a big role in all that we accomplished the last six years."

A native of Memphis, Tenn., Ware played three seasons at OU and helped the Sooners to two Big Eight championships. He played professionally in Mexico and with the Oklahoma City Cavs of the Continental Basketball Association after graduating OU in 1992.

Ware taught and coached at the high school level and with the local Amateur Athletics Union (AAU) in Memphis following his playing career until going to UTSA and then coming to UCO.

Roland and his wife, Paula, have one daughter (Zoie) and are expecting another.