After 40 seasons and 873 victories later, Jim Calhoun is expected to announce his retirement from coaching on Thursday. Calhoun's coaching career began at Northeastern and he would then spend 26 years as the University of Connecticut's head coach. 

Calhoun helped bring three National Championships to Storrs (1999, 2004, 2011), and is now expected to hand over the coaching duties for this season to assistant Kevin Ollie.
 
While the news may come as a surprise, Calhoun has had serious health issues throughout his career. He has overcome skin cancer twice as well as prostate cancer. Calhoun also missed parts of last season due to a spinal condition. It probably didn't help that the 70-year-old Calhoun fractured his hip in August after a bike accident. 
 
This season the Huskies are ineligible for the 2013 NCAA Tournament, so  perhaps it was the the right time for the Hall of Famer to step down as UConn can now search for a long-term replacement. Shaka Smart, head coach of VCU, is an interesting possibility to think about. Regardless of where they go next, UConn is in good hands thanks to the legcay Calhoun has left behind. 
 
Kara Sene, a UConn graduate from 2006, said "Jim Calhoun is the most respected person at UConn. People just know he is bad-ass and would do anything for his team. He made UConn relevant."
 
TL;DR Jim Calhoun is expected to announce his retirement on Thursday after 40 years of coaching. 

UConn's Jim Calhoun to retire [ESPN]

Posted by Mowry under Sports