If Keith Dambrot hadn't turned the University of Akron men's basketball team into a perennial Mid-American Conference power, John Groce probably would have never become the head coach of the Zips .
"I tell people all the time I don't know if I would've been attracted to the job had he not done what he did over 13 years," Groce said.
An Akron native who graduated from Firestone High School and UA, Dambrot announced Monday he will retire from coaching whenever his 11th-seeded Duquesne team finishes the upcoming NCAA Tournament . Dambrot guided Akron into March Madness on three occasions (2009, '11 and '13) and now has Duquesne in the big dance for the first time since 1977. Duquesne (24-11) will face No. 6 BYU (23-10) on Thursday.
"I was texting with him [Sunday] congratulating him on his bid and winning the Atlantic 10 tournament championship," Groce said. "He's a legend."
Groce reflected on his UA predecessor's career Monday after No. 14 Akron (24-10) practiced in preparation for its first-round NCAA Tournament game against No. 3 Creighton (23-9) at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
"I always tell [former Zips stars] Romeo [Travis] and Dru [Joyce III] they're kind of the trailblazers because they started the trend of consistent winning," Groce said. "Now you'd had years, you'd had pockets here and there, but the consistency of which they achieved success here, I mean, Keith's a huge, huge part of that. He impacted a lot of student-athletes, a lot of players, over a long period of time. He's an Akron guy, so we root for him like crazy."
Akron Zips basketball column: UA needed close group and some luck to reach March Madness
Dambrot, 65, is one of nine active NCAA Division I coaches who have more than 500 career wins without ever guiding a Power Five or Big East school. His overall record is 528-304. It includes 115-95 at Duquesne (2017-present) and 305-139 at Akron (2004-17), the last two stops in his 26 seasons as a head coach.
During a news conference Monday, Dambrot said his wife, Donna, battling breast cancer led him to finalize his decision to retire after he had been leaning toward it.
"Last summer, I was about 80% sure I was going to retire after this year," said Dambrot, who coached LeBron James, Travis and Joyce at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School before becoming an assistant coach at Akron. "I just felt like it was time.
"Then when my wife got sick, I think that was the crowning blow for me. So I just decided before the season that this was going to be it for me. And so, at this point, this is it for me."
Groce said he has enjoyed his relationship with Dambrot since becoming his successor at Akron. Even before then, Groce explained he had tremendous respect for Dambrot. When Groce coached at Illinois, he played a key role in the school hiring two people (an academic adviser and a men's hoops marketing employee) after Dambrot had recommended them.
"I trust his judgment," Groce said. "He ran a first-class program here, and obviously he's done the same thing at Duquesne. He's given a lot to the game. Congratulations to him on his retirement.
"It's just really cool to see him finish strong and get an opportunity to lead Duquesne in the NCAA Tournament. We'll be pulling for him."
More Akron Zips basketball coverage: Greg Tribble talked UA out of letting its MAC Tournament title hopes die
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Zips coach John Groce reflects on Keith Dambrot retiring
