ORONO – Sharon Versyp hadn’t been introduced as the head women’s basketball coach at Indiana University, but University of Maine athletic director Patrick Nero was already busy Friday morning beginning the search for her successor.

Nero has formed a small committee, made up of members of the faculty and the community, and asked it to review a preliminary list of 40 potential candidates.

“We have an excellent women’s basketball program as everyone knows, a great tradition, and we’re really excited for the opportunity to go out and find ourselves a new coach,” said Nero, who already has spent considerable time identifying candidates.

“We do feel it’s a great job and we will aggressively recruit someone to come into this program,” he added.

Versyp was in the second year of a three-year contract and earned $103,000 last season. Under terms of that deal, she or Indiana will have to pay UMaine a $103,000 buyout – one year’s salary.

Versyp declined Friday to divulge any terms of her contract with Indiana, but the Indianapolis Star reported that she agreed to a five-year contract that will pay about $200,000 plus incentives per year.

Nero asked senior woman administrator Terri Kix, who also is UMaine’s field hockey coach, to contact a few people during last weekend’s Final Four in Indianapolis.

“I think this is the type of situation where someone with an established resume is very important,” said Nero, who explained the next UMaine coach will have to meet several important criteria.

They include an emphasis on academics, a successful teaching style, charismatic leadership, and prior success.

“Most important to me is, do they fit what we stand for?” Nero said.

“Winning’s very, very important to us, so it’s important to me that we get somebody who really has that passion for basketball yet at the same time also has a passion for growing young people,” he added.

Nero hopes to have a new coach on board before the end of May when team members return home for the summer.

The 39-year-old Versyp, who resigned her UMaine post Thursday, was formally introduced as the Hoosiers’ head coach Friday afternoon in Bloomington, Ind.

Versyp led UMaine to a 98-51 record in five seasons, including the America East championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2004.

“I’ve never wanted to go anywhere else except for Maine,” said Versyp, who explained that Indiana was her dream job that she couldn’t pass up. “This was a great opportunity to come back to the state that I love and grew up in.”

Versyp also has family in Indiana as sister Roxanne Einhorn, brother-in-law John, niece Cassie, and nephew Mark live in Plymouth.

That doesn’t mean her decision to leave was an easy one.

“It was very difficult for me, a lot of mixed emotions, a lot of heartache, because this group has probably been in my 15 years the most special group of young women, striving to be the best and just really enjoying life,” Versyp said.

In Palmer Lounge at UMaine’s Mahaney Clubhouse, sophomores Ashley Underwood and Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa shared their thoughts Friday about the coaching change.

“We’d be lying if we say we weren’t a little bit surprised,” said Ashley Underwood of Benton. “[Thursday] was an emotional day. It’s a great opportunity for her to go home, be with her family.”

Versyp not only got a lot out of her players on the court, she supported and motivated them in all aspects of their lives.

“I think I’m going to miss her passion for the game, for life, for all of us,” Hugstad-Vaa said. “She cared about us all so much and she always fought for us to make sure that we had everything we needed… She was such a passionate person and she always tried to teach us life lessons and not just for basketball.”

Versyp’s departure means there will be an entirely new coaching staff next season.

While Versyp dodged the subject, Nero said associate head coach Jody Benner, a Damariscotta native and UMaine grad, will join Versyp’s staff at Indiana. Versyp had retained Benner after taking over for former coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie in May 2000.

Assistant coaches Tara Morrison and Don Adams will not be retained.

“They have the opportunity to apply when the new coach is hired, but we’ve decided that it’s best to allow the new coach to make decisions on assistant coaches,” Nero explained.

Nero said UMaine had been contacted by at least 10 schools interested in her services in the last two years but that she spoke only to one (published reports had her interviewing at Pittsburgh in 2003) before Indiana came calling after the Bears’ season ended March 10.

Versyp relished her experience at UMaine.

“Maine’s such a special place because of the people,” she said. “The people that surround the athletic program; the people that are involved in the other side of campus with academics, the professors and the deans, that work hand-in-hand; just the spirit of all the coaches. It’s an amazing place because all the coaches get along and they cheer each other.”

Versyp said the foundation remains in place for her successor to continue the program’s success. She said the addition of a basketball-only facility would be a critical boon to UMaine’s potential growth.

Underwood believes the Bears can hire a new coach who will help UMaine continue to set the pace in America East.

“We want to stay together, especially now,” she said of the players. “We have a lot of confidence in the person coming in. They’re going to bring in someone with a lot of energy, so we’re really excited.”