Benny Moss is out as head basketball coach at UNC-Wilmington and will be named special assistant to athletic director Kelly Mehterns.

In Moss’ four seasons at UNCW he accumulated a 41-74 record, the worst for any coach in school history. The Seahawks are just 7-14 this season and have only won three conference games.

The decision came the day after UNCW’s 39-point loss to Hofstra, who at the time had only two conference wins. The defeat was the second largest in school history.

Mehrtens announced the decision at an 11:00 a.m. press conference. Moss did not participate.

“Today I am announcing that we are reassigning head coach Benny Moss to another position in the athletics department,” said Mehrtens. “Men’s basketball is the lifeblood of our department. It must, and will be, successful.”

Mehrtens announced that assistant coach Billy Lee will be promoted to interim head coach until the end of the season. At that point a national search will begin for Moss’ full-time replacement.

“This is a very emotional time for everyone,” said Lee, who was hired by Moss three seasons ago. “I need to spend time with the other coaches on the staff and really sit down and think about what we are going to do and get everything organized.”

Moss responded to the decision through an e-mail from his attorney.

“Regardless of the current record, the team, coaching staff, and I deserved the opportunity to finish out the season and demonstrate the true potential of the team,” Moss said. “The almost unprecedented decision to relive me of my duties as Head Coach in mid-season does nothing to benefit the program. It serves only as a mechanism to chastise and embarrass me personally.”

It has been clear for sometime that Moss was losing control of the team. For most of January Moss has used some questionable lineups down the stretch of close games and has reduced playing time drastically for some of UNCW’s most talented players (Montez Downey, Dominique Lacy, Will Ohuaregbe). Downey, a senior forward who was a steady contributor early in the season, has only played three minutes in the last five games.

As a special assistant to the athletic director, Moss will take over projects as assigned by Mehrtens. According to a press release sent by Moss’ attorney J. Wesley Casteen, Moss is pleased to still have a part in UNCW athletics.

“Coach Moss looks forward to continuing and maintaining his relationship with UNCW, and he looks forward to working for the benefit of the university and the student-athletes,” Casteen said.

Moss began his UNCW tenure with a 7-22 record, but rebounded in 20007-08 with a 20 win season. That season earned him a two-year contract extension.

Moss’ contract was through 2013 and paid him $170,000 annually. UNCW will now have to pay two coaches through the 2013 season. Mehrtens says she will take the responsibility for raising the appropriate funds.

“This is on me,” Mehrtens stated. “I’ve got to get out there and raise some dollars to support our athletic program.”

Kelly Mehrtens’ opening remarks

Chancellor DePaolo on Benny Moss

Senior guard Darion Jeralds on Benny Moss