BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana University Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan announced today (Feb. 22) that he has accepted the immediate resignation of men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson.

"I have made the very difficult decision to leave my position as head coach of the men's basketball team at Indiana University. While I'm saddened that I will not have the opportunity to continue to coach these student athletes, I feel that it is in the best interest of the program for me to step aside at this time," Sampson said in a release.

"I wish my players and staff nothing but the best for the remainder of the season. They are all truly incredible people. As I have previously stated, I welcome the opportunity to go before the Committee on Infractions in June. I look forward to getting back on the basketball court in the very near future."

Greenspan appointed assistant coach Dan Dakich as interim head coach and assistant coach Ray McCallum as assistant head coach.

Dakich, who joined the Indiana staff this season, is a 1985 IU graduate, four-year basketball letterwinner and worked for 12 years as a Hoosiers assistant coach, before spending the past 10 years as head coach at Bowling Green. As a player, the two-time team captain (1984 and 1985) is best remembered for his excellent defensive effort against Michael Jordan in Indiana's upset of North Carolina in the 1984 NCAA Tournament.

Formerly the head coach at both Ball State and Houston, Ray McCallum has 25 years of Division I college coaching experience which followed a stellar playing career at Ball State. McCallum, well known in basketball circles nationally for his integrity and exceptional dedication to the game, is well-respected and admired by players and fellow coaches alike.

Neither Dakich nor McCallum were implicated in the NCAA notice of allegations. Additionally, McCallum was not a member of the University of Oklahoma men's basketball staff previously charged with impermissible phone calls by the NCAA.

As part of the resignation agreement, Sampson will be paid $750,000, of which $200,000 will come from Athletic Department funds and the remainder is being provided by an anonymous donor. Sampson, in turn, has agreed that he will not file a wrongful termination lawsuit against Indiana University.

"I am very sorry to see our relationship with Coach Sampson end this way,but we have to focus on doing what's best for the long-term interests of IU and its men's basketball team," Greenspan said.

Two weeks ago, IU received a "Notice of Allegations" from the National Collegiate Athletic Association advising it that Sampson and other members of his staff are charged with potentially "major" recruiting violations.

In response, IU President Michael A. McRobbie had directed Greenspan to review the allegations, determine if they were credible and report back to him by Feb. 22. Because of the resignation, there was no need for Greenspan to report back to the president.

McRobbie said he has approved the resignation agreement.

"I have accepted the resignation of Kelvin Sampson in order to put this matter behind us and allow our basketball season to move forward without these distractions," McRobbie said.

McRobbie said he is very much aware of the disappointment being felt by many members of the basketball team.

"They have been playing their hearts out on the court in spite of all the controversy and media attention that has been focused on this issue," he said. "I am grateful to each and every one of them for their perseverance and loyalty to this university."