"Until last night I was totally up in the air about what was going to happen," Graupe said."
Interim Athletic Director Bob Ceplikas said he hoped to keep the transition as seamless as possible by promoting someone from inside the program.
"We were very fortunate to have someone with Mark's qualifications and head coaching experience already on our staff," Ceplikas said.
The importance of having a smooth transition was apparent to both the players and Ceplikas. Earlier this week a group of players met with Ceplikas to voice their support for hiring someone inside the program according to captain Robby Pride '10.
"This has been the assumption," Pride said. "We are comfortable with the coaches we have now. We didn't want someone from the outside."
Ceplikas said this choice would hopefully benefit the players.
"They have been through a lot," he said. "We are trying to put them in the best position to be successful for the second half of the season."
Dartmouth (3-11, 0-1 Ivy) entered their conference schedule last weekend when Graupe and the other assistants led the team against Harvard University. The Big Green lost 76-47.
"We are really focused on January," Graupe said. "I haven't even looked ahead to February yet."
As for what he hopes to get out of the team Graupe is optimistic.
"I can't promise wins or losses," he said. "But I can say we will work extremely hard every game."
Graupe, who was the defensive assistant prior to the transition, will make his presence felt on the offensive side of the ball, as well as changing around the team's man defense.
"I am going to give the players structure," he said. "But they have ownership of the plays."
The College added that he is encouraging players to huddle often during games and call their own plays.
Graupe also announced the hiring of interim assistant coach Paul "Doc" Donohue, who served as a Big Green assistant in the late 80s. According to Graupe, the coaching announcement was held until Thursday instead of being made Wednesday because he wanted the opportunity to meet with Donohue first.
At the end of the season Dartmouth will begin a nationwide search for a new head coach. According to Pride, the athletic department has already asked players what coaching style would be most conducive to the success of the team.
Graupe, who joined the Big Green coaching staff this season, has over 20 years of coaching experience, and has been on the staffs of high profile coaches like Roy Williams and Bobby Knight.
Before Dartmouth, he spent one season at Colorado State Univeristy as an assistant coach, where Dunn's son currently plays guard. While coaching Dunn's son, Graupe met the former Big Green head coach and was promptly offered an assistant job before the beginning of this season.
Prior to his stint at CSU, Graupe spent seven years as a coach at Lake Region State College in North Dakota where he posted an overall record of 126-95. In both 2007 and 2008, he led Lake Region to the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 13 title. Both years, Graupe was awarded regional Coach of the Year honors.
The Big Green plays its next game against St. Francis College (NY) (6-9, 3-2 Northeast) Monday in Hanover.
