It would be an understatement to say that changes have occurred at perennial powerhouse Princeton (19-11, 11-3).

The hiring of Thompson strikes prominently as the main headline in a tumultuous off-season for the program.

Former Coach Bill Carmody, longtime understudy of Princeton legend Pete Carill, bolted to Northwestern and its alluring Big Ten spotlight. That led to the hiring of former Princeton star Thompson, who graduated in 1988.

The overhaul did not end there however. The wave of departures from Princeton spread onto the court as well, leaving the frontcourt in shambles. In addition to the graduation of team leader Mason Rocca, center Chris Younga--who undoubtedly would have been the best returning player in the Ivy League this season--shocked the team by forgoing his college basketball eligibility. He signed a professional baseball contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a third-round draft pick. The 6'11 center dominated in the Ivy League last season, leading the league in blocks with 90. Young also led the team in scoring and rebounding last season.

Compounding problems for Thompson is the transfer of sophomore guard Spencer Gloger to UCLA. Gloger (11.6 ppg) had started as a freshman last season in the Tigers' backcourt.

Furthermore, forward Ray Robins, also a starter last season, decided to take the year off.

This leaves the new coach with a mountain of problems to overcome, with no returning starters averaging more than eight points per game. C.J. Chapman returns as the only reliable scorer. The 6'1 guard is 11th all-time in three-point shooting for Princeton. Junior Ahmed El-Nokali (6.5 ppg) will remain the starting point guard for the Tigers.

Senior Nate Walton, who saw extensive time off the bench last season, along with sophomore Kris Krug, will likely step into the frontcourt for Princeton. Thompson will undoubtedly look for immediate contribution from his freshmen, especially highly touted guard Ed Persia.