The reassurance Joanne P. McCallie's recent contract extension may have brought to worrisome MSU women's basketball fans turned out to be fool's gold.

Less than one month after negotiating a five-year deal to remain in East Lansing, McCallie is headed to Durham, N.C., to become the women's basketball head coach at Duke.

"She and I talked last night about quarter to 11 p.m.," MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said. "She called me at home. She and I talked about it in the context about how her experience was positive at Michigan State, but this was an exciting opportunity."

McCallie compiled a 149-75 record during her seven seasons at MSU. The Spartans earned five NCAA Tournament berths, and in 2004, the team advanced all the way to the NCAA championship game before falling to Baylor.

The Spartans flamed out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament this season. Five days later, McCallie signed a contract extension. It included a number of incentives, such as a $100,000 raise in base salary, and was to become effective July 1.

But when Gail Goestenkors left the Blue Devils to accept the women's head coaching job at Texas on April 3, one of the premier coaching jobs in the country became available — a job that was too good to pass up.

McCallie addressed her players Wednesday during a team meeting. She was not available for immediate comment, but did issue a statement in which she said Duke has been a "dream job for me for many years."

McCallie's extension is now void, but the buyout policy in her current contract — two times her base salary of $232,875 — is still in effect, said John Lewandowski, MSU's associate athletics director for media relations.

Trustee Colleen McNamara said McCallie's sudden departure caught her off guard.

"I think all coaches are open to listening to other offers, and we knew she'd be sought out by other schools," McNamara said. "We had thought she made the decision to stay at MSU, so we were disappointed."

Rumors of McCallie's departure first surfaced after her husband, MSU economics Associate Professor John D. McCallie, was arrested March 7 at a Florida airport on charges of resisting arrest with violence and battery on a law enforcement official.

On March 13, his first day back in class since the arrest, John D. McCallie told his students, "We've got a bunch of schools looking at us," specifically mentioning LSU.

Simon said the wheels already are in motion to find MSU's next women's coach. The administration already navigated one high-profile coaching search in the last year, tapping Mark Dantonio from Cincinnati to replace John L. Smith as football head coach.

"(Athletics Director) Ron Mason … was in town to meet with the players and is in the process of leading the search," Simon said. "It's already underway."

Lewandowski said it's too early in the process to give details of a coaching search, but stressed, "The important thing here is to get the best coach and the best fit."

He said the university always has a short list of candidates ready for situations such as this.

"This has got to be an attractive job," Lewandowski said, referring to MSU's program prestige and "tremendous" basketball facilities.

Staff writer Kristi Jourdan contributed to this report.

Coach P at MSU

March 23, 2003 — The Spartans make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

2004-05 — The Spartans have a breakthrough season, winning the Big Ten Tournament title and reaching the national championship game. McCallie is named National Coach of the Year by The Associated Press.

March 7, 2007 — McCallie's husband, John D. McCallie, is arrested at a Florida airport on charges of resisting arrest with violence and battery on a law enforcement official.

March 20, 2007 — While rumors suggest the McCallies might be leaving MSU, the Spartans exit the NCAA Tournament in the second round.

March 25, 2007 — McCallie signs a five-year extension that includes a $100,000 increase in base salary.

April 18, 2007 — McCallie is named head women's basketball coach at Duke.