2 0 1 3 , ▁Lo os ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁rel in qu ish ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁director ▁of ▁athlet ics ▁to ▁focus ▁sole ly ▁on ▁co aching ▁basketball . ▁D erek ▁van ▁der ▁Mer we ▁was ▁announced ▁as ▁the ▁successor ▁to ▁Lo os ▁on ▁June ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁the ▁Lo os - co ached ▁Govern ors ▁won ▁the ▁tournament ▁championship ▁of ▁the ▁Ohio ▁Valley ▁Conference , ▁thus ▁qual ifying ▁to ▁particip ate ▁once ▁again ▁in ▁the ▁NCAA ▁Men ' s ▁Division ▁I ▁Basketball ▁Tournament . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁season , ▁which ▁ultimately ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁his ▁last ▁as ▁head ▁coach , ▁was ▁set ▁against ▁the ▁back drop ▁of ▁a ▁battle ▁with ▁col ore ct al ▁cancer . ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁off season , ▁he ▁under w ent ▁surg ery ▁to ▁remove ▁the ▁m align ancy . ▁A ▁m align ant ▁l ym ph ▁node ▁was ▁found ▁during ▁the ▁procedure , ▁and ▁he ▁began ▁chem other apy . ▁Lo os ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁take ▁a ▁medical ▁leave ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁missing ▁four ▁games . ▁After ▁the ▁Govern ors ▁failed ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁O VC ▁tournament , ▁ending ▁their ▁season , ▁Lo os ▁chose ▁to ▁ret ire . ▁The ▁university ▁announced ▁his ▁decision ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 , ▁which ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁full ▁press ▁conference ▁on ▁March ▁ 6 . ▁