"It's a sad day," said Kyle Cassity, a member of Majerus' first recruiting class. "He did so much for St. Louis in general and did so much for me, to be honest. He gave me the opportunity of a lifetime and made me a better person. I'll be forever grateful for that. He's a hell of a coach and was a great mentor to me and a lot of other people. I hate to see him go."

"Nobody loved basketball and teaching kids more than Rick," SLU interim coach Jim Crews said. "His passion for the game and the coaching profession was unparalleled. Rick was a true friend and was always there when needed. I, along with so many others, am going to miss him."

But health always was an issue with Majerus, who missed parts of three seasons at Utah because of heart-related illnesses and had, over the years, seven heart bypasses.

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