“Why not here? Why not now?” says new UW women’s basketball coach Marisa Moseley

[eebmg]

Very detailed article about Marisa and her newest gig.

“Why not here? Why not now?” New UW women’s basketball coach Marisa Moseley looks to turn around struggling women’s basketball program | Madison365

but maybe a bit hyperbole

“I have to be honest, in all of the places I have been I’ve never seen the affinity that people have for the Badgers here anywhere else. So that was exciting. Especially for women’s sports,” she says.

 

[MSGRET]

Very detailed article about Marisa and her newest gig.

“Why not here? Why not now?” New UW women’s basketball coach Marisa Moseley looks to turn around struggling women’s basketball program | Madison365

but maybe a bit hyperbole

“I have to be honest, in all of the places I have been I’ve never seen the affinity that people have for the Badgers here anywhere else. So that was exciting. Especially for women’s sports,” she says.

ya, think!

UW doesn't even come close to UConn. The Huskies make UW look like a high school JV team from top to bottom.

 

[GoingPostal]

Thanks for posting the article. I picked up on that comment as well. I'd like to think that Marisa was talking about the vibe around the UW athletic program in general. After a decade of losing basketball I doubt that she was referring to the WBB program specifically. I wish her the best of luck!

 

[oldude]

Before you can be a winning program, you have to believe you can be a winning program. Marisa has one hell of a challenge ahead of her at WI, but it’s a piece of cake compared to the challenge Geno faced when he showed up in Storrs many years ago.

 

[GoingPostal]

It'll be interesting to see how she does recruiting in Wisconsin against other programs like Megan Duffy's at Marquette.

 

[DefenseBB]

It'll be interesting to see how she does recruiting in Wisconsin against other programs like Megan Duffy's at Marquette.

Well, I don’t think Megan Duffy is long for Marquette. After this year I think she will be moving to a P5 program, maybe even one that create a vacancy over the summer, has been to a Final Four as recently as 2016 and plays in the ACC against her former school…

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

ya, think!

UW doesn't even come close to UConn. The Huskies make UW look like a high school JV team from top to bottom.

I think the remark is on a more "over-all" basis. Having gone to a Rutgers WBB game in Madison "in the day" and talked to a couple folks, she is correct. In fact, very common in the B1G, it is different than the UConn fandom, which is largely WBB driven. It seems different from fandom in the Northeast in general. At most of those schools, football is king, and then whatever the school is known for - Nebraska for instance has volleyball, many have strong MBB programs, etc.

I can honestly say I think UConn is the only program where there is such a large WBB fanbase that probably doesn't really follow other sports. And that were attracted to being a UConn WBB fan directly. There are other programs with strong WBB support (South Carolina, Tennessee, Iowa State, others) but many of those fans came to WBB from other sports.

 

[HopJim]

Not a very powerful message.

 

[JellyBean]

I like her mindset. Coach Moseley is going to do well in Wisconsin.

 

[Vowelguy]

Before you can be a winning program, you have to believe you can be a winning program. Marisa has one hell of a challenge ahead of her at WI, but it’s a piece of cake compared to the challenge Geno faced when he showed up in Storrs many years ago.

Yes and no.
There were no expectations and no timeline for success at Uconn, and less competition.
In contrast, Moseley has 3-4 years to succeed. And I think the players are more entitled now because they have so many more options, and can transfer without sitting out.

 

[oldude]

Yes and no.
There were no expectations and no timeline for success at Uconn, and less competition.
In contrast, Moseley has 3-4 years to succeed. And I think the players are more entitled now because they have so many more options, and can transfer without sitting out.

The level of resources at WI, financial, facilities and overall strength of the athletic department, are significantly greater than anything Geno had when he showed up in Storrs. We’ve all heard stories of the 1 phone he shared in a small office with CD in the old gym.

I would also suggest that success for WI WBB does not mean conference championships and national prominence. Marissa just has to demonstrate improvement.

 

[bballnut90]

Thanks for posting the article. I picked up on that comment as well. I'd like to think that Marisa was talking about the vibe around the UW athletic program in general. After a decade of losing basketball I doubt that she was referring to the WBB program specifically. I wish her the best of luck!

If Wisconsin starts winning games, attendance and fan support will come in masses. Madison is a great college town that loves women's sports and will gladly jump on the women's basketball bandwagon if Moseley can find success. Back in the late 90s/early 00s when Wisconsin usually made the NCAA tournament, they were consistently in the top 3 to top 10 in attendance, drawing 7000-11000 fans on average. A few years they finished just behind Tennessee and Connecticut in attendance.

As far as other women's sports, Wisconsin volleyball sells out every single match and is consistently #2 program in the country for attendance behind Nebraska, and women's hockey is #1 for attendance and consistently sells out too. Even now with the program in the dumps, they were #25 in attendance in 2019-20. The fan support will come if Moseley can right the ship.

 

[Carnac]

I think the remark is on a more "over-all" basis. Having gone to a Rutgers WBB game in Madison "in the day" and talked to a couple folks, she is correct. In fact, very common in the B1G, it is different than the UConn fandom, which is largely WBB driven. It seems different from fandom in the Northeast in general. At most of those schools, football is king, and then whatever the school is known for - Nebraska for instance has volleyball, many have strong MBB programs, etc.

I can honestly say I think UConn is the only program where there is such a large WBB fanbase that probably doesn't really follow other sports. And that were attracted to being a UConn WBB fan directly. There are other programs with strong WBB support (South Carolina, Tennessee, Iowa State, others) but many of those fans came to WBB from other sports.

Mosley has a monumental task in front of her. One she no doubt embraces and accepts. Being a member of Geno's staff for 9 years, she became acutely aware of the type of players/people she needs to recruit to put Wisconsin WBB on the map. On the map means finishing in the top third of the conference standings, making the NCAA Tournament EVERY year and advancing past the first round. Wisconsin WBB MUST become a household name in that geographical region.

She should not have to introduce herself when she visits a potential recruit's home. Geno doesn't, Dawn Staley doesn't, Kim Mulkey doesn't, Tara VanDerveer doesn't, Vic Schaefer doesn't, Brenda Frese doesn't etc. She MUST change the culture there from a losing one to a winning one. That means finishing with a winning record for 4-5 years consecutively. She must also change the perception of her program in D1 WCBB to that of a winner and a formidable opponent. Then and only then will she be able to attract players from the top third of the recruiting classes each year.

Look at the top 33 players from any class. Hoopgurlz 2020 - Hoopgurlz 2021 Look at the schools they commit to. MAJOR P-5 programs (with the exception of UConn). Wisconsin got 1 commitment (#93) from the 2020 class, and NONE from the 2021 class. It's hard to compete against girls that were the best on their HS team with girls that were the third or fourth best players on their team.

Job 1 for Mosley and her staff is to get some of those top 100 players and some "disgruntled" players in the transfer portal to come to Wisconsin. You can't run a serious horse race without some thoroughbreds and expect to win.

Disclaimer: I'm NOT calling women basketball players horses or thoroughbreds. I'm speaking figuratively. It wouldn't hurt to start (if they don't already have one) a fan chatroom for Wisconsin WBB similar to the Boneyard. Of course it won't be as large or attractive as ours right away. It took the Boneyard years to reach the popularity it enjoys today. The journey of a thousand miles......... Wisconsin is in a P-5 conference. It's a MAJOR University. So what's the problem? No excuses right? It will be interesting to see how her program progresses year to year the next 5-6 years.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. What is this UW stuff? That university is clearly in Seattle, not Madison. If you don't pronounce it U-Dub maybe I'll let it slide.

Wisconsin, along with most of the Big 10 schools, does have a very strong women's volleyball following. Getting their women's bball program anywhere remotely close to the same level as the vball would be quite an achievement (Top 10 or even Top 5 ranking every year, battling for the conference crown in maybe the best conference in the country, perennial Final 4 contender).

 

[EdSaid]

Both Marisa and Shea have a tough road in front of them. I believe they know what they need to do. The question is can they. I wish them both well.

37 years Geno and CD did start at the very bottom. It was a totally different time for WBB. Very little funding, No WBB TV, Very little attention to Title IX. Maybe two great coaches at the time Pat Summitt and Jody Conradt.. Geno rose to the top but he didn't have as many obstacles as a new coach has today.

Today there are say 10 great coaches and another 50 darn good coaches. Probably 10 teams at the beginning of the Tournament could win if they got hot. Even starting as a head coach at a P5 school today, the mountain has gotten higher. There are more steps to climb.

Would a 30 year old brash Geno Auriemma getting his first Div I job today be able to do what he did? Pat Summitt?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Both Marisa and Shea have a tough road in front of them. I believe they know what they need to do. The question is can they. I wish them both well.

37 years Geno and CD did start at the very bottom. It was a totally different time for WBB. Very little funding, No WBB TV, Very little attention to Title IX. Maybe two great coaches at the time Pat Summitt and Jody Conradt.. Geno rose to the top but he didn't have as many obstacles as a new coach has today.

Today there are say 10 great coaches and another 50 darn good coaches. Probably 10 teams at the beginning of the Tournament could win if they got hot. Even starting as a head coach at a P5 school today, the mountain has gotten higher. There are more steps to climb.

Would a 30 year old brash Geno Auriemma getting his first Div I job today be able to do what he did? Pat Summitt?

I didn't realize til just now that Geno started at UConn the same year Tara started at Stanford. Both arrived at a school w/ very little history of success previously. Stanford was barely over .500 since starting the program in the mid 70s, had 1 Tourney appearance (one and done) and a few pre-NCAA Tourney regional appearances.

 

[EdSaid]

I bet Tara had more to work with at Stanford. Better budget and winning culture, etc. She also had five years as head coach at Ohio State.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I bet Tara had more to work with at Stanford. Better budget and winning culture, etc. She also had five years as head coach at Ohio State.

Not saying they were facing the same thing, but she did make that program what it is.

 

[bballnut90]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. What is this UW stuff? That university is clearly in Seattle, not Madison. If you don't pronounce it U-Dub maybe I'll let it slide.

Wisconsin, along with most of the Big 10 schools, does have a very strong women's volleyball following. Getting their women's bball program anywhere remotely close to the same level as the vball would be quite an achievement (Top 10 or even Top 5 ranking every year, battling for the conference crown in maybe the best conference in the country, perennial Final 4 contender).

I dont think anyone is expecting MM to turn Wisconsin into a top 10 program, but if they can be an NCAA tournament team or even just a winning program, you'll see fan support improve immensely. The fan base and potential support is there, they just need to get some wins and momentum to give the fans a reason to come watch.

 

[bballnut90]

The level of resources at WI, financial, facilities and overall strength of the athletic department, are significantly greater than anything Geno had when he showed up in Storrs. We’ve all heard stories of the 1 phone he shared in a small office with CD in the old gym.

I would also suggest that success for WI WBB does not mean conference championships and national prominence. Marissa just has to demonstrate improvement.

It's apples and oranges. The talent pool, expectations and competition has risen immensely compared 30+ years ago, not to mention transfers/NIL/and the sport has changed so much over 30 years. Resources for coaches have improved tremendously over time, but all programs are investing significantly more resources into their women's athletic programs compared to 30 years ago. Coaching success is primarily measured based on wins/losses, and Moseley has to turn around a program in the dumps while competing against other coaches that have a similar level of support backing their program. Geno is a brilliant coach but comparing his path to success in the late 80s/early 90s to Moseley potential path in the 2020s doesn't make sense to me.

 

[connboy77]

I wish Marisa the best and hope that she turns Wisconsin into a winning program. It won't be easy but if she can get two or three good players each year who knows.

 

[JellyBean]

Coach Marisa is going to be okay. She has a solid coaching staff around her and some solid players in the program.

 

[CL82]

Disclaimer: I'm NOT calling women basketball players horses or thoroughbreds. I'm speaking figuratively.

Lol, that we feel the need to clarify that point. I do the same thing @Carnac. It saves time, because you know otherwise someone would feel obliged to post "These beautiful and talented women are not animals..."

 

[CL82]

Would a 30 year old brash Geno Auriemma getting his first Div I job today be able to do what he did?

I believe he would. I think it was more the individual rather than the circumstances that led to UConn's success. It would, undoubtedly, be harder though.

 

[UConnCat]