2025 WCBB Coaches Hot Seat edition (merged)

[Dillon77]

Here's a Raoul post on this, along with a link to the DePaul press release.
Interesting how "39" stands out: Coach Bruno spent 39 years at DePaul and is moving upstairs, whereas -- up in Evanston -- Joe McKeown has 39 totals years and wants to go one more year. Different folks, diferent strokes.

Congrats to Coach Bruno on a marvelous career helping players, his university and U.S.A. Basketball. Class act, throughout.

 

[stwainfan]

Which program hired the better coach?Arkansas or Missouri.

 

[dws3665]

Going forward, we won't talk about Bruno-o-o...

I'll show myself out.

 

[cancontent]

Going forward, we won't talk about Bruno-o-o...

I'll show myself out.

Come on.......I haven't gotten to use this one for a while!

 

[cancontent]

 

[Dillon77]

And here's Michael Voepel's ESPN piece on the retirement. Said Fortner:

"Georgia Tech is a gold mine, as an institution and an athletics department, and is well-positioned to compete for ACC and national championships in women's basketball. That makes it very hard to step away. But for me, after spending much of the last 30-plus years on the sideline, I just feel that it's time."

Fortner retiring after 6 years at Georgia Tech

Nell Fortner, who was coach of the year in three different conferences during her college career and also guided Team USA to an Olympic gold medal in 2000, announced her retirement Monday after six seasons with the Georgia Tech women's basketball program.

www.espn.com

 

[Vowelguy]

Well I was gonna say that all the good coaches were taken already but then I remembered Ark, Mo, Wisc hires.

And I don’t know what to think of Aubuen hire. Yes Norfolk st was good but they had Diamond Johnson.

 

[Dillon77]

Well I was gonna say that all the good coaches were taken already but then I remembered Ark, Mo, Wisc hires.

Word.........

 

[MSSportsGuy]

And here's Michael Voepel's ESPN piece on the retirement. Said Fortner:

"Georgia Tech is a gold mine, as an institution and an athletics department, and is well-positioned to compete for ACC and national championships in women's basketball. That makes it very hard to step away. But for me, after spending much of the last 30-plus years on the sideline, I just feel that it's time."

Fortner retiring after 6 years at Georgia Tech

Nell Fortner, who was coach of the year in three different conferences during her college career and also guided Team USA to an Olympic gold medal in 2000, announced her retirement Monday after six seasons with the Georgia Tech women's basketball program.

www.espn.com

I wouldn't put Fortner in the upper echelon of coaches, but she had a long career and managed to win games at every stop. That's a pretty successful run if you ask me.

 

[cancontent]

Well I was gonna say that all the good coaches were taken already but then I remembered Ark, Mo, Wisc hires.

And I don’t know what to think of Aubuen hire. Yes Norfolk st was good but they had Diamond Johnson.

They had Johnson for two seasons, however Norfolk State was good before she got there. Did she help them get over the hump for NCAAs? Sure, however the team came close to qualifying for the tournament prior to her arrival.

Auburn has also seen Tennessee have some success with Caldwell. Maybe they think they can replicate the formula? A random guess on my part.

Larry Vickers - Women's Basketball Coach - Norfolk State University Athletics

Larry Vickers Coaching Record Year University Record Pct. Conference Record Finish Postseason 2015-16 ** NSU 3-8 .273 MEAC 3-7 T-12th MEAC First

nsuspartans.com

 

[LETTERL]

Toyelle Wilson out at SMU.

 

[Jmul760170]

I wouldn't put Fortner in the upper echelon of coaches, but she had a long career and managed to win games at every stop. That's a pretty successful run if you ask me.

Fortner pretty much held the Purdue program together in her 1 year there after the Lin Dunn turmoil.
Without her, I doubt Purdue wins the 99 National Championship.
Would have been interesting to see what she could have done if she stayed there or a few years.

 

[Hayven]

She’s not going to admit it, but she saw the writing on the wall in Tucson. I think SMU is going to try to buy themselves into being a Top 10 women’s basketball program. Like they’re doing in women’s volleyball. Essentially buying transfers

 

[XXXBgEast]

She’s not going to admit it, but she saw the writing on the wall in Tucson. I think SMU is going to try to buy themselves into being a Top 10 women’s basketball program. Like they’re doing in women’s volleyball. Essentially buying transfers

View attachment 108500

Yea when the AD left from Maryland one of his first decisions was to fire the SMU coach.

Why? because he already had Barnes committed to leaving Arizona.

 

[DefenseBB]

Why does the phrase “let the buyer beware” keep ringing in my head here on this SMU hiring? Arizona is ecstatic to be rid of that contract and the drama of transfers that is an Adia Barnes program, but she will improve SMU immediately (how could they be worse?) but I am not sure that in the long run this will be a great hire. It won’t be the utter failures that Texas A&M or Georgia look like but it may come closer than many think….