Asst Coach Job Posting

[oldude]

Wouldn't it be until the position is filled?

Job postings are typically not open ended, and the posting would require that the job not be filled until after the designated posting period to give all potential applicants an equal opportunity to apply. Per UConnCat, the posting ends next Tuesday, so I would anticipate an announcement relatively soon thereafter if Geno already has someone in mind. If not, it could take several weeks.

 

[Jackalope]

Job postings are typically not open ended, and the posting would require that the job not be filled until after the designated posting period to give all potential applicants an equal opportunity to apply. Per UConnCat, the posting ends next Tuesday, so I would anticipate an announcement relatively soon thereafter if Geno already has someone in mind. If not, it could take several weeks.

The NCAA Dead Period is supposedly ending June 1st and I would expect that there would be a rush to get face to face time with recruits. I would think that sooner is more likely than later to get an Assistant Coach hired and active.

Report: NCAA recruiting dead period ending on June 1

The NCAA's historically long recruiting dead period is on the verge of being lifted. According to CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd, June 1 has been set as the date the dead period will be lifted. Coaches and recruits have not been able to engage face to face for the last…

usatodayhss.com

 

[Stymie]

Way off.
Way, way off.
Why would an {unnamed} head coach leave their position of privilege, respect and security and uproot their life to become a assistant coach for a couple of years?
No upside for the {unnamed} candidate.
None.

 

[EricSD]

As a fan, I would be disappointed if it were Morgan Valley. There. I said it. Having said that, I'm open to being convinced that she's the right choice. Not that Geno nor CD owe me any explanation, but there is absolutely ZERO on her resume that is impressive (to me).

She has literally had 8 jobs in the past 16 years. She has stayed at NO job more than 2 years except for UMASS as an assistant. She was at Va Tech, Washington, and Arizona, so she spent some time at P5 schools. Ok that's nice but name one single top player she was the lead recruiter on (I'm asking - like I said, open to being convinced). I get that she may have coached Kelsey Plum for a year or 2, but she joined Washington after Plum was already on the team so did not recruit her.

She took over for Kim McNeil, who was at Hartford for 3 years and was 23-11 in her 3rd season, making it to the WNIT. Kim had a winning record all 3 seasons. Morgan then took over and promptly went 1-28. She was 3-9 this season before Hartford shut down due to Covid. Is she just an awful coach, or was the cupboard left completely bare when McNeil left? Or something in between?

Has she even coached guards before? I know she was a versatile player hampered by plantar fascitis, but she was never a PG or SG. She was more a wing/forward. So this is potentially who would be the lead coach will be for possibly the greatest 2 guards to ever play for the same team at the same time in the history of women's college basketball (following in the footsteps of Sue and Diana)?

I'm NOT trying to be a Debbie Downer. I have no idea if she is THE candidate that Geno and CD are looking for. But when you look at the list of people who fit the ENTIRE job description, it's something like Morgan Valley, Gail Goestenkors, Joanne McCallie. I haven't seen anyone else put forward a name who meets all the criteria. So please - tell me why she would be the right person for the job. And saying "If Geno wants her, it's fine by me" is obvious. Give me something else. PLEASE.

 

[oldude]

As a fan, I would be disappointed if it were Morgan Valley. There. I said it. Having said that, I'm open to being convinced that she's the right choice. Not that Geno nor CD owe me any explanation, but there is absolutely ZERO on her resume that is impressive (to me).

She has literally had 8 jobs in the past 16 years. She has stayed at NO job more than 2 years except for UMASS as an assistant. She was at Va Tech, Washington, and Arizona, so she spent some time at P5 schools. Ok that's nice but name one single top player she was the lead recruiter on (I'm asking - like I said, open to being convinced). I get that she may have coached Kelsey Plum for a year or 2, but she joined Washington after Plum was already on the team so did not recruit her.

She took over for Kim McNeil, who was at Hartford for 3 years and was 23-11 in her 3rd season, making it to the WNIT. Kim had a winning record all 3 seasons. Morgan then took over and promptly went 1-28. She was 3-9 this season before Hartford shut down due to Covid. Is she just an awful coach, or was the cupboard left completely bare when McNeil left? Or something in between?

Has she even coached guards before? I know she was a versatile player hampered by plantar fascitis, but she was never a PG or SG. She was more a wing/forward. So this is potentially who would be the lead coach will be for possibly the greatest 2 guards to ever play for the same team at the same time in the history of women's college basketball (following in the footsteps of Sue and Diana)?

I'm NOT trying to be a Debbie Downer. I have no idea if she is THE candidate that Geno and CD are looking for. But when you look at the list of people who fit the ENTIRE job description, it's something like Morgan Valley, Gail Goestenkors, Joanne McCallie. I haven't seen anyone else put forward a name who meets all the criteria. So please - tell me why she would be the right person for the job. And saying "If Geno wants her, it's fine by me" is obvious. Give me something else. PLEASE.

Eric, you ask a number of really good questions. It’s probably too late, but I think you should definitely represent the BY to interview all viable candidates for the Assistant Coach position.

 

[LarryLegend]

The NCAA Dead Period is supposedly ending June 1st and I would expect that there would be a rush to get face to face time with recruits. I would think that sooner is more likely than later to get an Assistant Coach hired and active.

Report: NCAA recruiting dead period ending on June 1

The NCAA's historically long recruiting dead period is on the verge of being lifted. According to CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd, June 1 has been set as the date the dead period will be lifted. Coaches and recruits have not been able to engage face to face for the last…

usatodayhss.com

wait - they are recruiting dead people now?

 

[UcMiami]

Near the bottom of the posting it says "The posting is scheduled to be removed at 11:55 PM Eastern time on April 20, 2021." So since it was put up on the 13th, it looks like the requirement is one week. Maybe that means an announcement will be made at noon! Ha!

You mean midnight!

EricLA: If you look at the bio quotes from the Washington and AZ jobs, you see very impressive quotes from, Sue, Plum, Osahor, Geno, CD, and Neighbors.
Posted up thread by Jackalop:

Morgan Valley - Assistant Coach - Staff Directory - University of Washington Athletics

Morgan Valley is in her second season as an assistant women's basketball coach at the University of Washington in 2016-17 after being hired by former head co...

gohuskies.com

Morgan Valley - Assistant Coach - Staff Directory - University of Arizona Athletics

Follow on Twitter Follow on Instagram Head women’s basketball coach Adia Barnes announced the hiring of new assistant coach Morgan Valley on April 26, 2017. “Morgan

arizonawildcats.com

Maybe it isn't the most exciting hire - but this is a person who has dedicated herself to coaching, after being a tough nosed but limited player in college. She left Washington when Neighbors left, and left AZ to head home for a HC job at a school that has since decided it no longer will be a D1 program - suspect the energy and support had dried up. And that thorn in our sides in the FF this year made the same trip to AZ that her recruiter/AC made and that her fellow assistant had made - Barnes and Valley had worked together in WA.

 

[CL82]

What's the O/U on how many millennium would pass before that happened? I'll say a millennium.

The better question is whether she'll still be coaching in a millennium.

 

[UConnCat]

Every job Morgan has taken has been in consultation with Chris Dailey, her mentor.

 

[Jackalope]

Has she even coached guards before? I know she was a versatile player hampered by plantar fascitis, but she was never a PG or SG. She was more a wing/forward. So this is potentially who would be the lead coach will be for possibly the greatest 2 guards to ever play for the same team at the same time in the history of women's college basketball (following in the footsteps of Sue and Diana)?

Yes she has. See this article.

Kelsey Plum works out at Arizona, leaves men’s basketball team in awe

The best scorer in NCAA history spent a week in Tucson

www.azdesertswarm.com

 

[UConnCat]

You mean midnight!

EricLA: If you look at the bio quotes from the Washington and AZ jobs, you see very impressive quotes from, Sue, Plum, Osahor, Geno, CD, and Neighbors.
Posted up thread by Jackalop:

Morgan Valley - Assistant Coach - Staff Directory - University of Washington Athletics

Morgan Valley is in her second season as an assistant women's basketball coach at the University of Washington in 2016-17 after being hired by former head co...

gohuskies.com

Morgan Valley - Assistant Coach - Staff Directory - University of Arizona Athletics

Follow on Twitter Follow on Instagram Head women’s basketball coach Adia Barnes announced the hiring of new assistant coach Morgan Valley on April 26, 2017. “Morgan

arizonawildcats.com

Maybe it isn't the most exciting hire - but this is a person who has dedicated herself to coaching, after being a tough nosed but limited player in college. She left Washington when Neighbors left, and left AZ to head home for a HC job at a school that has since decided it no longer will be a D1 program - suspect the energy and support had dried up. And that thorn in our sides in the FF this year made the same trip to AZ that her recruiter/AC made and that her fellow assistant had made - Barnes and Valley had worked together in WA.

Morgan has talked about Chris Dailey being her mentor. Every job Morgan has taken has been in consultation with Chris. Moran began watching film and helping with scout while on the UConn team. But for the Hartford job, which Chris persuaded her to take, she’d be an assistant on the Arizona staff.

I think we should trust Geno and Chris who know Morgan well and will be the the people working with her. They know her best and knowing someone well is very important for this role.

All that said, we still don’t know for certain if it’s her.

 

[Carnac]

So the notice has been posted, the requirements restrict probably 99% of all available coaches, Is it possible that it is posted that way to discourage a flood of applicates, thus finding none acceptable, moving on and hiring a younger coach with an affinity to be an amazing recruiter, and guard oriented.

I believe they had to post the job opening. I also believe they "intentionally" worded it so that they would not receive a flood of of applications. Geno (with the blessing of the AD) can hire anyone he wants to. He probably already had someone in mind once Shea informed him of her desire to apply for the Vandy HC position. They don't have to have all of the qualifications described in the posting. The last assistant he hired (Jasmine Lister) did not have half of those requirements. I'm not saying, I just saying.

 

[CL82]

Way off.
Way, way off.
Why would an {unnamed} head coach leave their position of privilege, respect and security and uproot their life to become a assistant coach for a couple of years?
No upside for the {unnamed} candidate.
None.

Desire for a national championship?

 

[DefenseBB]

I can understand Eric's concerns but I think we have been spoiled (again) by the fact all our assistants do stay awhile whereas that is NOT the normal protocol for the 2nd and 3rd assistants at other schools who climb the tree to better programs, more diverse exposure, more responsibility to build their brand and their education under different systems. I would also say being an assistant is radically different than being a head coach. While the normal progression is Asst to HC, some are not good HC but are great assistants. Plus there is the money factor, I think Shea's salary was wrong, I thought she made closer to $300K on the freedom of information act for the 2017 salary year. The amount Morgan would get is more than what Hartford is paying plus she gets back with two people who molded her-Geno/CD.

To me, all her experience at these other schools is a benefit and she will do well. The last non-UConn hire did not do so well whereas Marissa and Tonya both did well, so as we know, it's a crapshoot. I say welcome aboard Morgan Valley (provided it's her).

 

[ed4ourgirls]

. . . I think we should trust Geno and Chris who know Morgan well and will be the the people working with her. They know her best and knowing someone well is very important for this role. . . .

I think this is an important point. The person hired has to "fit in" with the exiting staff and
especially Geno.

Just to take an extreme example, can anyone imagine someone as prickly as Joanne McCallie fitting in?

 

[JonathanXIV]

I believe they had to post the job opening. I also believe they "intentionally" worded it so that they would not receive a flood of of applications. Geno (with the blessing of the AD) can hire anyone he wants to. He probably already had someone in mind once Shea informed him of her desire to apply for the Vandy HC position. They don't have to have all of the qualifications described in the posting. The last assistant he hired (Jasmine Lister) did not have half of those requirements. I'm not saying, I just saying.

The job description for the job that Jasmine got was very different. Hence the conclusion that this job description was written for a specific individual.

 

[MSGRET]

The job description for the job that Jasmine got was very different. Hence the conclusion that this job description was written for a specific individual.

The job description for Jasmine was also very specific and why she was hired, it was written for her.

 

[Rocket009]

Part of creating a job description like this also addresses potential lawsuits from applicants that feel they were better qualified, but were not hired or given a chance to interview. I'm sure as soon as news of Shea leaving hit, there were lots of interested parties reaching out/applying. With this job description it makes it much easier to say why one person was hired over another as all of these are very hard criteria (hard in the sense that they are not vague or fuzzy - you either have or have not done these things).

• five years of coaching experience working within a women’s collegiate Division I basketball program
• coaching experience at two or more universities that are members of Power 5 conferences
• Division I head coaching experience
• coaching experience on team(s) that have advanced to at least the regional round of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship
• demonstrated experience coaching players who have achieved conference and/or national honors
• former playing experience at the Division I collegiate level

 

[MooseJaw]

I believe they had to post the job opening. I also believe they "intentionally" worded it so that they would not receive a flood of of applications. Geno (with the blessing of the AD) can hire anyone he wants to. He probably already had someone in mind once Shea informed him of her desire to apply for the Vandy HC position. They don't have to have all of the qualifications described in the posting. The last assistant he hired (Jasmine Lister) did not have half of those requirements. I'm not saying, I just saying.

I guess I am curious if the posting that brought us Lister was worded in such a discouraging limited and narrow manner like the currant post is. In todays crazy litigious frenzy, does this kind of post leave UCONN in potential legal jeopardy? I want Geno to get the asst. he wants, however it is a State Univ. as I said just curious.

 

[MdStang]

The important section of the posting is the "preferred qualifications". That will be used to effectively justify the candidate that Geno prefers.

I worked for 35+ years in education, at a public college and a private university and hired many individuals over my career. This is a certainty: at the highest levels of any educational institution (which includes a highly compensated hiring manager with 11 national championships) job postings that are tailored to certain individuals are common. Geno will get the person he wants.

 

[JonathanXIV]

The job description for Jasmine was also very specific and why she was hired, it was written for her.

Exactly.

 

[Rings R Us]

First off, I was sad to see Shea go like everyone else, but am very happy for her. She will always be one of my favorite Husky's!

That being said, after reading more about Morgan Valley and all of the glowing things being said about her from other programs shes been at (and obviously from our own Uconn coaches an alums), I have to say I am very impressed with her.

If we do in fact hire her (like some of us are starting to believe will happen), I think it will be an outstanding pickup for the staff. Not only does she know exactly what it takes to play at Uconn, but she also has the unique knowledge of working first hand in programs with top coaches like Mike Neighbors, Adia Barnes and highly skilled players like Kelsey Plum. She can bring in some other ideas and styles shes experienced from them. I think she'd be the perfect fit for Uconn right now, getting some fresh new perspective from someone whose been out of the UConn program for awhile.

So who knows, maybe it won't be Morgan, however I'm starting to get excited by the idea of it happening!

 

[Charliebball]

I guess I am curious if the posting that brought us Lister was worded in such a discouraging limited and narrow manner like the currant post is. In todays crazy litigious frenzy, does this kind of post leave UCONN in potential legal jeopardy? I want Geno to get the asst. he wants, however it is a State Univ. as I said just curious.

judging by the specificity of the demanding prerequisites of the job posting, I'd say the selection has already taken place........this is just a necessary formality

 

[Crossover]

I believe they had to post the job opening. I also believe they "intentionally" worded it so that they would not receive a flood of of applications. Geno (with the blessing of the AD) can hire anyone he wants to. He probably already had someone in mind once Shea informed him of her desire to apply for the Vandy HC position. They don't have to have all of the qualifications described in the posting. The last assistant he hired (Jasmine Lister) did not have half of those requirements. I'm not saying, I just saying.

This was not the job description that was posted when Jasmine was hired. She met every requirement in that description, mainly because it was written to fit her.

 

[Carnac]

This was not the job description that was posted when Jasmine was hired. She met every requirement in that description, mainly because it was written to fit her.

Understood. Then may we assume this was written for the person(s) on their short list?

 

[Bald Husky]

Part of creating a job description like this also addresses potential lawsuits from applicants that feel they were better qualified, but were not hired or given a chance to interview. I'm sure as soon as news of Shea leaving hit, there were lots of interested parties reaching out/applying. With this job description it makes it much easier to say why one person was hired over another as all of these are very hard criteria (hard in the sense that they are not vague or fuzzy - you either have or have not done these things).

• five years of coaching experience working within a women’s collegiate Division I basketball program
• coaching experience at two or more universities that are members of Power 5 conferences
• Division I head coaching experience
• coaching experience on team(s) that have advanced to at least the regional round of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship
• demonstrated experience coaching players who have achieved conference and/or national honors
• former playing experience at the Division I collegiate level

These are the PREFERRED qualifications, but the MIMIMUM qualifications are much less stringent. We have all been looking at the former, but the latter may open the door for someone we have not considered.

 

[Crossover]

These are the PREFERRED qualifications, but the MIMIMUM qualifications are much less stringent. We have all been looking at the former, but the latter may open the door for someone we have not considered.

The minimum requirements include 5 years of D1 coaching experience plus having coached in 2 power conferences.

 

[uconnfan68]

I didn't know CD was a big fan of Blazing Saddles .....

Just the campfire scene.

 

[tower1]

As a fan, I would be disappointed if it were Morgan Valley. There. I said it. Having said that, I'm open to being convinced that she's the right choice. Not that Geno nor CD owe me any explanation, but there is absolutely ZERO on her resume that is impressive (to me).

She has literally had 8 jobs in the past 16 years. She has stayed at NO job more than 2 years except for UMASS as an assistant. She was at Va Tech, Washington, and Arizona, so she spent some time at P5 schools. Ok that's nice but name one single top player she was the lead recruiter on (I'm asking - like I said, open to being convinced). I get that she may have coached Kelsey Plum for a year or 2, but she joined Washington after Plum was already on the team so did not recruit her.

She took over for Kim McNeil, who was at Hartford for 3 years and was 23-11 in her 3rd season, making it to the WNIT. Kim had a winning record all 3 seasons. Morgan then took over and promptly went 1-28. She was 3-9 this season before Hartford shut down due to Covid. Is she just an awful coach, or was the cupboard left completely bare when McNeil left? Or something in between?

Has she even coached guards before? I know she was a versatile player hampered by plantar fascitis, but she was never a PG or SG. She was more a wing/forward. So this is potentially who would be the lead coach will be for possibly the greatest 2 guards to ever play for the same team at the same time in the history of women's college basketball (following in the footsteps of Sue and Diana)?

I'm NOT trying to be a Debbie Downer. I have no idea if she is THE candidate that Geno and CD are looking for. But when you look at the list of people who fit the ENTIRE job description, it's something like Morgan Valley, Gail Goestenkors, Joanne McCallie. I haven't seen anyone else put forward a name who meets all the criteria. So please - tell me why she would be the right person for the job. And saying "If Geno wants her, it's fine by me" is obvious. Give me something else. PLEASE.

I don't think Morgan is the right person at this time. She needs to be better known by recruits before she can assume this job. If CD doesn't plan on sticking around after Geno then they should hire the person that Geno wants. Uconn needs a big name to assume Geno's legacy . We all saw what happened to our Men's team.

 

[UcMiami]

I don't think Morgan is the right person at this time. She needs to be better known by recruits before she can assume this job. If CD doesn't plan on sticking around after Geno then they should hire the person that Geno wants. Uconn needs a big name to assume Geno's legacy . We all saw what happened to our Men's team.

Until two years ago, she was recruiting for Washington (a FF team) and AZ (now a FF team) in the Pac12. And Uconn recruiting is about Uconn and Geno and CD and recruits, their coaches and their parents and their friends know them. She just becomes another in a long line of 'gatekeepers' to the King and Queen. This idea that Shea and Jamelle were the magnet that got recruits to commit is silly.

As for it being Morgan ... maybe TN just stole a march on CT by reportedly hiring Samantha Williams - she was an assistant at Duke and Louisville, and a HC at EKU so she meets the minimum.

We are maybe over-focused on Uconn connections. There may be others with all the required experience out there.