Coaching Carousel 2017 (merged threads) | Page 4 | The Boneyard

Coaching Carousel 2017 (merged threads)

Fahey is probably a very good choice for a program that had 'coaching' issues and lawsuits - she will I suspect run a clean and tight program and take the stench off a bad few years at Illinois. Whether she can get the recruits necessary to really make them relevant in the B10 is secondary, she should get the program headed in the right direction and playing good basketball, and that would appear to be good enough to at least be middle of the pack in the weakest of the P5.

Plus, she'll get along -- at least initially -- with the athletic director. I had totally forgotten that Josh Wittman had been AD at WashU before coming back to his alma mater. Can explain the speed and certainty of the hire to some degree.

She can coach for certain and recruit to some degree -- the competition for those premium DIII athletes is intense these days for schools from Wash U and Chicago to Tufts and Amerst that value what athletics bring to the overall brand. Now she just needs to get a slightly different type of player and get to know some other types as well. I'll bet she's excited by that challenge after so many years....stay tuned.

Here's a press release on her hiring:
Fahey Named Head Women's Basketball Coach
 
I think we were among some posts that touched on this year. She was, in effect, saved by her contract after 2015-16, with the possibility that her freshman class would pan out.
It did....Jocelyn Willoughby and Dominique Toussaint both made the All-ACC frosh team.
Toussaint, Willoughby Named to ACC Coaches All-Freshman Team

They finished up 20-13 and lost to James Madison University. They might have lot that battle but gotten a win at JMU's expense in that
Brianna Tinsley, a 5'6" point guard from St. Anne's decommitted from JMU and is headed to UVA. Willoughby and Toussaint are a wing and off guard, respectively, so Tinsley should help with the ball-handling. However, they didn't help themselves up front (Danielle Patterson, headed for ND, listed UVA as a finalist.)

STAB's Tinsley commits to UVa women's hoops team

They played ND tough both times they faced them this year and a lot of folks they were on the bubble for the NCAA (perhaps over Auburn). Does the AD think that it's worth finishing the contract out? Or get someone whom he thinks can get more out of what Boyle has now? I think someone like Shea would do fantastically there. And UVA's not in your conference.
Dillon, in all seriousness, when was the last time any school bought out a women's teams coach? They have been let go for misconduct type activity-Swoopes, Yori but almost never for performance. Just look at Tenn, they are keeping that dumpster fire of situation as they can't or won't buy it out ($650,000 per year with 2 years left)

I can't think of any. I know you have been following it more so that's why I ask.
 
Dillon, in all seriousness, when was the last time any school bought out a women's teams coach? They have been let go for misconduct type activity-Swoopes, Yori but almost never for performance. Just look at Tenn, they are keeping that dumpster fire of situation as they can't or won't buy it out ($650,000 per year with 2 years left)

I can't think of any. I know you have been following it more so that's why I ask.
GG did not complete her contract at TX I think.
 
GG did not complete her contract at TX I think.

Except Goestenkors resigned with two years remaining, citing fatigue (she has not coached in college or full-time since; she has been a WNBA assistant in the summers and a television commentator during the WCBB season). She was not bought out. She left almost $2.5 million on the table.
 
I'm sure there have been coaches that have been bought out - but I agree it isn't common. Coach Niya Butts here in Arizona had not one but two "grace years" rather than the administration dismissing her - and she wasn't making any great salary (for a WBB HC) either. The then AD actually felt called upon to include the fact she was returning in his weekly newsletter at least once if not both years.
 
Except Goestenkors resigned with two years remaining, citing fatigue (she has not coached in college or full-time since; she has been a WNBA assistant in the summers and a television commentator during the WCBB season). She was not bought out. She left almost $2.5 million on the table.
I know that was the resolution, but I always thought there was probably a quietly paid sweetener to get the resignation letter. The school not only saved the salary, but also kept their unemployment insurance unsullied because she resigned.
 
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WHOA! I assumed she was a lifer at Wash U.

I believe she is the fastest coach to 600 wins - even faster than Geno.

Will be interesting to see how she does in the recruiting game, and also dealing with a different kind of kid -- a move to Northwestern, say, might have been a more logical move.

No D1 experience? OK then. I wish her good luck. At Illinois, she'll need it.
 
Dillon, in all seriousness, when was the last time any school bought out a women's teams coach? They have been let go for misconduct type activity-Swoopes, Yori but almost never for performance. Just look at Tenn, they are keeping that dumpster fire of situation as they can't or won't buy it out ($650,000 per year with 2 years left)

I can't think of any. I know you have been following it more so that's why I ask.

There's not a whole lot of them that come to mind over morning coffee, but Illinois' Matt Bollant was let go with one year left on his contract and Jimmy Dykes "resigned" at Arkansas with one or two left on his and I'm sure a walk deal was arranged. So two P5 schools were willing to pull the trigger and fork over some money. And I can't quite tell if there were any years left on Cynthia Cooper-Dyke's contract at USC. The Trojans SID sent out the release and it does not mention years left/payout on the contract.

But in general, I'm in agreement with you and think I referenced that in my opening remarks on Boyle (if it wasn't clear enough, my apologies). ADs simply are generally not going to eat train wrecks unless there's something really bad going on and/or if an alum can supply golden parachute money. Another great example of this is at Boston College, where the progam just keeps slipping downhill every year and zip is done about it.
 
No D1 experience? OK then. I wish her good luck. At Illinois, she'll need it.
For a program that hasn't had success in eons, I think d3 is risk worth trying.
 
No D1 experience? OK then. I wish her good luck. At Illinois, she'll need it.
Please note Scott Rueck - George Fox to OSUw seems to be panning out quite well!
 
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For a program that hasn't had success in eons, I think d3 is risk worth trying.

Sure. But if you live in the glow of UI's publicity machine as I do, you'd see it as a bit of a head-scratcher. Illinois goes in for splashy hires whenever possible (see Lovie Smith in football, for example). I am not putting their new hire down - I have no inside information at all. I've just seen a parade of WCBB coaches fail here over the last 20 or so years, and in most cases the failures weren't a complete surprise.
 
Sure. But if you live in the glow of UI's publicity machine as I do, you'd see it as a bit of a head-scratcher. Illinois goes in for splashy hires whenever possible (see Lovie Smith in football, for example). I am not putting their new hire down - I have no inside information at all. I've just seen a parade of WCBB coaches fail here over the last 20 or so years, and in most cases the failures weren't a complete surprise.

But that's kinda the point here, right? They've gone for splashy hires and none have worked. They've tried in WCBB and failed consistently as well. In this case, I think trying something different is warranted. Not saying it's gonna work, but I think it's good to not just go through the motion and do the same old thing that has regularly not produced results.
 
But that's kinda the point here, right? They've gone for splashy hires and none have worked. They've tried in WCBB and failed consistently as well. In this case, I think trying something different is warranted. Not saying it's gonna work, but I think it's good to not just go through the motion and do the same old thing that has regularly not produced results.

Again, you get no argument from me. I have no dog in their fight.
 
Whitman's only a year into the AD job but it's clear he doesn't do "same old, same old".
 
Whitman's only a year into the AD job but it's clear he doesn't do "same old, same old".

Well, not in terms of Illinois he doesn't. But to some degree, his hiring of Fahey is just that -- they both worked together at WashU. Of course, she was pretty much an icon -- 30+ years -- but he was the AD there before coming back to his alma mater.
On the floor, she can coach...something like 5 NCAA championships. Now, can she recruit at the D1 level? We'll see, but she does get her current players from Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, etc,, which is part of the Illini strike zone. Can she make inroads into the Chitown scene? Time will tell.
 
On the floor, she can coach...something like 5 NCAA championships.

Career record: 737 - 133 .847
2nd highest percentage among coaches with more than 600 wins
5th highest percentage all-time among coaches with 10 or more seasons
 
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I wrote in an earlier post that I didn't think Suzie McConnell Serio had knocked the doors down the last few years at Pittsburgh but was safe due to her family history and length of contract. However, her leading scorer just announced that she's transferring with the dreaded caveat "....she believes she has to go elsewhere to get what she wants out of her time in college." Considering that Wise is from Pittsburgh, I don't think that's a knock on her hometown city.

I still think that contract is too much to chew, but I don't see anyone flocking to the Three Rivers area here, given that's the second straight year a leading starting forward has left the team.

Brenna Wise to transfer from Pitt women's basketball program

As for Wise, I love her game, but the ACC transfer rules are prohibitive. She had looked at Villanova prior to deciding on Pitt. Another possible landing spot in the Big East could be DePaul. Big 1G -- Michigan? Northwestern?



Thanks for doing this. What I've learned about non-revenue producing sports is not just to look at the records and how long they've been there, but to also look at how long the contract they're working under goes for. In many instances, schools won't/don't want to eat contacts for a few years.
So with that in mind, a comment or three:
Other schools:

- Pittsburgh: Since going 20-12 in 2014-15, Suzie McConnell-Serio has gone 13-18 and 13-17. Has lost some transfers and everything looks a bit flat. But she and her family are iconic so I think she's still safe. That and the contract through 20-21.
- Clemson: Audra Smith is reaching the end of her five-year contract that she received when she came over from UAB. They were under .500 again this year and although they play hard, they're overmatched in most league games, particularly in regards to offense. Clemson wants to win and they just renovated their basketball facilities. This situation could change due to the lack of years left in the contract.
 
Fasoula To Transfer from BC

I didn't quite know where to piggyback this development, but remembered writing this piece on BC's coach.

Fasoula, who just finished her sophomore year, was the team's leading scorer and rebounder. She is one of those 6/4" players who does not look like a primo athlete (like, say, A'ja Wilson), but she scores in interesting ways and always seems to be around the ball.

The only other scorer in double figures -- Kelly Hughes -- is graduating. And a check of the BC roster now shows 8 players. Not a good situation.

I know Coach Johnson's contract goes on for two more years but the new athletic director needs to address this ASAP. Stay tuned.

http://bcheights.com/2017/03/28/mariella-fasoula-transfer-boston-college-womens-basketball/


Thanks for doing this. What I've learned about non-revenue producing sports is not just to look at the records and how long they've been there, but to also look at how long the contract they're working under goes for. In many instances, schools won't/don't want to eat contacts for a few years.
So with that in mind, a comment or three:

- Boston College. I, too, wondered if Erik Johnson was under the axe. They really had no chance of winning their games against ND. He's largely recruiting from overseas at this point. Not that there are not good international players (his Greek center is excellent, if not unique), but it shows he's not making inroads, even in BC's traditional recruiting sweet spot for all sports -- New Jersey.

Anyways, his contract was renewed and extended until the end of the 2018-2019 season. The athletic director who tendered that extension -- Brad Bates -- just resigned and his replacement has not been named. However, BC Athletics has issues with it's football and Men's Basketball programs, so Erik Johnson -- who is supposed to be a good guy -- is probably safe for one more year. But after that? Dillon's Druthers: Carla Berube seems to like living in the Boston area. Maybe she'd like a move over to D-1? One that does not involve direct competition with Geno?
 
Duffy, former ND point guard, take over HC Job at Miami University of Ohio

Congrats to Megan, one of my favorite point guards from Notre Dame, who has paid her dues and made contributions to all the programs she's worked on in her coaching career.

This move (back) to southern Ohio makes all the sense in the world from a progression standpoint, as well as location.

She's been well taught by Kim Barnes Arico at both St. John's and Michigan and Jonathan Tsipis at George Washington. And she certainly made solid contributions to both programs and left Michigan on a high note, with the Wolverines winning the WNIT title in a triple-overtime showdown over Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, she's been in charge of guards and her primary pupil was Katelynn Flaherty, a south Jersey kid who just so happens to have been a teammate and friend of the Mabreys.
At GW, she was also Tsipis' chief recruiter and many of the players that upper classmen that populated that roster were recruited by Duffy and she was in charge of the guards, as well.

As pointed out, she's from that neck of the woods and should have long-standing inroads into the southern Ohio high school and AAU scene, including Lakota West, Mason, etc. (Big name schools had better watch it with players like a Sammie Puisis :-) ).

Personally, I think it's beneficfial to get some HC experience for asst. coaches before jumping into a top position. As much as asst. coaches do these days, there's still nothing that prepares you for the top job like being on the hot seat. A mid-major for a coach likMegan is a perfect step.

Duffy Chosen to Lead Miami Womens Basketball
 
Remind me what P5 jobs have been filled - Florida, Illinois, and Arkansas. Any others?
USC and Washington are open.
 
Remind me what P5 jobs have been filled - Florida, Illinois, and Arkansas. Any others?
USC and Washington are open.

- Florida: Cameron Newbauer (from Belmont)
- Illinois: Nancy Fahey (from Wash U.)
- Arkansas: Mike Neighbors (from Washington)
- Washington: Vacant
- USC: Vacant

To check on all D1 coaching positions, go to:

List of current NCAA Division I women's basketball coaches - Wikipedia

Scroll down to the chart, click twice on the heading "First season" to sort the list by year, so current vacancies and new coaches will be at the top.Pretty helpful tool.
 
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From the link above
According to one source, Cardoza was underwhelming in her interview. So it looks like she's not under consideration anymore.
If Cardoza was underwhelming, what in the hell is USC looking for in a coach.
 
If Cardoza was underwhelming, what in the hell is USC looking for in a coach.
I am not sure what USC wants, other than the on line job app asked for someone with college experience and NCAA tournament experience. The person in charge of the hiring is a gal named Donna Heinel, and IMO, she screwed up the first time when they hired Cooper-Dyke, and not firing her after many problems with student athletes getting in trouble or leaving the program. I guess they, upper folks at USC, didnt want to eat the contract.
 
This will be interesting, if the person they want takes the job ;)
 
I am not sure what USC wants, other than the on line job app asked for someone with college experience and NCAA tournament experience. The person in charge of the hiring is a gal named Donna Heinel, and IMO, she screwed up the first time when they hired Cooper-Dyke, and not firing her after many problems with student athletes getting in trouble or leaving the program. I guess they, upper folks at USC, didnt want to eat the contract.

Well in regards to "upper folks at USC" not wanting to eat the contract, that certainly wouldn't be the first time we've heard of and/or seen that in play. You can almost put a stop watch on when a job will open up depending on the termination date of a contract and/or extension.

Call me crazy, but isn't the obvious candidate for that job sitting just beyond their noses in Long Beach State? Jody Wynn has done wonders at Long Beach State and nearly pulled off that upset at Oregon State this tournament. Back-to-back 20-win seasons, WNIT bids to go along with the NCAA and always making the Big West tourney. Plus, she's a USC grad and was an assistant coach there the previous decade. She's also been at Pepperdine and grew up in Brea. Know California much? :cool: :confused:
Here's her bio:
Jody Wynn Bio - Women's Basketball - Long Beach State Official Athletic Site


Like you and CocoHusky said, got to wonder what folks are thinking.
 
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