Coaching changes 2020 | Page 9 | The Boneyard

Coaching changes 2020

UConnCat said:
I do wonder if Lawson's staff would have looked different if she were making these hires in April or May rather than the end of July in the midst of a pandemic. BC is unemployed so that helped. Plus, she is an experienced coach, most notably as an assistant at the school that has dominated the ACC since joining. On her way from South Bend to Durham BC might carry some extra motivation after being replaced on the Irish staff.
Expand ...
As a chuckle to your observation, at least Kara did not reach out to another former HC and assistant and one she knows far too well to join her in Duke Blue vs. the old Tennessee Orange. Do I need to say the name? :eek:
 
DefenseBB said:
Thanks for this bit of news and a polite tip of the cap to @Plebe for alerting to this post ;) I have to say this is very good news to me and I hope all those naysayers who weren’t not thrilled with Beth as a HC candidate are thrilled to have garnered her as an assistant. Good for Kara to steer clear of the last 10 years of anyone associated with Tennessee...I am curious to hear what @Dillon77and @Orangutan have to say as I am sure they are happy for Beth but now what to think about the ND-Duke rivalry? Score is 0-0 in the Niele-Kara head to head with ND having the better recruits and in-house talent....for now;)
Expand ...

Sorry for not getting involved in this earlier, but my attention has been a bit further up I-95 for the past few days (weeks?).

In any case, congrats to Beth Morgan-Cunningham for landing this position. It's a fine job for Beth and a good hire for Kara:
- Since Beth was a HC at VCU for quite some time, she's known to be quite good at addressing all the "back-office" aspects of being a head coach, which Muffet often gave her full credit for taking off her plate (or doing better). This will be invaluable for a new head coach.
- As Cat noted, Beth's been a member of a coaching staff that has had a very good run in the ACC (Until last year, they ripped it...) Beth and Neile have both scouted and written up more ACC game plans than they can remember.
- Needless to say, she knows ND's offense, particularly the wing position, which she coached for years (K-Mac, Maddie Cable, first two Mabreys, Sam Brunelle). Expect a Blue Devil clamp on Sam this season.
- Beth does not get rattled. Keeps her eye on the prize, just like the smooth shooter she was. Makes subtle, undramatic suggestions during games that help.

Kara has said when she was assigned to an ND game on ESPN and went to campus a few days early, she really liked spending time with MM's staff and talking about everything involved in a program. You've got to think she spent lots of time with both Niele and Beth.

A lot of time and effort has been spent at the Bench regarding the "Coquese Washington for Beth Morgan Cunningham" decision and all agree it's up to the new HC to choose her staff. However, Beth has a lot of supporters on the Bench and in the ND community, and everyone will be pleased for her getting an exceptional position. (Maybe not so much that it's at Duke, buy hey....)

If things go well for Duke and, in turn, Beth, it could help her get back in the HC game in a few years.

In the meantime, knock on wood, the Durham-South Bend trips just got even more interesting.
 
Last edited:
Dillon77 said:
Sorry for not getting involved in this earlier, but my attention has been a bit further up I-95 for the past few days (weeks?).

In any case, congrats to Beth Morgan-Cunningham for landing this position. It's a fine job for Beth and a good hire for Kara:
- Since Beth was a HC at VCU for quite some time, she's known to be quite good at addressing all the "back-office" aspects of being a head coach, which Muffet often gave her full credit for taking off her plate (or doing better). This will be invaluable for a new head coach.
- As Cat noted, Beth's been a member of a coaching staff that has had a very good run in the ACC (Until last year, they ripped it...) Beth and Neile have both scouted and written up more ACC game plans than they can remember.
- Needless to say, she knows ND's offense, particularly the wing position, which she coached for years (K-Mac, Maddie Cable, first two Mabreys, Sam Brunelle). Expect a Blue Devil clamp on Sam this season.
- Beth does not get rattled. Keeps her eye on the prize, just like the smooth shooter she was. Makes subtle, undramatic suggestions during games that help.

Kara has said when she was assigned to an ND game on ESPN and went to campus a few days early, she really liked spending time with MM's staff and talking about everything involved in a program. You've got to think she spent lots of time with both Niele and Beth.

A lot of time and effort has been spent at the Bench regarding the "Coquese Washington for Beth Morgan Cunningham" decision and all agree it's up to the new HC to choose her staff. However, Beth has a lot of supporters on the Bench and in the ND community, and everyone will be pleased for her getting an exceptional position. (Maybe not so much that it's at Duke, buy hey....)

If things go well for Duke and, in turn, Beth, it could help her get back in the HC game in a few years.

In the meantime, knock on wood, the Durham-South Bend trips just got even more interesting.
Expand ...
:eek:A Blue Devil clamp on Sam? Hardly necessary. Sam shot 30% (6 of 20) and had 8 turnovers in her last match up with the Blue Devils. Beth's best strategy might be to give Sam more touches.
 
nwhoopfan said:
Yeah, not remembered fondly. She had a nice pedigree upon on arrival, but proved to be not HC material.
Expand ...
She played for Vivian at Iowa and I think she coached briefly at Rutgers as an assistant after her Washington stint. She was awful at Washington.

People often forget that HC and Assistant Coach are fundamentally different positions, with different (but overlapping) skill sets.
 
CocoHusky said:
:eek:A Blue Devil clamp on Sam? Hardly necessary. Sam shot 30% (6 of 20) and had 8 turnovers in her last match up with the Blue Devils. Beth's best strategy might be to give Sam more touches.
Expand ...

Maybe that was Beth's strategy that game (she saw the future?)? :rolleyes: :D:D
 
.-.
Tia Jackson was considered one of the top assistants in the nation when she signed with UW and it was thought to be a slam dunk. She made enemies everywhere and had a dismal w/l record. Very shocking because she was well loved at UCLA and many thought she would be the new head coach there.
 
WestsideWaltz said:
Tia Jackson was considered one of the top assistants in the nation when she signed with UW and it was thought to be a slam dunk. She made enemies everywhere and had a dismal w/l record. Very shocking because she was well loved at UCLA and many thought she would be the new head coach there.
Expand ...

I remember thinking it was a good hire when it happened. That probably more than anything is why I am always cautious of a first time head coach. Until you've proven you can do it...you haven't proven you can do it.
 
DefenseBB said:
Thanks for this bit of news and a polite tip of the cap to @Plebe for alerting to this post ;) I have to say this is very good news to me and I hope all those naysayers who weren’t not thrilled with Beth as a HC candidate are thrilled to have garnered her as an assistant. Good for Kara to steer clear of the last 10 years of anyone associated with Tennessee...I am curious to hear what @Dillon77and @Orangutan have to say as I am sure they are happy for Beth but now what to think about the ND-Duke rivalry? Score is 0-0 in the Niele-Kara head to head with ND having the better recruits and in-house talent....for now;)
Expand ...

Happy for Beth. I still dislike Duke. But Kara and Beth being there does make them slightly less unlikable. Especially as opposed to JPM who I found immensely unlikable.
 
Dillon77 said:
Kara has said when she was assigned to an ND game on ESPN and went to campus a few days early, she really liked spending time with MM's staff and talking about everything involved in a program. You've got to think she spent lots of time with both Niele and Beth.
Expand ...

Seems not, though sounds like Kara had her sights set on Beth and called Muffet early on.

"Cunningham admits there wasn’t a deep relationship between her and Lawson. They may have talked for 10 minutes at a shootaround if Lawson was broadcasting a Notre Dame game. But there was a mutual respect there."

Was the decision not to be on Niele's staff mutual?

“The reason I came back was for Coach McGraw to begin with,” Cunningham said. “With her stepping aside, I was ready for that next chapter.”

“I can’t imagine being at a better place right now than this environment. Duke is one of the most prestigious schools in the world,” Cunningham said. “From an athletics and a school perspective, you can’t find a better brand than Duke.”

Has ND WBB ever issued a formal statement on Beth's departure?

South Bend Tribune: Local News, Politics & Sports in South Bend, IN

Get the latest breaking news, sports, entertainment and obituaries in South Bend, IN from South Bend Tribune.
www.southbendtribune.com www.southbendtribune.com
 
UConnCat said:
Seems not, though sounds like Kara had her sights set on Beth and called Muffet early on.

"Cunningham admits there wasn’t a deep relationship between her and Lawson. They may have talked for 10 minutes at a shootaround if Lawson was broadcasting a Notre Dame game. But there was a mutual respect there."

Was the decision not to be on Niele's staff mutual?

“The reason I came back was for Coach McGraw to begin with,” Cunningham said. “With her stepping aside, I was ready for that next chapter.”

“I can’t imagine being at a better place right now than this environment. Duke is one of the most prestigious schools in the world,” Cunningham said. “From an athletics and a school perspective, you can’t find a better brand than Duke.”

Has ND WBB ever issued a formal statement on Beth's departure?

South Bend Tribune: Local News, Politics & Sports in South Bend, IN

Get the latest breaking news, sports, entertainment and obituaries in South Bend, IN from South Bend Tribune.
www.southbendtribune.com www.southbendtribune.com
Expand ...

Have not seen one from ND WBB or the overall Athletic Department, which has rubbed several on the Bench the wrong way. Mind you, not all assistant coaches get those kinds of press releases but Cunningham is no normal assistant coach: ND grad, Ring of Honor recipient and one very popular person on campus and in the community.

As for kick start, I'm not surprised that someone from Duke put a call into Muffet at some point in this process. In this case, the position was for assistant coach. So, the talks with Beth may have been brief but the one that mattered was good enough!
 
.-.
HPU legend jumps into the coaching world.



Interesting aside: WVSU is an HBCU... but its student body is 75% white.
 
Washington has filled the opening on their staff with Tamara McDonald, a former standout player from Pepperdine (while Wynn was an assistant there).
 
triaddukefan said:
A big loss for the Beavers??


Expand ...


I'm not sure about big loss. Unfortunate a position had to be eliminated. They still have 3 assistant coaches--Brian Holsinger, Jonas Chatterton and Katie Faulkner. I've heard all 3 of those coaches talked about in regards to recruiting and/or player development.
 
Former ECU Coach Heather Macy returns to the sidelines. Back to her alma mater. Greensboro College.







I'm already looking forward to the Greensboro vs Guilford matchups on the hardwood. When the Pride and the Fighting Quakers meet up... you can throw out the record books.
 
Dusting off this quaint old thread.

Tying up loose ends in the header post, I'm just now learning that:
  • former Maryland standout Laura Harper is now the head coach at Coppin State.
  • former Purdue standout (and assistant at Vanderbilt) Shereka Wright is now the head coach at UT Arlington.
 
.-.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,285
Messages
4,561,420
Members
10,455
Latest member
UConnGabby


Top Bottom