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azfan

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In a separate thread I posted the progress in Arizona in terms of filling coaching openings. Molly Miller left Grand Canyon to take over the ASU Sun Devils and unfortunately Loree Payne left the state to coach Santa Clara.

NAU made I think a wise choice and going to Grand Canyon to replace Payne an alum

1743541693304.jpeg

NAU Athletics would like to announce the 13th Women's Basketball Head Coach, Laura Dinkins! Coach Dinkins was previously the Associate Head Coach and Recruitment Coordinator at Grand Canyon University. Coach Dinkins is no stranger to the Lumberjacks as she played on the Women's Basketball team from 2003-2008.
Click below to read more on Head Coach Laura Dinkins!
nauathletics.com

Laura Dinkins Named Northern Arizona Head Women’s Basketball Coach - Northern Arizona University Athletics

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (April 1, 2025) – Laura Dinkins has been named the 13th head coach of the Northern Arizona University women's basketball program, interim Vice President
nauathletics.com nauathletics.com
 
Still to come:
  • Georgia Tech
  • SMU
  • ???
 
Geew1992 said:
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Can't really say why, because I think all the critiques of Barnes are very valid, but I've always liked her, and if we get to face off against her teams again in ACC play, I'll look forward to it. The players who stuck with her (Macdonald, Reese, Pueyo) were all good eggs.
 
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Geew1992 said:
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Couple of things come to mind here.

Barnes is a bright bright lady and the dirty t is expecting more than she's been able to produce of late. It's been quite a while since she was in a position to flip the double bird on national TV.

Second lots of money in Texas and SMU might be willing to raise the 1.2 million dollar fashionista's income.

I'm not certain that the State of Arizona had the willingness or ability to generate the NIL necessary to compete in the Big 12. That Texas money does provide the 1.2, soon to be 1.8 million dollar, coach with an additional tool in her arsenal.

But then again this rumor could just be a negotiating ploy by the outstanding agent that Barnes has benefited from.
 
azfan said:
Couple of things come to mind here.

Barnes is a bright bright lady and the dirty t is expecting more than she's been able to produce of late. It's been quite a while since she was in a position to flip the double bird on national TV.

Second lots of money in Texas and SMU might be willing to raise the 1.2 million dollar fashionista's income.

I'm not certain that the State of Arizona had the willingness or ability to generate the NIL necessary to compete in the Big 12. That Texas money does provide the 1.2, soon to be 1.8 million dollar, coach with an additional tool in her arsenal.

But then again this rumor could just be a negotiating ploy by the outstanding agent that Barnes has benefited from.
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@TheFarmFan

I was very interested in AZ's reaction to this and, as always, thank you for expressing your thoughts and insights in a cogent, refreshing manner.

Tying in our Stanford colleague's comments and yours:
  • She has always struck me as being very smart and straight-forward: maybe too much so from time to time.
  • I like the players you mentioned that have stuck with her, but the fact is -- a whole bunch of them have left. Retention is an issue.
How much of that is NIL-related? How much due to Barnes?
  • However, she certainly can make do with what she has once it's there.
  • With that in mind, I agree there are deep pockets at SMU and she'll be in Dallas. The school is pretty much at ACC rock bottom, so she'll be able to get a cushion and the resources to (start to) rectify that.

Stay tuned. :cool:
 
Adia Barnes would be a good placeholder for $MU until they find a more suitable coach. This just proves that Toyelle Wilson was not seen as being placeholder-worthy.
 
Barnes has openly commented on lack of resources at AZ. Seems doubtful that she’d go to SMU without guarantees of significant support.

So buckle up ACC.
 
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Vowelguy said:
Barnes has openly commented on lack of resources at AZ. Seems doubtful that she’d go to SMU without guarantees of significant support.

So buckle up ACC.
Expand ...

SMU really stepped up the last couple of years with NIL for their women's volleyball program. They lured away a Texas setter for a rumored $200K in January. We'll see if that spills over to women's hoops.
 
TheFarmFan said:
Can't really say why, because I think all the critiques of Barnes are very valid, but I've always liked her, and if we get to face off against her teams again in ACC play, I'll look forward to it. The players who stuck with her (Macdonald, Reese, Pueyo) were all good eggs.
Expand ...
Also Thomas, notably. Plus Martinez a season ago and Beh this past season, both of which specifically came back out of loyalty to Adia.
 
Dillon77 said:
@TheFarmFan

I was very interested in AZ's reaction to this and, as always, thank you for expressing your thoughts and insights in a cogent, refreshing manner.

Tying in our Stanford colleague's comments and yours:
  • She has always struck me as being very smart and straight-forward: maybe too much so from time to time.
  • I like the players you mentioned that have stuck with her, but the fact is -- a whole bunch of them have left. Retention is an issue.
How much of that is NIL-related? How much due to Barnes?
  • However, she certainly can make do with what she has once it's there.
  • With that in mind, I agree there are deep pockets at SMU and she'll be in Dallas. The school is pretty much at ACC rock bottom, so she'll be able to get a cushion and the resources to (start to) rectify that.

Stay tuned. :cool:
Expand ...
She is very straight-forward. Smart in some ways and maybe too sure of herself in others. Said (publicly) at the start of this season that she had down-graded the OOC schedule because having a tougher schedule doesn't seem to pay off. While not 100% wrong, no one agreed with her when she said it. Similarly all the flip-flopping on how to build a team, which is her weakness.

You like the players that have stuck with her, and I listed some others above, although not all 4 year folks, because to a player they were content to fill a role. Reese's mother was continually annoyed with the way Reese was used, but Reese was not. All of them were productive members of the team who went out on the floor every game and did their best to give Adia what she wanted.

Retention is an issue, and I have said several times I don't think the way she runs a team as to minutes and style of play, starting, etc. is to the liking of the typical player of today, which have ideas that can be managed, but Adia doesn't seem to always succeed.

However, after all the above - let me share that our AD, formerly of Missouri and UNLV, is intent on remaking the department. Of all the significant folks in the UA Athletic Department when she arrived a year ago, only one remains. Mike Candrea, who is technically an "advisor" but I think has an Asst. AD title. He would be, I think, untouchable. Everyone else is gone. The department has been remade, the structure of the department changed and the structure filled with folks that worked for her at Missouri. Just sayin.

Adia's salary would have been an issue in general, perhaps, but Arizona is so broke that it is the perfect reason to make a change. It is not clear that our softball coach - with the team in the top 10 - is going to be retained. She wants championships, and only at least contending for a championship, "on the cheap". I said it before and will say it again, good luck with that.
 
TheFarmFan said:
Can't really say why, because I think all the critiques of Barnes are very valid, but I've always liked her, and if we get to face off against her teams again in ACC play, I'll look forward to it. The players who stuck with her (Macdonald, Reese, Pueyo) were all good eggs.
Expand ...
I'd add Shaina Pellington to that list of players as well. She revived her love for the game after she transferred from Oklahoma.
 
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Vowelguy said:
So we are down to just Arizona now (among major jobs)?
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So the job situation in the dirty t is really an interesting one and a great opportunity. McKale is an iconic arena, Tucsonian's love and support their basketball, the attendance is outstanding and I think there's an opportunity here.

It's going to be interesting who the kitties reach out to. They have a couple of problems. The first they violated basic poker strategy by showing their hand in paying 1.2 million for the fashionista coach which sets the bar probably a little higher then justified.

This is going to be fascinating to watch and I'm wondering how quickly they're going to fill this important coaching slot..

So as we approach the 202526 season all four of the major Arizona schools will be sporting new coaches.

ASU - Molly Miller in Natasha Adair will clip two years at 650,000 as she awaits her next opportunity back in Delaware.

GCU-Winston Grady in as soon as this afternoon's game is over and Molly Miller set to return the Sun Devils to Glory - cue the O'Jays Love Train.

NAU-Lauren Dinkins in Loree Payne off to Santa Clara and while she's not any closer to home she trades the Big Sky for the WCC.

Kittyland-??? In, the 1.2 million dollar fashionista coach off to Texas, can you guys hear ZZ Top playing in the background -- Tush.

NAU-Laura Dinkins in as Loree Payne heads to NoCal. Dinkins to Flagstaff to the iconic John Denver Take me home country roads
 
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Centerstream said:
When did a team from Texas become your team? Just wondering...
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I posted this last summer

As a youngster, the two teams i rooted for the most were Duke and SMU. Back in the days of Eric Dickerson, Craig James, and Lance Mcihenny.. And Jon Koncak on the basketball side. After 28 years in the Wilderness, glad to see they are back in a top 4 conference
 
triaddukefan said:
I posted this last summer

As a youngster, the two teams i rooted for the most were Duke and SMU. Back in the days of Eric Dickerson, Craig James, and Lance Mcihenny.. And Jon Koncak on the basketball side. After 28 years in the Wilderness, glad to see they are back in a top 4 conference
Expand ...
Gotcha. I too was a fan of the SMU Pony Express.
 
azfan said:
So the job situation in the dirty t is really an interesting one and a great opportunity. McKale is an iconic arena, Tucsonian's love and support their basketball, the attendance is outstanding and I think there's an opportunity here.

It's going to be interesting who the kitties reach out to. They have a couple of problems. The first they violated basic poker strategy by showing their hand in paying 1.2 million for the fashionista coach which sets the bar probably a little higher then justified.

This is going to be fascinating to watch and I'm wondering how quickly they're going to fill this important coaching slot..

So as we approach the 202526 season all four of the major Arizona schools will be sporting new coaches.

ASU - Molly Miller in Natasha Adair will clip two years at 650,000 as she awaits her next opportunity back in Delaware.

GCU-Winston Grady in as soon as this afternoon's game is over and Molly Miller set to return the Sun Devils to Glory - cue the O'Jays Love Train.

NAU-Lauren Dinkins in Loree Payne off to Santa Clara and while she's not any closer to home she trades the Big Sky for the WCC.

Kittyland-??? In, the 1.2 million dollar fashionista coach off to Texas, can you guys hear ZZ Top playing in the background -- Tush.

NAU-Laura Dinkins in as Loree Payne heads to NoCal. Dinkins to Flagstaff to the iconic John Denver Take me home country roads
Expand ...

How about Kimmie Etheridge from Wazzu?
 
Vowelguy said:
How about Kimmie Etheridge from Wazzu?
Expand ...
Maybe?

The kitties are going to have a total rebuild with nine transferring out.

In fact all the Arizona programs are going to have the full portal, nil experience. Grand Canyon had eight seniors.... It will be very interesting who Winston Gandy brings in. I believe he was involved in recruiting at South Carolina so that should prove interesting as that level of player traditionally would not go to a WAC school.

Molly Miller in her new role in Tempe actually may have the easiest job of the Arizona coaches. The dumpster fire that was created there means that for their short term expectations are basically just to stabilize the program and bring it consistent level of professionalism.

NAU is in an interesting position as one wonders if point guard Taylor Feldman and player of the Year in the Big Sky Sophie Glancy will follow Payne to NoCal.

Ultimately Arizona will be a region of have nots as our communities and alumni do not have the money on the scale of Texas, California, Florida, or some of the Big Ten schools and certainly nowhere near the SEC schools.

Long-term both Grand Canyon and NAU should remain competitive as those conferences will be much less influenced by the dollar and transfer portable.

The future for both the kitties and ASU however I think looks bleak. I'm thinking that at some point down the road they'll be moving to a more appropriate conference and slowly evolve or devolve into mid majors. Ik ASU football had a major run last year and we'll see if that's sustainable or if that was a one hit wonder.
 
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Vowelguy said:
How about Kimmie Etheridge from Wazzu?
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Doesn’t sound like a good move for Coach Ethridge. Major conference without major conference resources. She was somewhat in that position at Washington St in the PAC 12. She was doing fairly well before the chaos of conference changes, portal, and NIL.
 
BRS24 said:
Hey @azfan

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Yep. Just saw the announcement. Her Buffalo team looked amazing in winning the WBIT and I suspect the dirty t will love her.

Should be a very interesting upcoming year as she and Molly Miller face imposing challenges of NIL and the transfer portal.

As I've said elsewhere the State of Arizona and alumni is from the dirty t and the Sun Devils generate nowhere near a fraction of the money that texas, cali, most Big ten schools and all SEC schools generate.

This is going to prove a tremendous challenge for these two young coaches both of who. demonstrated exceptional leadership and skill in the mid majors.
 
southie said:
SMU really stepped up the last couple of years with NIL for their women's volleyball program. They lured away a Texas setter for a rumored $200K in January. We'll see if that spills over to women's hoops.
Expand ...
It will have to if the ponies have any expectation of competing in Texas and beyond.
 
Vowelguy said:
Seems kinda quick to get a P4 job?

I remember her as a Louisville player!
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I don't think the kitties had agents beating down their doors. I think one of the considerations although hopefully not one of the top five was they could get Burke for 50% of what they were paying the 1.2 million dollar fashionista.
 
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