It's Official: Shea Ralph Named Vanderbilt Coach

[oldhusky]

So if the job is offered to Shea and she decides to take it who do we fill her spot with. I know this may be premature but still fun to talk about.

How about Jen Rizzoti. She lost her head coaching job recently. Since CD said Nika was a little like her, maybe she could learn from the real thing.

 

[Dublin]

Players have been transferring out of Vandy since the end of Balcomb's tenure. It's been a revolving door under White.

Seems to me Vandy should have the same advantage as Stanford, Duke, and Notre Dame: The degree is worth a lot. Moreover, Nashville is a great place. It's growing, has mild winters, and there are many things to do. And there's NFL and NHL.

It's really difficult to put a Vandy degree in the same class as a Stanford or Duke degree. Stanford, the Harvard of the West! Duke, the Stanford of the East!

 

[Centerstream]

I love the BY. Where else can a bunch of people recommend/discuss how other people should make life decisions and think that they really know what those two people are thinking.
Love it!!!

 

[BobbyJ]

I agree - CD certainly had options, but she never saw the grass greener on the other side of the fence so she stayed at Uconn (thankfully) and I think has had both a successful and very rewarding career.

There is also the peter principle - people get promoted to their level of incompetence and then fired. aI have known a few people who have turned down that next promotion, nd been very happy in their lives. (And a few who accepted and were not so happy!)

That's me.

 

[Argonaut]

I love the BY. Where else can a bunch of people recommend/discuss how other people should make life decisions and think that they really know what those two people are thinking.
Love it!!!

It’s like Thanksgiving with my older relatives.

 

[BobbyJ]

If Shea is named HC, I wonder if she’ll reach out to Jasmine Lister to join her staff. Nothing like an alum on staff who understands both you and the culture to start rebuilding a program...

Do you know what Lister has been doing since she checked out?

 

[Dublin]

I assume he would become her assistant.

Maybe Jerry would need an experienced assistant (Jerry Stackhouse is Vandy's men's basketball head coach).

 

[UcMiami]

It's really difficult to put a Vandy degree in the same class as a Stanford or Duke degree. Stanford, the Harvard of the West! Duke, the Stanford of the East!

Isn't Vandy the Ivy of the South?

 

[JellyBean]

Not sure i'd wade into a situation where a player's mom trashes the ex-coach.

Dang! Who put mayo in her cereal!? If Vandy fans act like that, I wish Shea the best. OMG!!

 

[Charliebball]

If this news is true, which coach will have better odds of making the NCAA tournament first: Shea at Vanderbilt, or Marisa at Wisconsin? Two programs that are similar in terms of conference standings and there's a lot of room to move up but not much room to go further down the standings.

that's a tough one.................Wisconsin is a good school academically but it's not Vanderbilt..........on the other hand if Vanderbilt is as academically selective with it's athletes as Stanford is, than it's both a blessing and a curse when it comes to recruiting.........

 

[01Neaggrad02]

Here is something crazy to consider... Just read that Sue might retire after this Olympics and WNBA season.... she comes to coach at UCONN.... Then when Diana retires... she comes to UCONN.... then a year or two later Geno and Chris get ready to retire... with DT and Sue at the helm....
Maya and Tina come on to be assistants....

 

[Zanzman]

Your right it’s crazy

 

[Argonaut]

Do you know what Lister has been doing since she checked out?

No idea. She’s been radio silent on her social media.

 

[triaddukefan]

Here is something crazy to consider... Just read that Sue might retire after this Olympics and WNBA season.... she comes to coach at UCONN.... Then when Diana retires... she comes to UCONN.... then a year or two later Geno and Chris get ready to retire... with DT and Sue at the helm....
Maya and Tina come on to be assistants....

 

[JavaMan]

Shea, baby, hubby with job in the east, Vandi in Tenn. does anyone else see this as a logistical problem? I think she has what it takes to be a head coach, if she goes I wish her all the luck. I just wonder how her family dynamics enter into this possibility.

Moose, perhaps, there are some who see this not a as a possible logistical problem, but as a logistical solution.

 

[Skeets]

The use of the phrase "human piece of trash" doesn't seem conducive to any productive outcome, but maybe that's just me.

And I thought the BY was tough...

 

[GoUconn7961]

You aren't Shea.

First off I was joking around. Why the snark? Good Lord..

 

[GoUconn7961]

If you're afraid of players or parents, then head coaching is probably not the right job.

I guess I’m not allowed to joke around or have an opinion. You’re the second one who felt the need to chastise me.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Here is something crazy to consider... Just read that Sue might retire after this Olympics and WNBA season.... she comes to coach at UCONN.... Then when Diana retires... she comes to UCONN.... then a year or two later Geno and Chris get ready to retire... with DT and Sue at the helm....
Maya and Tina come on to be assistants....

Diana, Sue, Maya and Tina. Just to be clear, you have them coaching, as opposed to playing, right?

 

[bballnut90]

White was not an unproven head coach. She had been reasonably successful in the WNBA.

I should've clarified at the collegiate level. Very different experience coaching the Fever vs. Vandy.

 

[Hoops01]

Something I did not know: Shea's husband was an assistant at Vandy 2009-15 (under Melanie Balcomb).

Maybe hubby goes as a package deal and is her asst. Plot thickens if he has already coached there, don't like how the dots are starting to connect.
*** probably a younger asst. Would be a better choice based on the current make up of the staff

 

[Hoops01]

No
100% chance he resigns at Lowell to become her assistant.

NS! do people really think he stays at UMass L??? If she takes the vandy job??

How about Tamika Wilkiams as asst. If Shea leaves?? She is only 40 w 10yrs. Big time Asst experience @ Ohio st., KS, KY and now Penn st.

 

[lebronfan23]

 

[MilfordHusky]

Isn't Vandy the Ivy of the South?

Not that the U.S. News ranking is necessarily the best, but here are selected rankings:

1. Princeton

5. Yale

6. Stanford

9. (Tie) Northwestern

12. Duke

14. (Tie) Vanderbilt

16. (Tie) Rice

19. Notre Dame

20. UCLA

21. Emory

22. Cal Berkeley

23. Georgetown

35. Georgia Tech

41. Tulane

 

[hoopsfan22]

Guess that confirms what we thought about Shea's sudden departure from the tourney, except it was Vandy not Oklahoma.