It's Official: Shea Ralph Named Vanderbilt Coach

[UConnCat]

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

What? Who's we and what was the thought?

 

[pvdoggy]

If true, good for Shea, a huge loss for Uconn, big shoes to fill for whoever the next assistant coach is going to be.

 

[Gus Mahler]

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.

I think she pulls an Adia Barnes and makes it work.

 

[Gus Mahler]

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!

Really?

Regarding schools which play D1 sports and give athletic scholarships, nobody matches Stanford, so I'll give you that. Vandy trails Duke is virtually every school (undergrad, medical, business, law), but it is not far behind. Its law school is very highly regarded. So is its medical school. It's education school is perennial top 10. I don't think Duke has such a school. Also a top-notch theology school. Fine nursing school; not sure what Duke has there. Duke is a little bigger and has more endowed professorships. Otherwise . . . .

And Vandy competes very well with Notre Dame as an undergraduate institution.

Not so difficult.

 

[ochoopsfan]

I think she pulls an Adia Barnes and makes it work.

Barnes was able to get McDonald to follow her to Arizona. Will Paige follow Shea?

 

[Gus Mahler]

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.........

Years ago I read neither Stanford or Vanderbilt compromised their admissions standards for football, and therefore not other sports. That was cited as a reason VU football always struggles. On the other hand, Duke, Northwestern, and Notre Dame did. Don't know if that still holds.

@UcMiami: I always thought Duke was the Harvard of the South. Who knows?

 

[UConnCat]

Barnes was able to get McDonald to follow her to Arizona. Will Paige follow Shea?

Sadly yes. Azzi too. In fact, the entire Uconn team will be transferring to Vanderbilt. Not Dorka though; she doesn't know Shea.

 

[pvdoggy]

Barnes was able to get McDonald to follow her to Arizona. Will Paige follow Shea?

Dream on.

 

[Gus Mahler]

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

Thanks for posting. It's been a real pleasure over the past 20+ years to see VU catch and pass ND. We all know such rankings are to be taken with a shaker of salt, but still.

It's also fun to look at the professional schools' rankings.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Interesting tweet.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Interesting tweet.

If you read the tweeters response to a question he/she says a Post player and a Wing.

 

[lebronfan23]

I can see UConn hiring Jenn Rizzotti as an assistant coach if she wants it. I just hope Jen won’t be the heir of the program.

 

[BobbyJ]

Barnes was able to get McDonald to follow her to Arizona. Will Paige follow Shea?

Absolutely. Vanderbilt's a lifelong dream for Bueckers.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Absolutely. Vanderbilt's a lifelong dream for Bueckers.

Above and beyond, you all are missing the point. Aari didn't follow Adia Barnes when she got the Arizona job. After the next year, Washington Head Coach Mike Neighbors departed for Arkansas. That's when Aari left Washington (and chose Arizona).

 

[Magruber]

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....

Not gonna happen.
Without them stating it outright, they've hinted fairly clearly, that living in CT is not of interest.
Diana is clearly all Socal and Sue is big city, likely Seatlle or NY.
Big opportunities will be plentiful for these ladies post WNBA.

 

[triaddukefan]

Interesting tweet.

Didn't know Tom Garrick was married to Ralph. I remember him from his days at URI

 

[cbraarj]

Not going to happen with She's husband a head coach.

 

[eebmg]

Didn't know Tom Garrick was married to Ralph. I remember him from his days at URI

Garrick was an assistant at Vandy from 2009-2015, I assume that will help recruiting

Who knew the off season would be as exciting as the regular season. So who takes over Shea's position? Does Jen Rizzotti come ?

 

[UConnCat]

Above and beyond, you all are missing the point. Aari didn't follow Adia Barnes when she got the Arizona job. After the next year, Washington Head Coach Mike Neighbors departed for Arkansas. That's when Aari left Washington (and chose Arizona).

But that would be a serious response to a non-serious post.

 

[DEpup]

Hmm. If this all does happen, they will need a guards position coach.

Could they pull Nykesha Sales out of Florida and away from the beat em up coach at UCF?

There is also a former Husky coaching a pretty good highschool team in Connecticut by the name of Maria.

Those are options I'll throw out.

 

[CTBballfan243]

Losing Shea will be a huge loss on the recruiting front. Somehow I don’t see Geno, CD, or jamell all that interested in spending their summers on the AAU circuit. Hopefully they find a young energetic coach. This will really hurt recruiting.

 

[ConnMotors]

I can see UConn hiring Jenn Rizzotti as an assistant coach if she wants it. I just hope Jen won’t be the heir of the program.

I remember many years ago the columnist from Manchester that passed away said it that one day Jen would be taking over the UConn program when Geno stepped down. My brain isn't working this morning and can't remember his name.

 

[huskiemaniac]

Whew....what an off-season!

 

[UConnCat]

Hmm. If this all does happen, they will need a guards position coach.

Could they pull Nykesha Sales out of Florida and away from the beat em up coach at UCF?

There is also a former Husky coaching a pretty good highschool team in Connecticut by the name of Maria.

Those are options I'll throw out.

Hoping Geno chooses someone from outside the program. Different perspective. I suspect he and Chris have someone in mind already whether a former Husky or not.

 

[UConnCat]

Losing Shea will be a huge loss on the recruiting front. Somehow I don’t see Geno, CD, or jamell all that interested in spending their summers on the AAU circuit. Hopefully they find a young energetic coach. This will really hurt recruiting.

Except they do spend their summers on the AAU circuit. It won’t really hurt recruiting.