OT: Jen Rizzotti out at GW

[Dillon77]

Wonder if GW goes back to Tsipsis?

Unfortunately the programs she coached were hardly a destination for great or even near great players....Wish her well

bluedevil: One of the reasons that Jen probably noticed GW was that the previous coaching regime -- led by Jonathan Tsipsis and two assistants (in particular) -- had one "near great" (now, perhaps "great") player named Jonquel Jones.
And Ms. Jones was joined almost immediately by a cadre of some good players, including forwards Ciara Washington and Lauren Chase and guards Hannah Schaible and Shannon Cranshaw, among others.

For Tsipsis' first two years, his recruiting was headed by none other than Megan Duffy, who came from St. John's to take a step up in responsibility. She was joined by Diane Richardson, who spent years heading the Riverdale Baptist program, where she got to know Jones. When Jonquel wasn't happy at Clemson, GW became a natural next place to transfer.

Jones was obviously a super best-case scenario for a mid-major program, but I'd argue that Jen never got close to the players I mentioned above that supported JJ. That supporting cast -- paticularly Washingston and Shaible (who was a Duffy clone) were the core of the team that reached the NCAA and NIT teams in JR and Sully's first two years at the helm.

When Tspisis left for Wisconsin, I remember a number of folks pushing for Richardson to take a step up to the HC job; in part because of her background in the HS and AAU communities around D.C. Obviously, she didn't get it, but she did get a HC job shortly. In 2018-19, she guided Towson State to the CAA Championship.

So, Tsipsis pulled together a good coaching staff who delivered the right mix of players and struck gold with one.
Wonder where GW goes to replicate that run?

 

[Carnac]

Unfortunately the programs she coached were hardly a destination for great or even near great players....Wish her well

BINGO!! You could be the greatest coach since the dawn of man, if you don't/can't recruit good/great players to your program, you're not going to move the needle. Why does UConn, Baylor, Stanford, Maryland and Louisville CONSISTENTLY win year in and year out? You know why. They attract the best recruits from each class. The best top ranked players don't go to unranked mid-major programs. Mid-major coaches are realistic. They don't go after the same recruits the elite programs do. They know they have no chance of landing them. It would be a waste of time and resources.

Look at the destination of the Hoopgurlz class of any year. Note the programs they commit to. Players that could really help Jen were not interested in committing to Hartford or GW. She, like the rest of the schools in her conference had to settle for whoever she could get. Top tier players that can really ball, don't go to GW. You get players at THAT level that basically none of the top tier D1 programs wanted.

No doubt GW will find an up and coming assistant coach, or a D-2/D-3 coach looking to move up to a higher level program, that comes in with the enthusiasm and desire to build a program from scratch. It starts and ends with recruiting. The best programs have and are able to attract the best players consistently. Jen will land on her feet somewhere. When one door closes, another one always opens.

 

[Vowelguy]

.
Wonder where GW goes to replicate that run?

Natasha Adair was at Georgetown for 3 years then left .... for Delaware. She had gone to the WNIT her last two years, so I wonder if there was a bad situation at G-town that she was escaping. She's a DC local ....

Then again Del to GW is not that much of a step up. If she continues to produce in DE, she'd be up for higher profile jobs.

 

[chrissaran]

It's very rare that very good players at any sport become good coaches. They expect everyone to be at their level and very few rarely are. Another issue is that very good players are usually naturally talented and they didn't have to learn to be good and it's hard to teach someone something you didn't have to learn yourself.

Seriously? If you know anything about Jen, she was always the hardest worker on the team, thus the knee pads. Yes, Jamelle was right there with her in giving her all.

 

[chrissaran]

Jen didn't have a Jonquel Jones to carry the team.

 

[chrissaran]

Not just this year.
NCAA 1st year
WNIT 2nd year
no postseason in 3rd & 5th

Wonder if GW goes back to Tsipsis?

Tsipsis is 50-99 for a .336 winning percentage. As GW15MJ4MM23 said, great coaches need great players. Did Tsipsis go from a great coach to an incompetent coach? No. He doesn't have the players.

 

[Vowelguy]

Tsipsis is 50-99 for a .336 winning percentage. As GW15MJ4MM23 said, great coaches need great players. Did Tsipsis go from a great coach to an incompetent coach?

Uhh, I think the competition in the BiG is slightly different from the A-10.

He may have advanced beyond his means, but could succeed at the A-10 level again.

see: Kevin Borseth at Green Bay and (hopefully) Randy Edsall

 

[Sargassoc]

BINGO!! You could be the greatest coach since the dawn of man, if you don't/can't recruit good/great players to your program, you're not going to move the needle. Why does UConn, Baylor, Stanford, Maryland and Louisville CONSISTENTLY win year in and year out? You know why. They attract the best recruits from each class. The best top ranked players don't go to unranked mid-major programs. Mid-major coaches are realistic. They don't go after the same recruits the elite programs do. They know they have no chance of landing them. It would be a waste of time and resources.

Look at the destination of the Hoopgurlz class of any year. Note the programs they commit to. Players that could really help Jen were not interested in committing to Hartford or GW. She, like the rest of the schools in her conference had to settle for whoever she could get. Top tier players that can really ball, don't go to GW. You get players at THAT level that basically none of the top tier D1 programs wanted.

No doubt GW will find an up and coming assistant coach, or a D-2/D-3 coach looking to move up to a higher level program, that comes in with the enthusiasm and desire to build a program from scratch. It starts and ends with recruiting. The best programs have and are able to attract the best players consistently. Jen will land on her feet somewhere. When one door closes, another one always opens.

Sure, but mid-majors compete with mid-majors, so they don't need to compete for the upper echelon players. Someone has to win the A-10-- and GW has been at the bottom recently.

 

[Carnac]

Sure, but mid-majors compete with mid-majors, so they don't need to compete for the upper echelon players. Someone has to wind the A-10-- and GW has been at the bottom recently.

Agreed. It's time for BOTH parties to make a clean break, and get a fresh start. She wasn't getting it done at GW. As another poster suggested, either as a HC at another program, or as an assistant at a high profile D1 program. There will be lots open openings for next season. The scramble has already begun.

 

[donalddoowop]

Pat Summit, Kim Mulkey, and Dawn Staley on line 1.

Yes, but like stated, very rare.

 

[lebronfan23]

Reason why Shea will be the next UConn head coach in the future

 

[JordyG]

I know some people tapped Jen as a possible successor to Geno. I hope that never happens and that she's not even considered. Great player, lots of heart and guts, but completely unable to get it done as a head coach. I wish her the best as she starts the next chapter of her life.

Maybe she should look at being an assistant in a higher profile program. Perhaps she could have more success there? After some early success in Hartford, the program then went downhill, and she really did nothing special at GW.

Yeah. Well, you know me. I've been an unashamed Carla Berube fan. Her outward intensity isn't Geno level, but she's actually just as intense and she seems to get the most from her players.

 

[EricLA]

Yeah. Well, you know me. I've been an unashamed Carla Berube fan. Her outward intensity isn't Geno level, but she's actually just as intense and she seems to get the most from her players.

People love to speculate. When Geno is ready to retire in 5-10 years, the landscape, including the UCONN coaching tree, will look far different than it does today. All IMHO but...

Berube moving on from Tufts was great in putting herself into a D1 program. Plus Carla was already tapped to coach one of the younger USA National Teams. Marissa seems to be moving BU in the right direction (altho watching her team play predominantly zone was painful and boring). Who knows what Sales will be doing in 5-10 years (asst at UCF - doubt she stays for more than a few years unless she's really content). Some are really high on Shea, but she has zero HC experience, and it's unlikely she'll leave her position for a D1 program any time soon.

Then there's Sue and Dee - do they want to go in the Renee direction and become part owners? head down a coaching path? I know Sue has said Storrs is too small for her, but have a kid or 2, and maybe that changes. Who knows what Maya will be doing in 5-10 years. So many possibilities...

Plus I think there will be a slew of mid-major, to coaches in P5 schools who just don't put resources into WCBB, who might be good candidates.

 

[BostonBay]

Issues with recruiting, coaching (X's & O's), leadership??

 

[UcMiami]

Sure, but mid-majors compete with mid-majors, so they don't need to compete for the upper echelon players. Someone has to win the A-10-- and GW has been at the bottom recently.

But mid majors occasionally luck into WNBA quality players like Jones and then everybody praises the coach for a brilliant 3 or 4 year record. Dayton had two of them 10 years ago. It is rare, but it happens and they can be a magnet for a few supporting players.

 

[Longtime fan]

bluedevil: One of the reasons that Jen probably noticed GW was that the previous coaching regime -- led by Jonathan Tsipsis and two assistants (in particular) -- had one "near great" (now, perhaps "great") player named Jonquel Jones.
And Ms. Jones was joined almost immediately by a cadre of some good players, including forwards Ciara Washington and Lauren Chase and guards Hannah Schaible and Shannon Cranshaw, among others.

For Tsipsis' first two years, his recruiting was headed by none other than Megan Duffy, who came from St. John's to take a step up in responsibility. She was joined by Diane Richardson, who spent years heading the Riverdale Baptist program, where she got to know Jones. When Jonquel wasn't happy at Clemson, GW became a natural next place to transfer.

Jones was obviously a super best-case scenario for a mid-major program, but I'd argue that Jen never got close to the players I mentioned above that supported JJ. That supporting cast -- paticularly Washingston and Shaible (who was a Duffy clone) were the core of the team that reached the NCAA and NIT teams in JR and Sully's first two years at the helm.

When Tspisis left for Wisconsin, I remember a number of folks pushing for Richardson to take a step up to the HC job; in part because of her background in the HS and AAU communities around D.C. Obviously, she didn't get it, but she did get a HC job shortly. In 2018-19, she guided Towson State to the CAA Championship.

So, Tsipsis pulled together a good coaching staff who delivered the right mix of players and struck gold with one.
Wonder where GW goes to replicate that run?

Jenhas been an underachiever as a coach. I thought she might rocket to stardom. Clearly not the case.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I know some people tapped Jen as a possible successor to Geno. I hope that never happens and that she's not even considered. Great player, lots of heart and guts, but completely unable to get it done as a head coach. I wish her the best as she starts the next chapter of her life.

Maybe she should look at being an assistant in a higher profile program. Perhaps she could have more success there? After some early success in Hartford, the program then went downhill, and she really did nothing special at GW.

If she (Jen) becomes the Huskies head coach... I’ll become a Tennessee fan

 

[huskyd]

Great coaches need great players.

Wonder how Jen would have fared if she and not Dawn (another former player) had inherited SC.

 

[RobbieGee]

Sorry to hear about Jen and wishing her the best. She’ll move on and be fine. Think it’s very competitive and tough to recruit for schools at that level.

 

[DefenseBB]

I know some people tapped Jen as a possible successor to Geno. I hope that never happens and that she's not even considered. Great player, lots of heart and guts, but completely unable to get it done as a head coach. I wish her the best as she starts the next chapter of her life.

Maybe she should look at being an assistant in a higher profile program. Perhaps she could have more success there? After some early success in Hartford, the program then went downhill, and she really did nothing special at GW.

...but what will her husband do for job is she’s a lowly assistant and not able to hire him?

 

[cbraarj]

I agree, but supposedly she was hesitant to move back to the bench.

Jen teaching the post players. No

 

[OkaForPrez]

Issues with recruiting, coaching (X's & O's), leadership??

 

[JellyBean]

Never easy losing a coaching job but that is the nature of the coaching business. Jen will bounce back and if she wants another coaching job, she will land one.

 

[Argonaut]

Athletic department cleans house on women’s basketball coaching staff

Rizzotti tallied a 72-74 overall record in her five seasons with the Colonials, winning one Atlantic 10 Championship in 2018.

www.gwhatchet.com

“But 10 of the team’s 12 current members released a joint statement Monday saying the firings came as a “complete shock” to the program.

“Our coaching staff put us in the best position to be successful on and off the court, and as players the wins and losses are on us more than anyone” the players said in the statement. “This season our coaches encouraged us to use our platforms for topics bigger than basketball, in ways that were unmatched within our athletic department.””

 

[ScuderiaDiU]

Jen couldn't beat the other A10 teams that are also devoid of talent. Not an excuse. She is a good but not great coach.

Shea is Shea and Bruce has proven herself. Those are my two choices right now.