Marquette Keeps Rolling

[MilfordHusky]

My granddaughter has yet to attend a game, but her school's women's team is setting records. They are ranked 9th/10th and have 5 players from the same recruiting class who are 1,000-point scorers.

The Golden Eagles is one of two programs in the country with five players scoring 1,000 or more career points. Blockton finished with 15 points and leads a quintet of 1,000 point scorers (Blockton, Hiedeman, Davenport, Wilborn, and King) in coach Carolyn Kieger's first recruiting class. Blockton passed 2,000 points and is the Marquette career scoring leader, male of female. Not even D. Wade scored more than her (he played only 2 seasons).

 

[bballnut90]

My granddaughter has yet to attend a game, but her school's women's team is setting records. They are ranked 9th/10th and have 5 players from the same recruiting class who are 1,000-point scorers.

The Golden Eagles is one of two programs in the country with five players scoring 1,000 or more career points. Blockton finished with 15 points and leads a quintet of 1,000 point scorers (Blockton, Hiedeman, Davenport, Wilborn, and King) in coach Carolyn Kieger's first recruiting class. Blockton passed 2,000 points and is the Marquette career scoring leader, male of female. Not even D. Wade scored more than her (he played only 2 seasons).

Assuming Holly is let go, I hope Tennessee takes a look at Kieger after the season. Would be a massive raise for her and since her big class graduating, she gets to avoid a rebuilding year and take over a more talented roster at Tennessee. Marquette's only losses are vs Notre Dame, @ Mississippi State and @ Miami early in the year. They've been dominant too rather than eeking out wins--every victory has been by 9 points or more. Zero McDonald's AAs and every year the results have improved under her leadership. Kieger should be a hot commodity after this year.

 

[HopJim]

Kieger would be interesting option for Tenn. Not sure how recruiting in Tenn compares to Marquette's target market, but Kieger certainly has earned a promotion, more money, etc. Bring her in for 2 years at UConn in an announced transition? Geno's current contract calls for $2.4M the last year - few could offer the package UConn could.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Kieger would be interesting option for Tenn. Not sure how recruiting in Tenn compares to Marquette's target market, but Kieger certainly has earned a promotion, more money, etc. Bring her in for 2 years at UConn in an announced transition? Geno's current contract calls for $2.4M the last year - few could offer the package UConn could.

Tongue in cheek? This young coach has a 72-56 career record. Her first NCAA Tourney win last year.

 

[Plebe]

Does anyone know how much Kieger's salary at Marquette is? (These private schools and their secrecy...)

She's in her 5th season at Marquette. In her 3rd, she took a sophomore-dominated squad from obscurity to national visibility by upsetting Oregon State (fresh off a Final Four appearance in '16) in Corvallis and beating DePaul 3 times to win the Big East title. They earned a #5 seed (highest in school history) but were upset in the 1st round by Quinnipiac.

After that breakout season, her contract was extended through 2022-23:
Carolyn Kieger receives contract extension

Words can’t express how proud and thankful I am for Marquette’s belief in me, my staff, and our program,” Kieger said, per a Marquette University press release. “We are all very excited about the future and the direction we are headed. I feel blessed to work for a place I call home and with the best staff in the business.”​

Expectations for last season were rightfully high, but they opened with a shocking loss to New Mexico and never seemed to hit their stride. They were routed in the Big East final by DePaul and, as only a #8 seed, in the 2nd round of the NCAAs by Louisville.

But whatever kept them from progressing last season, they seem to have figured it out. They gave Mississippi State a good scare in Starkville and are absolutely mowing down their Big East competition so far. Charlie Creme currently has them projected as a #3 seed.

The Big East is a curious conference. On the men's BB side, they've remained an elite conference since the 2013 realignment. Look at the astounding success of Jay Wright at Villanova. Xavier, Creighton and others have had excellent teams in recent years as well. But on the WBB side, of course, they're not at the same level. If the Big East schools are to close that gap, they need to retain successful young coaches like Kieger rather than serve as poaching ground for the power 5 coaching carousel.

Kieger is only 35 years old. She and Gonzaga's Lisa Fortier (37) are the only HCs under the age of 40 represented in the AP top 25. She's also a Marquette alum. I'm hoping she feels driven to help lead her team well into the future rather than dive into the fishbowl of Knoxville. I'm hoping that her administration is willing to compensate her well enough to retain her.

 

[Plebe]

Tongue in cheek? This young coach has a 72-56 career record. Her first NCAA Tourney win last year.

That record is skewed by her first season at Marquette, when she was 9-22. (It also doesn't include the current season.)

In the last 3 seasons she's been 66-20, and she's taken this program from nothing to a top 10 ranking.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

That record is skewed by her first season at Marquette, when she was 9-22. (It also doesn't include the current season.)

In the last 3 seasons she's been 66-20, and she's taken this program from nothing to a top 10 ranking.

So you see her as a viable candidate to replace a retiring Geno? It will be interesting for someone to monitor her record next year with a new crew.

 

[Plebe]

So you see her as a viable candidate to replace a retiring Geno? It will be interesting for someone to monitor her record next year with a new crew.

I think she'd have to be considered a great get for any program looking for a "rising star" (to use a cliche) in the coaching profession. I suppose the one knock on her is that she has yet to lead a team deep in the NCAA tournament. But the same can be said of the other often-mentioned under-40 "rising stars" (Baranczyk at Drake and Fortier at Gonzaga).

I don't envy the coach who'll replace Geno—no matter how good or proven they are—and I certainly don't envy those who have to decide on his replacement. Given the institutional environment, it'll be an even taller task than replacing Summitt at Tennessee.

 

[SimpleDawg]

They're a top 8 team.