Naismith Coach of the Year Finalists

[Orangutan]

No surprises, really.

 

[CocoHusky]

Would like to have seen Amy Williams of Nebraska as one of the finalist. Remarkable job coaching by Amy this year considering that she lost Jessica Shepard to ND.

 

[Vowelguy]

No surprises but I would also note the performances of
Jeff Walz @Lou, Amy Williams @ Nebraska, Joni Taylor @ Georgia

 

[Dillon77]

Would have like to see Amy Williams of Nebraska as one of the finalist. Remarkable job coaching by Amy this year considering that she lost Jessica Shepard to ND.

Agreed.
In her first year, she previously also lost:
- Natalie Romeo (even before she joined Nebraska) to Washington.
- Two good guard commits -- one of whom is doing a good job for Iowa, Kathleen Doyle.

And she's got some good commits coming in the future.

 

[CBear01]

I can't believe I'm saying this. But Jeff Walz got shafted.

I really don't see Muffet deserving this award. Blah blah the team lost players but the players they have are great to awesome players and there are other coaches doing much more with much less. IMO

 

[Centerstream]

I am betting on MM, because the NCAA handed her a top 10 ranking with their Shepard ruling and she has done such a terrific coaching job this year, blah, blah blah (even though ND had a high preseason ranking, as did all 4 Finalists, with Vic having the best improvement?)

PS I am a ND HATER!!! But ND has that mystique.

 

[Orangutan]

I can't believe I'm saying this. But Jeff Walz got shafted.

I really don't see Muffet deserving this award. Blah blah the team lost players but the players they have are great to awesome players and there are other coaches doing much more with much less. IMO

My favorite thing about Jeff getting the ACC CoY award was that he had two ACC PoY winners (Hines-Allen and Durr) to Muffet's none.

But Muffet isn't deserving of awards because she has too much talent...

Sure.

 

[CocoHusky]

I can't believe I'm saying this. But Jeff Walz got shafted.
I really don't see Muffet deserving this award. Blah blah the team lost players but the players they have are great to awesome players and there are other coaches doing much more with much less. IMO

I can't believe you are saying that either!

 

[VAMike23]

???????????

Muffet not only belongs on the list, she deserves to win it this year.

No blah blah blahs about it. She did an amazing job.

 

[CBear01]

My favorite thing about Jeff getting the ACC CoY award was that he had two ACC PoY winners (Hines-Allen and Durr) to Muffet's none.

But Muffet isn't deserving of awards because she has too much talent...

Sure.

Perhaps I said it wrong. I honestly feel almost the same way about Geno this year but didn't say it bc I don't want to be kicked off the island. This year I didn't see anything special like ive seen in the past from these two coaches. I thi K this year a torch needs to be passed. IMO with who is left standing I think Schaefer did a great job. Both this year and last.

Sorry for my mis-wording

 

[Orangutan]

Perhaps I said it wrong. I honestly feel almost the same way about Geno this year but didn't say it bc I don't want to be kicked off the island. This year I didn't see anything special like ive seen in the past from these two coaches. I thi K this year a torch needs to be passed. IMO with who is left standing I think Schaefer did a great job. Both this year and last.

Sorry for my mis-wording

I mostly had that rant in the back of mind and your post was just a convenient jumping-off point anyway.

 

[MainefanSC]

MM lost my respect back when she felt a need to degrade Geno. Now, she has felt a need to degrade the LV team/coach/players. With all the talent she has garnered over the years and has only one NC, she is not COY material. PERIOD!

IMO, Vic has done a lot for the game.

 

[Alydar]

My favorite thing about Jeff getting the ACC CoY award was that he had two ACC PoY winners (Hines-Allen and Durr) to Muffet's none.

But Muffet isn't deserving of awards because she has too much talent...

Sure.

Doesn't MM herself believe she has the best player in the ACC, if not the entire country?

Notre Dame lost their depth. That's all. Last May Turner was likely lost for this season and the NCAA filled that void with Sheppard. They had a better starting 5 this year, simply because of an additional year of experience.

I think Jeff deserves the award over Muffet simply because he beat her twice, usurping the ACC crown that the Irish have owned since they entered the conference.

 

[Orangutan]

Doesn't MM herself believe she has the best player in the ACC, if not the entire country?

Notre Dame lost their depth. That's all. Last May Turner was likely lost for this season and the NCAA filled that void with Sheppard. They had a better starting 5 this year, simply because of an additional year of experience.

I think Jeff deserves the award over Muffet simply because he beat her twice, usurping the ACC crown that the Irish have owned since they entered the conference.

What Muffet believes is besides the point I am making. The ACC awards votes have honored both Hines-Allen and Durr as Player of the Year. So Louisville has two PoYs and ND has none. And Walz gets CoY for finishing with the same record as ND?

Remember the ACC honors were announced before the ACC tournament.

 

[cbraarj]

Sorry people Geno deserves the award because his team is undefeated, ranked no.1 all year and played the whole year with injuries! If he cant win the award based on those reasons than nobody deserves to! Head to head, Geno beat Muffet, Walz, Aston, Fernandez and Staley! Miss. State lost to South Carolina for SECT title! Uconn spanked SC at SC! Can these coaches take Uconns team and win like Geno? No! Imo there is only one coach who can. Her name is Chris Daily!

 

[Oldbones]

she lost Jessica Shepard to ND.

And she lost her so quickly!

 

[Oldbones]

I think Schaefer did a great job. Both this year and last.

Remember McCowan from the 98-38 UCONN Regional semi two years ago? Remember her in last years FF? Noticed her lately? that's coaching................................................................

 

[bballnut90]

It's Vic's year to win. 32-1, undefeated regular season, and swept a very good SEC without a top 20 recruit on the roster. That's COY right there.

Several other coaches have done a great job this year. I'm a hard critic of her, but Mulkey has done an outstanding job. Great development of both posts and Wallace, not to mention she's done a terrific job bringing the freshmen along. Easily could be undefeated if not for Cox being out one game.

 

[mbr33ct]

I'm going with Graves because so far in this thread no one has even mentioned him. Sounds like an east coast bias to me.

 

[jonson]

I'm going with Graves because so far in this thread no one has even mentioned him. Sounds like an east coast bias to me.

This is a really tough choice, but I agree that Graves deserves more attention than he's been getting here. Not only did he take over a program that was an absolute train wreck (remember Geno's take on the Oregon team UConn crushed 5 or so years ago?) and in 4 years transform it into a the Pac 12 regular season and tournament champion, but he did so with a sophomore-led lineup that currently includes only one player whom Geno or Muffet might have been interested in recruiting. And last year, of course, he became only the second WBB coach to lead a 10 seed or above to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament. The first? Graves as well--this time at Gonzaga [!?! This has somehow gotten into my post from below and the Forum software won't let me correct it; I can say, however, that Graves does look like he enjoys a fair amount of cheese] . Not saying he should win, but both he and Vic have certainly shown how to succeed with a roster that, on paper, has nothing like the credentials of the ones at Notre Dame or UConn.

 

[Dillon77]

This is a really tough choice, but I agree that Graves deserves more attention than he's been getting here. Not only did he take over a program that was an absolute train wreck (remember Geno's take on the Oregon team UConn crushed 5 or so years ago?) and in 4 years transform it into a the Pac 12 regular season and tournament champion, but he did so with a sophomore-led lineup that currently includes only one player whom Geno or Muffet might have been interested in recruiting. And last year, of course, he became only the second WBB coach to lead a 10 seed or above to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament. The first? Graves as well--this time at Gonsaga. Not saying he should win, but both he and Vic have certainly shown how to succeed with a roster that, on paper, has nothing like the credentials of the ones at Notre Dame or UConn.

No argument from me on giving credit where credit is due. What's that phrase, "success begets success?" Well, the way he coached at Gonzaga helped him build at Oregon. And those initial players got the interest of Hebard and -- most importantly -- Ionescu. And those players, the atmosphere helped him get a player Muffet most certainly was interested in...one Erin Boley, who will become eligible. I'm sure there will be even more once they see Boley square her shoulders for that great jump shot off an Ionescu feed.

On the other hand, Erin's transfer and all those injuries helped lead to the most floor time for Jackie Young, who had an absolutely marvelous sophomore season. Her success is one reason why MM is up for this award.

Small world, this D1 hoops...

 

[Orangutan]

Well, the way he coached at Gorgonzola

Would you say he was the Big Cheese there?

 

[Dillon77]

Would you say he was the Big Cheese there?

Oops, caught me at my 4 p.m. snack !

He is a big guy, btw!

 

[dogged1]

Well, the way he coached at Gorgonzola

Would you say he was the Big Cheese there?

Oops, caught me at my 4 p.m. snack !

He is a big guy, btw!

So, what is this, the Golden Dome Tag Team, Abbot & Costello?

 

[Dillon77]

So, what is this, the Golden Dome Tag Team, Abbot & Costello?

Who's on first?