Restoring Faded Glory: U$C, Notre Dame, Texas (Others?)

[visitingcock]

"Don't be the coach that follows the legend."

In the rather short history of NCAA wbb, I can think of only one example where that maxim was not valid. Sonya Hogg won the last AIAW championship and the first NCAA championship in 82. She was immediately followed by the legendary Leon Barmore who took the Ragin' Cajuns to the championship game the next year and again in 87 before winning all in '88. Progeny: Kim Mulkey

Other than that, no team has ever won the big prize under two different coaches. Indeed, few successor coaches, if any, have even reached the final four! (research incomplete)

Texas, Notre Dame and U$C have past championships. They also appear to have solid coaches, two of whom have taken their teams to the elite eight. Their rosters look excellent overall this year and all have potential sophomore superstars. Can one or more of them break through to at least the final four level this year? Higher?

Other possible resurrections?

 

[cancontent]

Can I ask why ND is in the faded glory category? They won a championship in 2018.

 

[jdote33]

Very interesting. I get the idea. I think Baylor is kinda in that class as well. Last season I kinda thought Nicki Collen was feeling a bit of that pressure. I like her a lot, as she seems like she has so much passion for the game. But she definitely had a couple press conferences that were eyebrow raising. After a stretch of tight losses she was saying despite what others say I'm a good coach. She popped her collar a bit when they made it to the sweet 16. And then I think there was a small tidbit in the kim mulkey article that she responded to, which her main point was Baylor is not a fledgling program and is on a good path. So Baylor I think fits your criteria since Mulkey left. I like their roster but in this day and age, and maybe it's cuz I watched so much ball last year and appreciate the talent around the country, im not sure Baylor has a top 15 roster talent wise. But it's year 4 for Collen, so id hope she's working towards building a natty level team.

Another one and it might be a bit premature but what about Oklahoma and replacing Sherri Coale. Haven't been to the final 4 since 2010. They did win the conference last year and I definitely think are on the right track. With Verhulst, Beers, and Vann I even think they can make the final 4. I like their coach as well. But growing up they were a bit of a powerhouse and haven't quite been that in recent years.

 

[Creature]

Other Trivia:
In 1990's-Kim Mulkey interviwed for the South Carolina Job and turned it down then went to Baylor
Current Alabama Coach Kristy [Sims] Curry also worked for Leon Barmore in the late 90s as an asst.

 

[visitingcock]

Can I ask why ND is in the faded glory category? They won a championship in 2018.

Not nearly as faded as the other two but there was a precipitous drop in Muffet's last year (2020) and Niele's first year (Covid shortened) 2021. They have not been back to the Elite 8 level since. The last three years of Swt-16 appearances are encouraging and show that they are not far from climbing back up. It would be the second best recovery after Barmore if Niele makes it back this year. She might do it this year but I';m expecting it after a year for Hanna and Kate have learned to work together,

 

[faninwisc]

"Don't be the coach that follows the legend."

In the rather short history of NCAA wbb, I can think of only one example where that maxim was not valid. Sonya Hogg won the last AIAW championship and the first NCAA championship in 82. She was immediately followed by the legendary Leon Barmore who took the Ragin' Cajuns to the championship game the next year and again in 87 before winning all in '88. Progeny: Kim Mulkey

Other than that, no team has ever won the big prize under two different coaches. Indeed, few successor coaches, if any, have even reached the final four! (research incomplete)

Texas, Notre Dame and U$C have past championships. They also appear to have solid coaches, two of whom have taken their teams to the elite eight. Their rosters look excellent overall this year and all have potential sophomore superstars. Can one or more of them break through to at least the final four level this year? Higher?

Other possible resurrections?

Might want to brush up on your wbb history. I can assure that you Leone Barmore did not coach the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafeyette.

 

[triaddukefan]

When i think of faded glory, Texas and ND aren't schools that come to mind. USC, Tennessee, Old Dominion, and LA Tech are the ones

 

[stwainfan]

When i think of faded glory, Texas and ND aren't schools that come to mind. USC, Tennessee, Old Dominion, and LA Tech are the ones

Texas has one national championship 1986.

 

[visitingcock]

Texas has one national championship 1986.

And a NC is glorious.. Have they sniffed the final four since?

 

[visitingcock]

Might want to brush up on your wbb history. I can assure that you Leone Barmore did not coach the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafeyette.

Oops. Sorry Bulldogs.

 

[stwainfan]

And a NC is glorious.. Have they sniffed the final four since?

I don't think they have. At least not since the 1990's. I do think they are a team that can make a FF this year.

 

[visitingcock]

Oops. Sorry Bulldogs.

When i think of faded glory, Texas and ND aren't schools that come to mind. USC, Tennessee, Old Dominion, and LA Tech are the ones

Notre Dame has played in seven national championship games. Pretty glorious compared to U$C. ODU has only played in two championship games.

 

[triaddukefan]

And a NC is glorious.. Have they sniffed the final four since?

They were in the 2003 Final Four... lost to Uconn. They have sniffed a few times, but failed in the Elite 8 in 2021, 2022, and 2024.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Oops. Sorry Bulldogs.

Actually - Lady Techsters. Bulldogs are the men's team.

 

[Txhoopsalot]

Texas has one national championship 1986.

And a NC is glorious.. Have they sniffed the final four since?

Yes. 1987 and 2003. All with Coach Jody Conradt.

 

[visitingcock]

Actually - Lady Techsters. Bulldogs are the men's team.

Double oops,o

 

[JellyBean]

For me, I would love to see Long Beach State get back some of their luster. That program of the 80s & early 90s was phenomenal!! They could drop 100 points at the snap of a finger...and turn around and give up 100 points at the snap of a finger!

 

[stwainfan]

Louisiana Tech and Old Dominon are not likely to be restored. They were a big part of the early days of WBB.

 

[JDuro]

Notre Dame has played in seven national championship games. Pretty glorious compared to U$C. ODU has only played in two championship games.

And won the NC in 1985. Those Lady Monarchs are how I first started following WBB as my dad got orders in 1984 to move the family from Shaw AFB, SC to Langley AFB right in ODU's backyard. The Tidewater area media gave them good coverage and that got my attention. That ODU championship team was led by former Gamecock Medina Dixon.

 

[JellyBean]

Louisiana Tech and Old Dominon are not likely to be restored. They were a big part of the early days of WBB.

So true. Those were some powerhouse programs! Talk about physical play, toughness, and just pure fundamentals of the game! Those early programs, like ODU, LA Tech, Auburn, Western Kentucky, and Virginia. Those were some teams back in the day!!

 

[Coler]

Rutgers. But I don't see Coach Washington being the one to bring the program back to the level of success that CVS had in the early to mid 00s.

Perhaps I'm wrong, and I hope that I am....however I wasn't a fan of the hire, and I'm still not.

 

[visitingcock]

Brenda is a good coach and doesn’t deserve this disrespectful placement in this thread but can she get her program back on track?

No final four and only one elite 8 in the past ten years. Didn’t even make it past the first round this year! They are not looked upon as being a force in Big Ten much less the conference leader.

She’s a good game timer coach and has recruited high schools welll. BUT She has seemingly always suffered from transfers, the the wide open transfer portal of today would seem the biggest threat to any future success. Is it her or is it the school that is breeding player discontent! Or both? Maybe time for her to look at going elsewhere?

 

[MSSportsGuy]

It's highly unlikely La Tech or ODU will ever be competitive at a high level again. They are currently mid tier teams in their own conferences which aren't exactly close to P4.

It's a stretch to call TX or ND faded glory because both are highly competitive nationally and advanced far in the tournament just last year. I'd love to see Vic win the title he came close to with us but the competition is fierce.

TN fans have bemoaned their decline to the levels of LA Tech and ODU but I'm not sure they are there or will ever be given their status in the SEC. The Caldwell decision still makes me shake my head and doubt she is what they need but I've been wrong more than right. They are no longer among the top teams but aren't far out of the conversation.

USC as in Southern Cal has a loaded roster and should be a threat to win it all which shows how quickly fortunes can change in the current environment. They aren't back to glory yet but heading in the right direction.

 

[Puppy Love]

I’d put Georgia in this category. The Andy Landers days were pretty good.

 

[triaddukefan]

Louisiana Tech and Old Dominon are not likely to be restored. They were a big part of the early days of WBB.

Add Tenn to that sentence.