1. Is there anyone here willing to actually question whether Ms Rizzotti gets this position without her connections to Coach Auriemma? Yes, this is how the world turns, but still...
2. Is there anyone here willing to put forward the name of a black successor to Coach Auriemma? Is there any chance the women's program will go in the same direction as the men's program? If the women's program eventually does what the men's program did in picking a UConn alum from California who had to work extraordinarily hard to get a professional contract, then I have the perfect candidate in mind.
Ms Rizzotti has reportedly turned down any number of inquiries from larger schools to apply for coaching vacancies because of her family and wanting to keep a stable environment during her children's early years. USA basketball does not just select chopped liver to coach any of their teams and have selected Jen to do so on multiple occasions, so ... she is a viable candidate for any coaching opening i would think. As far as Uconn is concerned, having some system/program continuity when Geno decides to retire is pretty desirable though not probably a red-line. Having some head coaching experience is likely to be more of a red-line unless one of the associate/assistants on the staff is selected which was Kevin's situation.
I don't have any take on the ethnicity of the successor coach and suspect no one associated with the program does either. The resume and personality are the issues.
Of Uconn affiliated folks I would think CD would head the list if she was interested, followed in some order by JR, SR, and MM. I actually find Marisa to be an intriguing possibility. I would add TC and JE to that list though I think both of their struggles leading their own teams may preclude them from being high on any list at this time.
As for former players DT and Sue ... I think they would need to have some coaching record prior to being considered seriously. I know other programs have gone that route, just don't think a program that is not struggling would be likely to take that kind of chance.
