The changing WCBB landscape

[Vowelguy]

This may go down as the most tumultuous summer in WCBB history.

* #3 Tennessee's hall-of-fame coach makes a stunning announcement, all but ensuring her retirement in the next 1-3 years.
* #4 UConn, #1 Baylor, #7 Louisville, #9 Georgetown, & Rutgers face a very uncertain conference future, and their athletics programs may suffer a great decline in prestige and $$ ... which would surely negatively impact WCBB.
* #2 N Dame, #6 Texas A&M, & Oklahoma are also in flux, but are more in control of their destiny.
* #10 LSU & UVa hire promising new coaches.

The main WCBB powers not really affected? #5 Stanford, #8 Duke, UNC.

(I used rankings from a preseason poll I found, mostly just for illustrative purposes of how many top programs are affected.)

 

[triaddukefan]

Baylor and Louisville ..... it will be interesting to see how these developments affect their recruiting in the future. Cant be a comfortable feeling for their athletic departments.... not that I have any sympathy for Baylor.. none at all.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I suspect an ACC membership will only ramp up Geno & Chris's recruitment steam roller in certain parts of the country, while leading several ACC coaches to the bicarb in the medicine cabinet.

 

[Dman]

where did you find the link of the preseason poll

 

[Kibitzer]

Can you imagine Geno telling a recruit that they will not only play in what will surely be the most prestigious bb conference (Duke, UNC, et al) but that OOC opponents will include Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and possibly LSU, Baylor, and old friends like Georgetown, Louisville and DePaul?

I personally think it will be a tremendous boost to UConn recruiting, if that is possible.

A separate issue: travel costs/scheduling. I would expect the schedule to have "road trips" of 2-3 games, such as to Florida to play FSU and Miami, then Clemson on the way home. Or to Virginia to play VaTech, Virginia and then Maryland. Several teams in North Carolina. Far better than traipsing out to the midwest to play single games vs. ND or DePaul. Jeez, if I can figure this out, the bright people in athletic departments surely can and will.

 

[EricLA]

Can you imagine Geno telling a recruit that they will not only play in what will surely be the most prestigious bb conference (Duke, UNC, et al) but that OOC opponents will include Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and possibly LSU, Baylor, and old friends like Georgetown, Louisville and DePaul?

I personally think it will be a tremendous boost to UConn recruiting, if that is possible.

A separate issue: travel costs/scheduling. I would expect the schedule to have "road trips" of 2-3 games, such as to Florida to play FSU and Miami, then Clemson on the way home. Or to Virginia to play VaTech, Virginia and then Maryland. Several teams in North Carolina. Far better than traipsing out to the midwest to play single games vs. ND or DePaul. Jeez, if I can figure this out, the bright people in athletic departments surely can and will.

Agree 100%. however, if UCONN ends up in the ACC, most likely the hoops conferences will be north/south and Duke and UNC will be in the south. UCONN would be in the north with Pitt, Syracuse, Maryland, BC, and probably Rutgers. maybe UVA and VA Tech would be in the north conference too. no idea how they would do it - could be a home and home for 14 games and then 1 game with the south foes... we will see if it works out...

 

[Vowelguy]

Can you imagine Geno telling a recruit that they will not only play in what will surely be the most prestigious bb conference (Duke, UNC, et al) but that OOC opponents will include Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and possibly LSU, Baylor, and old friends like Georgetown, Louisville and DePaul?

I personally think it will be a tremendous boost to UConn recruiting, if that is possible.

A separate issue: travel costs/scheduling. I would expect the schedule to have "road trips" of 2-3 games, such as to Florida to play FSU and Miami, then Clemson on the way home. Or to Virginia to play VaTech, Virginia and then Maryland. Several teams in North Carolina. Far better than traipsing out to the midwest to play single games vs. ND or DePaul. Jeez, if I can figure this out, the bright people in athletic departments surely can and will.

Not sure what you're so excited about given that there's no indication that UConn is in active talks with the ACC. Yes, UConn is lobbying hard; but no idea if anyone is listening.

 

[Vowelguy]

Agree 100%. however, if UCONN ends up in the ACC, most likely the hoops conferences will be north/south and Duke and UNC will be in the south.

I would bet against that. Part of the reason for expansion is to open new markets; that doesn't happen if everyone stays in their own region. ACC is already split in FB on NON-geographic lines.

Big East BB was not split into divisions at all. SEC is ending divisions in MCBB I believe as well.

 

[Kibitzer]

"no indication that UConn is in active talks with the ACC."

Sorry, I disagree. There are many indications tha President Herbst is energetically pursuing this mov.

That's not a guarantee it will happen, but to quote a little from Ecclesiastes plus Damon Runyon:

"The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong. . . . but that's where the smart money goes."

 

[Vowelguy]

"no indication that UConn is in active talks with the ACC."

Sorry, I disagree. There are many indications tha President Herbst is energetically pursuing this mov.

As I said, UConn is lobbying hard. We have no indication that anyone is listening.
Talks involve a two-way street. I've yet to see any proof that the ACC is talking with UConn. It may very well be happening; it may not.

 

[HuskyNan]

As I said, UConn is lobbying hard. We have no indication that anyone is listening.
Talks involve a two-way street. I've yet to see any proof that the ACC is talking with UConn. It may very well be happening; it may not.

Herbst has been in discussions with the ACC for some time, according to ESPN.com's sources, but the talks have become more intense the past few days with the defections of Pitt and Syracuse from the Big East.

UConn seeks ACC membership

 

[Vowelguy]

Herbst has been in discussions with the ACC for some time, according to ESPN.com's sources, but the talks have become more intense the past few days with the defections of Pitt and Syracuse from the Big East.

Hearsay somewhat. I would like to see confirmation from the ACC side that they are in talks.

 

[huskeynut]

You are not going to hear any confirmation from the ACC besides the line of we have received 10 applications to join. The ACC is not going to tip their hand at this point, at least not publically.

This process will go quickly, especially if Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State move to the Pac12 today or tomorrow.

 

[UConnCat]

Muffet McGraw's take:

"It's all about football,'' McGraw said. "We're going to end up somewhere good. We have a lot of marketability, of course. I'm not worried about our future. I just don't know what conference we'll be in if the Big East does implode. But personally, I would love to stay in the same league with Connecticut."

Makes sense she would feel this way. The teams have played some great games and playing UConn has made ND a better team and program.

 

[EricLA]

Muffet McGraw's take:

"It's all about football,'' McGraw said. "We're going to end up somewhere good. We have a lot of marketability, of course. I'm not worried about our future. I just don't know what conference we'll be in if the Big East does implode. But personally, I would love to stay in the same league with Connecticut."

Makes sense she would feel this way. The teams have played some great games and playing UConn has made ND a better team and program.

i love Muffett and hope ND and UCONN schedule home/home series after the BE breaks up, but realistically, WCBB has to be a very distant 3rd behind Football and Mens Basketball, if it's even 3rd...

 

[MilfordHusky]

Muffet McGraw's take:

"It's all about football,'' McGraw said. "We're going to end up somewhere good. We have a lot of marketability, of course. I'm not worried about our future. I just don't know what conference we'll be in if the Big East does implode. But personally, I would love to stay in the same league with Connecticut."

Makes sense she would feel this way. The teams have played some great games and playing UConn has made ND a better team and program.

The rivalry would make for a good book. In fact, it did.

Lewis at the Buzzer will be about KML scoring the winning bucket in the new tourney on Tobacco Road.

 

[doggydaddy]

Not sure what you're so excited about given that there's no indication that UConn is in active talks with the ACC. Yes, UConn is lobbying hard; but no idea if anyone is listening.

Let me guess.

Party Sunny or Mostly Cloudy?

Half Full or Half Empty?

I bet your blood type is B Negative.

 

[RadyLady]

Let me guess.

Party Sunny or Mostly Cloudy?

Half Full or Half Empty?

I bet your blood type is B Negative.

Hey! MY bloodtype is B negative, dude (although it is a funny joke)

 

[speedoo]

Muffet McGraw's take:

"It's all about football,'' McGraw said. "We're going to end up somewhere good. We have a lot of marketability, of course. I'm not worried about our future. I just don't know what conference we'll be in if the Big East does implode. But personally, I would love to stay in the same league with Connecticut."

Makes sense she would feel this way. The teams have played some great games and playing UConn has made ND a better team and program.

And my bet is that Geno feels the same way about ND. Plenty of mutual respect between those two. Plus, they really like one another!