The Mt Rushmore of WCBB Coaches

[alexrgct]

If you were to make a WCBB HC Mt. Rushmore, I think the first three faces wouldn't be particularly controversial. Pat Summitt has to be there- no explanation needed. Geno also requires no explanation. And I think Cathy Rush has to be on there for coaching Immaculata to three straight AIAW NCs and setting the initial bar for the sport. So who would be the fourth? Some ideas:

Marianne Stanley (ODU, among other places)- played for Cathy Rush and in her own right won two AIAW NCs and one NCAA NC.

Sonja Hogg (La Tech)- one AIAW and one NCAA NC, generally considered a trailblazer from the early days.

Linda Sharp (USC)- made three NCAA finals, winning twice. Her USC teams raised the bar in terms of athleticism for WBB at the time.

Jody Conradt (Texas)- one NC, first perfect season of the NCAA era, one of the all-time winningest coaches.

Tara VanDerVeer (Stanford)- two time national champion with success that has spanned multiple eras in the sport. All this and strict academic restrictions in terms of who she can recruit and sign.

C. Vivian Stringer (Cheyney, Iowa, Rutgers)- has taken three programs to the Final Four, one of the all-time winningest coaches.

Kim Mulkey (Baylor)- Next era coach, heir apparent to the title of "face of WCBB" after Geno retires (not that she's likely to be coaching that much longer than Geno), two NCs and counting.

Carolyn Peck (Purdue)- Just kidding...

Someone else?

 

[sarals24]

Leon Barmore is pretty impressive. 20 straight winning seasons, nine FFs, five NC games, one NC, coached with Hogg and Mulkey...

 

[huskyblooz]

Chris Dailey

 

[MilfordHusky]

Leon Barmore is pretty impressive. 20 straight winning seasons, nine FFs, five NC games, one NC, coached with Hogg and Mulkey...

I think Leon has the highest career winning percentage. Geno is second.

 

[alexrgct]

Hogg laid the foundation for the program and had the two NCs, the winning streak that endured as a record from 1980 until 2003, etc., which is why I have her ahead of LB.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Based on early years, I'd include Pat, Rush, Barmore, and Stanley.

Based on the last 15-20 years, Pat, Geno, Tara, and Muffet or Kim.

 

[doggydaddy]

I think Leon has the highest career winning percentage. Geno is second.

You are correct.

Geno - 86.0
Len - 86.4

 

[sarals24]

I always got the impression that LB did more of the coaching. Just an observation. Hogg did pretty abysmally at Baylor. She had an overall losing record and only two winning seasons.

 

[Coler]

C.V.S

She'll likely move ahead Jody Conradt in all-time wins this up-coming season, into second place behind Pat.

 

[alexrgct]

I always got the impression that LB did more of the coaching. Just an observation. Hogg did pretty abysmally at Baylor. She had an overall losing record and only two winning seasons.

Some things I've read said he did indeed do a lot of the in-game coaching. Hmm...he probably should have been on my list. But I voted for Tara and would have in any event.

 

[Phil]

Hogg laid the foundation for the program and had the two NCs, the winning streak that endured as a record from 1980 until 2003, etc., which is why I have her ahead of LB.

They were co-head coaches for three years IIRC, but he was more of the game coach.

 

[MilfordHusky]

You are correct.

Geno - 86.0
Len - 86.4

Maya helped Geno close the gap. Breanna may help Geno surpass Leon.

At 150-4, Maya was at 97.4.

 

[Waquoit]

C.V.S

She'll likely move ahead Jody Conradt in all-time wins this up-coming season, into second place behind Pat.

You have to win the whole thing at least once.

 

[Vowelguy]

4) Leon Barmore
5) Tara

 

[Bayareahusky]

Could choose a lot of coaches from the early days..... one recent consideration i only saw milfordhusky mention is Muffet. Only 1 NC but a lot of strong teams. The ND program has usually been very good.

 

[Phil]

What about J. Percy Page?

His lifetime coaching record was 502 and 20, a 96% win rate that blows away Geno and Leon.

His team won 27 consecutive Olympic matches, I doubt anyone can match that.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Leon, unquestionably. Remarkable.

I have never quite decided if Cathy Rush really belongs there or not. Shouldn't your career have at least some length to it?

I would have Leon and Tara, most likely. Vivian and Jody are very accomplished, but I truly think the next tier. Doesn't mean I don't think the world of CVS - and I am not one who thinks the NC is everything. I suppose criteria is always the key thing and what weight you give to wins, winning percentages, FF, NC's, intangibles, etc. That's why everyone agrees on Geno and Pat - they have set themselves apart. So, IMHO, did Leon. After that . . .

 

[jsloanjr]

Ditto, Geno will

Maya helped Geno close the gap. Breanna may help Geno surpass Leon.

At 150-4, Maya was at 97.4.

be #1 soon

 

[Icebear]

Barmore hands down and I would not include Cathy Rush.

 

[Vowelguy]

You are correct.

Geno - 86.0
Len - 86.4

I thought Barmore's record was 576-87 (86.9%)?

 

[Vowelguy]

I thought Barmore's record was 576-87 (86.9%)?

And I think Geno's is 804-129 (86.2).

A 70-3 record (or better) the next two years would put Geno ahead of Barmore.

 

[grizz36]

Some things I've read said he did indeed do a lot of the in-game coaching. Hmm...he probably should have been on my list. But I voted for Tara and would have in any event.

When you think about it, the story of Leon Barmore's life in incredible. Born and raised in Rustin, La, attended college at La Tech where he starred in basketball and made the school's Hall of Fame, assistant coach of the men's team there for several years and then over with Sonja and, finally, on his own became one of the great coaches in WCBB. All this without ever leaving the town of Rustin ..... except for road games.

 

[MilfordHusky]

And I think Geno's is 804-129 (86.2).

A 70-3 record (or better) the next two years would put Geno ahead of Barmore.

Thanks for doing the math. Early last season, Geno, himself, said 78-0 for the next 2 years. But that was after drinking all night with TonyC.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Could choose a lot of coaches from the early days..... one recent consideration i only saw milfordhusky mention is Muffet. Only 1 NC but a lot of strong teams. The ND program has usually been very good.

In terms of preparing her players and making in-game adjustments, Muffett is in the top 4 or so today. Her players play smart and don't beat themselves. In terms of talent, how many ND players are there in the WNBA--just a few? She now has 1 NC and 2 other finals appearances. Her team has been ranked for a long time.

 

[sarals24]

Yeah, it's crazy to think how well her teams do with basically role players. The years she has been very, very good she has a superstar like Riley or Diggins (and it pains me to say that, blech) but contrast that with Rutgers, which has lots of players in the WNBA and doesn't have the level of sustained success.