Title aspirations

[DefenseBB]

WCBB is a very small circle of active coaches, not only titles but also a fairly small list of coaches with Final Fours on their resumes. Recruiting gets everyone excited as well as one good year of results but the predominant factor is experience and scoring. That said is my assessment of the schools still best positioned to succeed in the NCAAT

For everyone's edification, there are 4 active coaches with titles. I have also listed their total FF appearances:
UConn Geno Auriemma 12, 24 (He's a lock to return to the FF)
LSU Kim Mulkey 4, 5 (At some point she too will return to the FF)
SCar Dawn Staley 3, 7 (She's a lock to return to the FF)
Brenda Frese 1, 3 (Brenda needs to recruit and retain elite talent if she wants to return as she seems more like a Bridesmaid, than a Bride at this point)

There are 2 coaches who have made multiple Final Fours/title games but not won:
Texas Vic Schaefer 3 and 2 title games (both with MSU) and I do think Vic will return over the 3 years.
Louisville Jeff Walz 4 and 2 title games. Similar to Brenda, Jeff needs to recruit and retain elite talent if he wants to return

There are 8 other coaches who have made just 1 appearance in a Final Four and 2 lost in the Championship game in their 1st appearance.
2025 Cori Close; 2024 Wes Moore; 2023 Kenny Brooks; 2021 Adia Barnes (lost in Final); 2019 Kelly Graves; 2016 Scott Rueck; 2013 Lindsay Gottlieb and 2001 Krista Curry

Cori Close is probably the favorite of the newbies to return to the FF given her roster. Lindsay is probably next but in 2 years when Juju comes back at full strength. Wes and Kenny need to restock their teams, but I do think they are capable. I am not sold on Adia, Scott, Kelly or Krista ever making another FF for any number of reasons.

In the last 10 years, 30 of the 40 appearances have been made by a coach who previously has been there. To me, there are 3 coaches who are knocking on the FF door:
Jennie Baranczyk (given her strong offensive reputation with Drake and Oklahoma and the results these past two years plus adding Chavez)
Kara Lawson (given her improvement the last few years and Elite 8 performance-she needs to get better offensively to truly break through)
Kim Caldwell (1 year track record, but she has the resources and offensive philosophy to push this team back into the FF).

In reviewing other potential programs with coaches who have not made a final four, I call them "sleepers" and would list:
UNC Banghart
Michigan Barnes-Arica
Vanderbilt Ralph

Not sure what to think about Nicki Collen at Baylor-she has all the resources but seems to under perform since replacing Kim Mulkey, so I am dubious on her making a FF. Kevin McGuff falls a bit into this category, he has the resources but something always seems to conspire to cause his ascension to stumble-this year was Cotie McMahon departing.

Let me know your thoughts.

 

[triaddukefan]

If Banghart makes a Final 4, I'll swear off Bacon Egg and Cheese biscuits, Powerade, and chocolate chip cookies FOR LIFE !!!!!!!!

Not biased

 

[visitingcock]

I would add Mark Campbell who I think has tons of ability. He knocked on the door this year/He just needs a firmer base of recruits to add upon with key transfers.

Can TCU keep him if a bigger school with greater recruiting appeal comes along,

 

[Bjbod]

Jan Jensen is a darkhorse; if they can land a couple recruits that have real interest in Iowa from the '26 class she'll have a chance.

 

[cancontent]

WCBB is a very small circle of active coaches, not only titles but also a fairly small list of coaches with Final Fours on their resumes. Recruiting gets everyone excited as well as one good year of results but the predominant factor is experience and scoring. That said is my assessment of the schools still best positioned to succeed in the NCAAT

For everyone's edification, there are 4 active coaches with titles. I have also listed their total FF appearances:
UConn Geno Auriemma 12, 24 (He's a lock to return to the FF)
LSU Kim Mulkey 4, 5 (At some point she too will return to the FF)
SCar Dawn Staley 3, 7 (She's a lock to return to the FF)
Brenda Frese 1, 3 (Brenda needs to recruit and retain elite talent if she wants to return as she seems more like a Bridesmaid, than a Bride at this point)

There are 2 coaches who have made multiple Final Fours/title games but not won:
Texas Vic Schaefer 3 and 2 title games (both with MSU) and I do think Vic will return over the 3 years.
Louisville Jeff Walz 4 and 2 title games. Similar to Brenda, Jeff needs to recruit and retain elite talent if he wants to return

There are 8 other coaches who have made just 1 appearance in a Final Four and 2 lost in the Championship game in their 1st appearance.
2025 Cori Close; 2024 Wes Moore; 2023 Kenny Brooks; 2021 Adia Barnes (lost in Final); 2019 Kelly Graves; 2016 Scott Rueck; 2013 Lindsay Gottlieb and 2001 Krista Curry

Cori Close is probably the favorite of the newbies to return to the FF given her roster. Lindsay is probably next but in 2 years when Juju comes back at full strength. Wes and Kenny need to restock their teams, but I do think they are capable. I am not sold on Adia, Scott, Kelly or Krista ever making another FF for any number of reasons.

In the last 10 years, 30 of the 40 appearances have been made by a coach who previously has been there. To me, there are 3 coaches who are knocking on the FF door:
Jennie Baranczyk (given her strong offensive reputation with Drake and Oklahoma and the results these past two years plus adding Chavez)
Kara Lawson (given her improvement the last few years and Elite 8 performance-she needs to get better offensively to truly break through)
Kim Caldwell (1 year track record, but she has the resources and offensive philosophy to push this team back into the FF).

In reviewing other potential programs with coaches who have not made a final four, I call them "sleepers" and would list:
UNC Banghart
Michigan Barnes-Arica
Vanderbilt Ralph

Not sure what to think about Nicki Collen at Baylor-she has all the resources but seems to under perform since replacing Kim Mulkey, so I am dubious on her making a FF. Kevin McGuff falls a bit into this category, he has the resources but something always seems to conspire to cause his ascension to stumble-this year was Cotie McMahon departing.

Let me know your thoughts.

Not sure if losing McMahon will be as significant as initially believed considering who committed via the transfer portal with the likes of T'yanna Todd and Kylie Kitts, even though she's an unknown since she didn't play last year. The Cambridge sisters are solid, especially Jaloni.

Are they Elite 8/Final Four? Doubt it but gut feeling is that they could be a more cohesive team this season.

 

[DefenseBB]

I would add Mark Campbell who I think has tons of ability. He knocked on the door this year/He just needs a firmer base of recruits to add upon with key transfers.

Can TCU keep him if a bigger school with greater recruiting appeal comes along,

Mark has done exceptionally well with the Transfer portal but in his limited time as a HC, he has not shown any skill (or effort) at trying to garner top HS recruits. He is similar to Coach Yo at Ole Miss who also has done well with transfers but not so well with HS recruits.

In this new paradigm of WCBB and all college sports, you need to be effective at both HS and the transfer portal. Mark needs to prove he can do the former.

 

[YKCornelius]

I would add Mark Campbell who I think has tons of ability. He knocked on the door this year/He just needs a firmer base of recruits to add upon with key transfers.

Can TCU keep him if a bigger school with greater recruiting appeal comes along,

Visitingcock, I agree with your assessment.

From my perch, all indications are that Mark Campbell has the early makings of an elite head coach. What he did during his first HC opportunity at Sacramento State, inheriting a 3-22 program and then winning the Big Sky conference and conference tourney in just two years got people to sit up and take notice. Certainly the AD at TCU was impressed, where Campbell flipped the script in the exact same way he did at Sac State. He took a last place team (two years running) and in two years won the conference and conference tourney and a spot in the Elite Eight.

Has anybody in WCBB ever had that type of turnaround success, much less twice?

 

[visitingcock]

Visitingcock, I agree with your assessment.

From my perch, all indications are that Mark Campbell has the early makings of an elite head coach. What he did during his first HC opportunity at Sacramento State, inheriting a 3-22 program and then winning the Big Sky conference and conference tourney in just two years got people to sit up and take notice. Certainly the AD at TCU was impressed, where Campbell flipped the script in the exact same way he did at Sac State. He took a last place team (two years running) and in two years won the conference and conference tourney and a spot in the Elite Eight.

Has anybody in WCBB ever had that type of turnaround success, much less twice?

And let’s not forget his recruiting at Oregon. The Tehina PaoPao was one step away from committing to TCU when Dawn called with an offer.