USA Basketball Names Briana Weiss New WNT Director

[UConnCat]

Carol Callan's retirement was effective September 30. USA Basketball promoted from within as Weiss was assistant director for the WNT since 2019. She previously worked for the Big East Conference and played basketball at Villanova.

 

[eebmg]

I like her deep BE roots.


Weiss came to USA Basketball from the BIG EAST Conference in New York, where she was the senior director of conference operations from 2017 until she was hired at USA Basketball.

She was a co-championship manager for the 2018 and 2019 Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament, the assistant tournament manager for the 2019 Big East Women’s Basketball Tournament, and in 2017, she served as the assistant tournament manager for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional at Madison Square Garden in New York. From August 2014 to August 2017, her title at the Big East was director of conference operations.

A four-year women’s basketball student-athlete at Villanova University (2005-06 to 2008-09), Weiss was a women’s basketball graduate assistant at Villanova from July 2009 to June 2010 and the director of women’s basketball operations from July 2010 to June 2013.

At Villanova, she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in communications, and she also has a master’s degree in sports industry management from Georgetown University.

 

[Plebe]

Briana has some huge shoes to fill. Most of us can't even fathom all that Carol Callan accomplished in roughly two and a half decades. Truly the architect of the 7-gold-medal streak.

In poking around I came across this Big East press release from September. It appears that Briana joined Morgan Tuck on a former players' panel at the Big East's "Freshman Fundametals" and "Transition Game" programs:

Both programs will hear from former player panels, featuring notable alumni of BIG EAST schools, including St. John’s Tarik Turner and Zendon Hamilton, Georgetown’s Jagan Mosely and Villanova’s Mikal Bridges for men’s basketball, and Georgetown’s Monica McNutt and Dorothy Adomako, St. John’s Jasmine Sina, UConn’s Morgan Tuck and Villanova’s Briana Weiss for women’s basketball.​

BIG EAST Freshmen Fundamentals, Transition Game Set For Saturday

The BIG EAST Conference will continue a virtual format for this year’s annual Freshmen Fundamentals and Transition Game programs, as men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes from across all 11 BIG EAST schools will log on for interactive sessions on Saturday, Sept. 18.

www.bigeast.com

 

[clbabson]

Glad to see a woman of color in this position too. She does have big shoes to fill and I'm sure she'll do a great job!

 

[UcMiami]

Agree that a woman of color is a good choice ... but ...
I am a little surprised they did not look for someone with a little stronger resume. Not sure what USA Basketball pays, but it is a huge job running the most successful USA program (both youth and national team.)

 

[eebmg]

Agree that a woman of color is a good choice ... but ...
I am a little surprised they did not look for someone with a little stronger resume. Not sure what USA Basketball pays, but it is a huge job running the most successful USA program (both youth and national team.)

How hard could it be? Just make sure Paige (and hopefully Azzi) is on the National Team in perpetuity. Then BG and Stewie.

 

[clbabson]

Agree that a woman of color is a good choice ... but ...
I am a little surprised they did not look for someone with a little stronger resume. Not sure what USA Basketball pays, but it is a huge job running the most successful USA program (both youth and national team.)

No 'but'...she was plenty qualified. "Briana Weiss, assistant director for the USA Basketball Women’s National Team program since May 2019" - she's been Assistant Director for over two years. I'm not sure who provides a 'stronger resume' than someone working directly under Callahan.

 

[UConnCat]

Agree that a woman of color is a good choice ... but ...
I am a little surprised they did not look for someone with a little stronger resume. Not sure what USA Basketball pays, but it is a huge job running the most successful USA program (both youth and national team.)

It is a big and important job but a lot of it involves organization, logistics, coordinating travel and other tasks that people with a "stronger resume" probably wouldn't be willing or qualified to do.

“She’s been the heart and soul of the women’s national team,” USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said. “She’s a selfless person with no ego. She's been a great mentor and leader and example for women’s basketball.”

One major reason she'll be such a tough act to follow is that every detail matters to Callan, nothing is too big or too small to bring to her attention.

“She's always been that person to make sure she's there when you need her. Always answering your texts in the middle of the night,” Fowles said. "To have her around this long doing such great work means a lot. I definitely see her as a mother figure.”

Five-time Olympian Sue Bird agreed with Fowles, saying Callan is like a “mama bear”

“I'm 40 years old and I texted Carol that ‘the (electricity) plugs in Japan are the same right?’ I googled it but didn’t necessarily believe it so I asked Carol. So there are moments like that where she’s the one you’ll go to.”

Go-to woman: Callan's stealthy impact keeps US hoops rolling

Carol Callan has excelled in many roles during her decades-long career as women’s national team director for USA Basketball

abcnews.go.com

 

[Dillon77]

It is a big and important job but a lot of it involves organization, logistics, coordinating travel and other tasks that people with a "stronger resume" probably wouldn't be willing or qualified to do.

Good points, all.
Right brain - left brain. Content - Logistics. 30,000 ft. - 3 feet.

Being able to fulfill these tasks is a talent unto itself and, you're right, not many people are willing (or able) to do both. The Sue Bird story brings a nod. You can put together the best deck for a meeting in Switzerland or China, but it's squat if you don't bring the right converter.

Good luck to her and hope she does well....for her and USA Basketball's sake.