Who gets COY in the Big East?

[Blakeon18]

For the moment I am removing Geno from consideration.

Denise Dillon has been remarkable at 'Nova. They are currently ranked 11 and I have seen
their name as getting a top 4 seed...allowing them to host the first weekend. In the past I have
tended to view Villanova as having an absolute ceiling of the sweet 16...with even one win a bit of
a luxury. This year feels different...would love to see them playing in the second weekend.

She would get my non-Geno vote in a landslide.

Add Geno: given all the reasons/excuses/whatever/ the record is a bit down....but still very good...with some
high quality wins scattered about....granted some ugly wins against very mediocre teams tossed in.

My vote would still be for Dillon.

Thoughts?

 

[HuskyNan]

I think Megan Duffy has done a great job too

 

[Huskyfan63]

Tough choice, I've been impressed by no less than a handful of coaches in the league. Dillon and Duffy have been mentioned, and very worthy. I'd add Joe Tartamella and Jim Flannery to that mix too. Even Geno, for the challenges he's faced this year.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Dillon

 

[RadfordRam]

Deniece Dillon in a landslide IMO.

 

[Bald Husky]

Denise Dillon, after all, what other BE team has been ranked that high? Creighton LY, but not that high.

 

[Geew1992]

CD!

 

[The deacon]

In a non-Geno vote, I'd go for Dillon, with Tartamella a very close runnerup. His team looks kind of out of sorts at times on the court, but the Johnnies are 22-7 and outplayed UConn at the XL Center.

The best aspect of this thread is the reminder there are lots of good coaches in the Big East. Thanks for getting it going, Blake.

 

[JellyBean]

Not including Coach Auriemma because that is the easy pick. My next choice is, like the rest of the comments so far, Coach Denise Dillon.

 

[NutmegDog]

Dillon . though she has Maddie, which helps a coach look good. I also think Duffy deserves consdieration.

 

[BBallF]

Dillon. I was at the Seton Hall- Villanova game last night in South Orange. They are very, very well coached and are going to make some noise in the Big Dance. Their only weakness is underneath.

 

[EricLA]

Geno is not even close to consideration for COY. Frankly I don't understand people who think he should be considered. By his own admission, the team has regressed, does not listen to the coaches, does not follow game plans, and it's partly the coach's fault. How on earth does that qualify him for consideration for any COY awards?

This team is barely beating the worst teams in the Big East. We are winning because we have more talent than they do. For much of the season, people used the excuse that the team was mentally and physically exhausted from all the illnesses and injuries. Geno threw that out the window with his comments post game after Xavier. According to him, that is NOT the problem.

I agree it should be Dillon from Nova.

Side note - Geno used to talk about teaching the teams to play hard without fouling. I think that ship has passed. He needs to recruit tough kids like Nika, Ayanna, and Ashlynn - and even Lou. When he has more bodies, he will have the luxury of putting kids out there who can battle back with the extreme physicality and not worry about fouls.

 

[victor64]

This team that battled injuries and regressed somehow managed to beat the aforementioned Villanova twice. UConn won the BE outright with a depleted roster. I don't think it happened in spite of the coaching. It happened because of it.

You can't take everything Geno says in his pressers at face value. A lot of his answers are directed at his team (and maybe their family
members).

I don't think Denise Dillion would have won the league with Geno's team. I bet Geno would have with hers.

 

[Blond D.]

Take Dillon's and Duffy's best two scorers away, throw in a few games with only 7-8 players available, let their teams play UCONN's schedule.....where do you think THEY would be now?

 

[ochoopsfan]

Melanie Moore/Xavier

Perfect in regular season and after going on the run they did last night, vs UConn, they gave every other BE team HOPE that they can take the title.

 

[enigmatic]

It's remarkable what Geno has accomplished with the circumstances but my vote goes to Dillon. Happy to see another BE team in the Top 15. Tartamella also deserves mention.

 

[SEbluebood]

Geno is not even close to consideration for COY. Frankly I don't understand people who think he should be considered. By his own admission, the team has regressed, does not listen to the coaches, does not follow game plans, and it's partly the coach's fault. How on earth does that qualify him for consideration for any COY awards?

This team is barely beating the worst teams in the Big East. We are winning because we have more talent than they do. For much of the season, people used the excuse that the team was mentally and physically exhausted from all the illnesses and injuries. Geno threw that out the window with his comments post game after Xavier. According to him, that is NOT the problem.

I agree it should be Dillon from Nova.

Side note - Geno used to talk about teaching the teams to play hard without fouling. I think that ship has passed. He needs to recruit tough kids like Nika, Ayanna, and Ashlynn - and even Lou. When he has more bodies, he will have the luxury of putting kids out there who can battle back with the extreme physicality and not worry about fouls.

Your side note is an interesting take! You are implying that Geno doesn’t recruit “tough” kids!? I would like to understand your definition of “tough “. Are you talking about physical or mental toughness, or both? And why don’t Paige, Azzi, Aliyah, etc. qualify!! Or a player that has bounced back from serious back surgery!!I Or one who has returned from a broken wrist, injured thumb or twisted ankle ( and re-entered the game! I am not sure what you have seen in Ayanna to consider her tough, but not others, because I haven’t seen much from her. Also we have no idea of Ashlynn’s “toughness” at this level. In my opinion, you have painted a very broad stroke regarding toughness and unfairly so, but that’s the beauty of the BY, I guess.

 

[Dillon77]

Take Dillon's and Duffy's best two scorers away, throw in a few games with only 7-8 players available, let their teams play UCONN's schedule.....where do you think THEY would be now?

Well, to some degree, Megan Duffy did -- via end of eligibility -- lose her top two scorers: Lauren Van Kleunen and Karissa McLaughlin left Marquette and Duffy didn't find stop-gaps in the transfer portal this past year. So, she rode Chloe MarAsotta, Jordan King and Liza Karlen and incoming freshmen MacKenzie Hare (now that's a cool name) and Emily La Chapelle to a 20-win season.
None -- and I mean none -- of these players were probably ever on Geno or Niele Ivey's recruiting radar, so all power to Duffy and her staff for player development.

Dillon has obviously struck paydirt with Maddie S., but has done a great job with those around her to -- knock on wood -- give the Wildcats a shot a hosting an opening day weekend. Who would've thunk it?

As for the attrition issues, that was absolutely black-cloudish all season. However, one could argue that one of Geno's strongest traits -- recruiting -- could help him take this issue on. Despite back and forths on bench usage, he still has the team in the Top 10. Whoever is playing is a talent.

That said, all three stand out for me and -- hey -- a tip of that hat to Joe Tartamella at St. John's My guess says Dillon gets the nod this year.

 

[EricLA]

Your side note is an interesting take! You are implying that Geno doesn’t recruit “tough” kids!? I would like to understand your definition of “tough “. Are you talking about physical or mental toughness, or both? And why don’t Paige, Azzi, Aliyah, etc. qualify!! Or a player that has bounced back from serious back surgery!!I Or one who has returned from a broken wrist, injured thumb or twisted ankle ( and re-entered the game! I am not sure what you have seen in Ayanna to consider her tough, but not others, because I haven’t seen much from her. Also we have no idea of Ashlynn’s “toughness” at this level. In my opinion, you have painted a very broad stroke regarding toughness and unfairly so, but that’s the beauty of the BY, I guess.

I'm talking about players like Stacy Hansmeyer, AKA Boom Boom, who could go out and out-physical anyone in WCBB. Or Aaliyah, who could sneeze and knock almost any player on their butt. Azzi and Paige have almost spent as much time on the bench injured as they have on the floor playing. They are not physical players.

Caitlyn Clark is a great example of a more slender player who is also physically tough. Has she ever been sidelined with injuries? I'm sure she gets beat up all the time on the floor, but somehow she still manages to be a triple-double machine.

 

[oldhusky]

CD!

She was undefeated!

 

[Dillon77]

Caitlyn Clark is a great example of a more slender player who is also physically tough. Has she ever been sidelined with injuries? I'm sure she gets beat up all the time on the floor, but somehow she still manages to be a triple-double machine.

Not aware of Clark being out with a prolonged injury during high school, AAU or college. Very resilient player.

I look at Sonia Citron of Notre Dame and she hits the floor, gets whacked and still keeps coming at teams. And she has a fairly slender build. However, she is a full 6'1" (and I know longer want go possibly jinx her given what's been happening at ND recently).

 

[Buzzyboy]

I'm talking about players like Stacy Hansmeyer, AKA Boom Boom, who could go out and out-physical anyone in WCBB. Or Aaliyah, who could sneeze and knock almost any player on their butt. Azzi and Paige have almost spent as much time on the bench injured as they have on the floor playing. They are not physical players.

Caitlyn Clark is a great example of a more slender player who is also physically tough. Has she ever been sidelined with injuries? I'm sure she gets beat up all the time on the floor, but somehow she still manages to be a triple-double machine.

I think the inference that body type automatically should dictate someone's potential to be injured or to be injury free ... I think there's so many examples of players of all types that defy that sort of presumption ... to suggest that the injured Huskies aren't tough enough really is a disservice to them ... injuries can potentially happen to anyone and if someone's physiology is somehow suggested to be the criteria to how "tough" they are, that's total nonsense ... I have loved your posts over the years but I think that you are way way off base with this assertion ...

 

[Cuango]

For the moment I am removing Geno from consideration.

Denise Dillon has been remarkable at 'Nova. They are currently ranked 11 and I have seen
their name as getting a top 4 seed...allowing them to host the first weekend. In the past I have
tended to view Villanova as having an absolute ceiling of the sweet 16...with even one win a bit of
a luxury. This year feels different...would love to see them playing in the second weekend.

She would get my non-Geno vote in a landslide.

Add Geno: given all the reasons/excuses/whatever/ the record is a bit down....but still very good...with some
high quality wins scattered about....granted some ugly wins against very mediocre teams tossed in.

My vote would still be for Dillon.

Thoughts?

Let’s see, Geno lost his best player, his third or fourth best player, had virtually no bench at all, lost his Mom, on top of already losing his very best player and his best recruit! Despite all that, he guided his team to the regular season title of their conference! Umm, I think I’ll vote for Geno!
Having said that, if not Geno, then Dillon!