Will Jen Rizzotti be the next coach at St. John's?

[semper]

She better bide her time as a head coach of a major program, or, in my view, she will not be, nor should she be, Geno's successor. Meanwhile, coach on, Geno, coach on...we want at least 20 more years. Remember, 60 is the new 40.

 

[VAUConnFan]

None of them seem to really support wcbb (SJU, maybe, but only very recently). I wouldn't consider any of them a big step up for her.

I disagree.

 

[Vowelguy]

None of them seem to really support wcbb (SJU, maybe, but only very recently). I wouldn't consider any of them a big step up for her.

It's not even close. Hartford is a AA program. St Johns is the big leagues.

 

[semper]

St. John's would be an ideal move for her...and then when the kids are older yet another school, this time an elite program, at a time when she feels she can move. It's like this in any field/career path....so no brainer. If you want to not seek opportunities at the right time, you cut yourself out. Her choice.

 

[JimGunther]

Wht not SHEA at St. Johns?

I mean, it's Queens but, she's got a pedigree that SJU would be very fortunate to have and the HC experience it would be just as important to Shea's resume if she ever wants to be considered when Geno turns-the-page.

 

[UcMiami]

Wht not SHEA at St. Johns?

I mean, it's Queens but, she's got a pedigree that SJU would be very fortunate to have and the HC experience it would be just as important to Shea's resume if she ever wants to be considered when Geno turns-the-page.

Certainly a possibility, but I think she would have to really nail the interview. I think SJU will be a big enough opening that current HCs would be on the short list of candidates

 

[Wbbfan1]

I doubt St Johns will give any consideration to Jen. Many in WBB think Jen is staying at Hartford so she can take over when Geno retires. They would be hesitant to give Jen the head coaching job, knowing that if UConn ever called, she would leave in a heartbeat.

 

[Vowelguy]

I doubt St Johns will give any consideration to Jen. Many in WBB think Jen is staying at Hartford so she can take over when Geno retires. They would be hesitant to give Jen the head coaching job, knowing that if UConn ever called, she would leave in a heartbeat.

Anyone who hires knows that you can't really worry about stuff like that. Almost everyone is going to leave at some point or another, and it's a difficult to predict who that will be.

 

[alexrgct]

Anyone who hires knows that you can't really worry about stuff like that. Almost everyone is going to leave at some point or another, and it's a difficult to predict who that will be.

Geno's probably staying through the end of the decade anyway. If Jen's performance at sju warranted consideration for UConn, it would have been an extremely successful tenure for all concerned.

 

[easttexastrash]

I doubt St Johns will give any consideration to Jen. Many in WBB think Jen is staying at Hartford so she can take over when Geno retires. They would be hesitant to give Jen the head coaching job, knowing that if UConn ever called, she would leave in a heartbeat.

How many coaches wouldn't leave in a heartbeat if UCONN called? Any coach that SJU hired would leave in a heartbeat if UCONN called. Hello, I'd have a Batphone ready if I were any other coach.

I think that JR is one of the hottest coaching prospects in the country. I don't think that it will matter which program she has coached in the past. She will be the next UCONN head coach when Geno retires in 15 years. He loves what he does to leave anytime soon. DAMN IT!!!

 

[Northeast86]

Does anyone know if Jen was approached by other BCS schools before. It seems every time an opening comes up people mention her name but you never hear about her interviewing.

I thought for sure BC would have called her after Inglese (sp?) and then again after Crawley. I also thought George Washington might take a run at her or even Georgetown.

Either way I would love to see her at SJU.

 

[UcMiami]

There is a general rule that coaches that get phone calls and decline do not make the calls public and generally neither does the institution - it to some degree undermines the coach that does get hired. One suspects that someone with Jen's resume has received those calls from programs over the years, but as far as we know she has never said yes so she has never interviewed.
At some point, one suspects she would like to be recruiting the kind of talent she gets to coach in her USA gigs. When is the question. If she leaves Hartford, I suspect she wouldn't want to go to a program that is in terrible shape and have to build from scratch. That is why SJU from the outside, looks like it could be tempting for her. But from the outside she also seems to be fairly content with her current career.

 

[DEK1234]

All I know is Ashley Perez is unbelievable. Saw her play tonight and there is nothing she can't do.

Give us the details! I don't know if this is the right post to do so, but it would be great to hear what you saw!

 

[huskyblooz]

Give us the details! I don't know if this is the right post to do so, but it would be great to hear what you saw!

the JCC all-star game in Bpt ... totally outplayed Bria Holmes ... (no knock on Holmes), but Perez has more fire.
Perez can play D, distributes , scores off the dribble, hit 3's from well beyond the arc and most importantly leads ... she had command of her team in telling players (who are all good players, but doesnt know) how to do things ... VERY IMPRESSED

 

[DaddyChoc]

what makes Jen R sooooo HOT... seem to me that UHart isnt burning up their lil conference

 

[DaddyChoc]

the JCC all-star game in Bpt ... totally outplayed Bria Holmes ... (no knock on Holmes), but Perez has more fire.
Perez can play D, distributes , scores off the dribble, hit 3's from well beyond the arc and most importantly leads ... she had command of her team in telling players (who are all good players, but doesnt know) how to do things ... VERY IMPRESSED

she has a lot of fire in her belly... Holmes is just smooth laid-back. and Perez isnt rude or agressive towards others, she just goes 100 mph 100% of the time

 

[Northeast86]

what makes Jen R sooooo HOT... seem to me that UHart isnt burning up their lil conference

I will agree that UHart underperformed last year, yet they still made the WNIT. In 13 seasons at Hartford she has made 6 NCAA appearances and 3 WNIT appearances. She is 255-134, granted not the greatest win-loss percentage- but almost half of those losses came in the first four years while she was building the team. Her work with the US teams should not be overlooked either as it shows she knows how to manage talent and playing time with elite players.

To me the UHart program is similar to the UMAINE teams of the '90s and early 2000s under Palumbo-McCallie and Versyp. They played a challenging non conference, dominated the conference but could rarely crack the top 25 and certainly never sustain it.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I will agree that UHart underperformed last year, yet they still made the WNIT. In 13 seasons at Hartford she has made 6 NCAA appearances and 3 WNIT appearances. She is 255-134, granted not the greatest win-loss percentage- but almost half of those losses came in the first four years while she was building the team. Her work with the US teams should not be overlooked either as it shows she knows how to manage talent and playing time with elite players.

To me the UHart program is similar to the UMAINE teams of the '90s and early 2000s under Palumbo-McCallie and Versyp. They played a challenging non conference, dominated the conference but could rarely crack the top 25 and certainly never sustain it.

at-large bids or conference tourney champs?

I'd put Shea up there with Jen, yeah I know she has no "head coach" experience but when you're an assistant on a elite well-oiled machine you learn just as much as mid-major like UHart. (may be getting paid just as much as most of those HC's)

 

[ThisJustIn]

at-large bids or conference tourney champs?

I'd put Shea up there with Jen, yeah I know she has no "head coach" experience but when you're an assistant on a elite well-oiled machine you learn just as much as mid-major like UHart. (may be getting paid just as much as most of those HC's)

Disagree. There's a HUGE difference between being the head coach and an assistant in a "well oiled machine." Forget what it means to move over 6 inches and guide the play on the 94'. You've got to hire and supervise assistants. You've got to interact with the AD and negotiate budgets, you've got to interact with the admin and negotiate academics.

In fact, a "well oiled machine" might be a detriment, because everything seems to easy. Ton of staff who already know what they're doing. You get to a new place and it's "wha happen!"

 

[DaddyChoc]

Disagree. There's a HUGE difference between being the head coach and an assistant in a "well oiled machine." Forget what it means to move over 6 inches and guide the play on the 94'. You've got to hire and supervise assistants. You've got to interact with the AD and negotiate budgets, you've got to interact with the admin and negotiate academics.

In fact, a "well oiled machine" might be a detriment, because everything seems to easy. Ton of staff who already know what they're doing. You get to a new place and it's "wha happen!"

good points... and the same could be said about Jen coming to UConn, dang this is toooo much.

btw hopefully Geno helps has assistants rub shoulders with the big dogs. Any good boss will teach his employees "some" of how the game is played.

 

[Icebear]

Disagree. There's a HUGE difference between being the head coach and an assistant in a "well oiled machine." Forget what it means to move over 6 inches and guide the play on the 94'. You've got to hire and supervise assistants. You've got to interact with the AD and negotiate budgets, you've got to interact with the admin and negotiate academics.

In fact, a "well oiled machine" might be a detriment, because everything seems to easy. Ton of staff who already know what they're doing. You get to a new place and it's "wha happen!"

I agree completely the HC has huge additional responsibilities.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I agree completely the HC has huge additional responsibilities.

and the only reason Jenn R is mentioned is cause she's a UConn Alum.

let put Berube (yeah I know she's happy where she's at), Jamelle, Tonya... who else am I miss from the Geno tree of coaches?

 

[UcMiami]

No question the rest of the coaching tree would be considered, but of them all JenR is the only one with the USA HC experience as well as the college HC experience. Tonya and Jamelle are in their early years as HC, but given that Geno is around for a number of more years they will be better seasoned before the decision will be made, and they are both in what would be considered higher level jobs than Hartford.
And nothing says the job would go to someone 'in the family'. It should be a plum job whenever it opens up and the AD will have a lot of candidates to choose from. I suspect Geno will have some input, but you never know.
On shift from assistant to HC, along with all the added responsibilities, there is a major shift in the way you interact with the players. I think Jamelle mentioned that in an interview. Assistants can be player friends, advocates, and buffers between them and the HC. As a HC you are the one being buffered. And you no longer have fellow assistants, you have employees. It is a big shift in the way you interact with everyone and can be very tough especially if you are promoted from within.