(Non-Monarchs) College coaching carousel

[StevenHW]

In another thread about Tom Abatemarco, MBF wrote, in part:

The guy [Abatemarco] likes coaching basketball...period. He probably isn't chasing a job as he said. Similar to the discussions about Whiz, if he's so interested in doing something other than what he's doing now, he'd be gone right now because goodness knows there are/were enough open positions this past NCAA offseason that he could have gone and done his thing...

Quite agree. Is it my imagination or does it really seem --- at least in the women's game --- that in the last six months, there is a lot higher than usual coaching changes going on?

There was a time when a coaching change in a women's basketball team would not get mentioned in the local media.

But this year, some big names in the women's game have been tossed around: Jody Conradt, Van Chancellor, Pokey Chatman, Rene Portland, Carolyn Peck, Mickie DeMoss, Gail Goestenkors, Suzie McConnell Serio, and Theresa Grentz have all either been retired, resigned, fired, or hired. Also Joanne Boyle (Cal Berkeley), Curt Miller (Bowling Green-Ohio) and Kim Mulkey (Baylor) got contract extensions to stay at their respective schools. It's been quite a coaching carousel this year!

And if that's not enough, it was reported earlier today that Michigan State's Joanne McCallie is going to replace Goestenkors at Duke!

Of course, coaching changes happen every year, but recently, there's seems to be way more of that this year. Some of you follow the college game more than I do, but that's just my own impression.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

Are you kiddin me? McCallie's going to Duke?!?!? I thought she had already signed an extension and that's why she didn't go to any of the places she had been rumored to be headed to. Goodness gracious.

I might look at it a different way....I have no idea whether or not this is a greater rate of change in the history of WCBB. The number actually doesnt matter to me, it's who is leaving and from where that got my eyebrows raised. I think its a sign of the growth of WCBB, that ADs and universities are looking to get their programs more competitive and instead of sitting with a coach for a long time just because....they are making the move and taking a spin of the carousel. That had been the suggestion for instance re: why they were ready to make a change @ Florida. The football and men's basketball programs winning national championships may have made them put a little bit more into the women's program to get it headed in that direction.

I think its healthy and a good thing. But I am trippin on the McCallie thing tho...

 

[StevenHW]

Are you kiddin me? McCallie's going to Duke?!?!? I thought she had already signed an extension and that's why she didn't go to any of the places she had been rumored to be headed to. Goodness gracious...

Yep. Duke will announce tomorrow (Friday) that McCallie will be Duke's new coach, despite the fact that she had signed a contract extension with MSU last month. I wasn't even aware she was going to be interviewed, or even if the job was being offered to her. If I were an MSU fan, I might be ticked off at her.

Duke's announcement:
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22760&SPID=1846&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=868173


ESPN's report, with her MSU contract terms being mentioned here:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/news/story?id=2842035


My guess is that Duke probably expected Joanne Boyle (Cal's coach and a former Duke player) to take the Blue Devils job. But when Cal offered her a 7-year extension, Boyle turned the Duke job down.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/news/story?id=2834042

Besides, I have some problems with someone going back to his/her alma mater to coach a team. In the short term, it might bring in fans of that player and there is a sentimental appeal about it, but if the incoming coach doesn't work out, where does he/she go to next?

MBF raised a good point; perhaps it is not so much the rate of turnover or the amount of women's college jobs being vacant, but that most of the coaching names being tossed around are now more higher-profile.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I thought Boyle was considering both Duke and Florida simultaneously, not sure how Duke could have rolled a lot of bank on her.

I'm not sure I see a lot of problems with going to one's alma mater, if you don't do well there or even if you do, there are apparently are always going to be other places you can go as well. If you can coach you'll always find a job.