I've watched women's college basketball for the past several years and something that has me thinking is what happened to Louisiana Tech? I remember them being a perennial top 25 program and now I don't even recall the last time I heard from them. I know Cheryl Ford graduated from there in 03, but even then I don't think they were ranked. Does anybody know why they are in obscurity now?
What happened to LA Tech
- Thread starter RDub21
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They just fired their coach --- I think his name was Chris Long --- and hired one of their best-known alumni, Teresa (T-Spoon) Weatherspoon to be their interim coach for the rest of this season.
Long had a great first year with LA Tech, but the team started to gradually go downhill after that.
Long had a great first year with LA Tech, but the team started to gradually go downhill after that.
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LA Tech was probably the biggest casualty of the parity hitting women's college basketball in the last 20 years, the move to the WAC didn't help them much either and was part of the reason Barmore left.
I'd have to look it up, but I think Tech was ranked when Ford was a senior. I do know they got to the Sweet 16 that year and lost to LSU because they played out here for that regional. I think her departure was the beginning of their steady climb to mediocrity. Budke left shortly after that to go Oklahoma State and that was all she wrote for them.
I'd have to look it up, but I think Tech was ranked when Ford was a senior. I do know they got to the Sweet 16 that year and lost to LSU because they played out here for that regional. I think her departure was the beginning of their steady climb to mediocrity. Budke left shortly after that to go Oklahoma State and that was all she wrote for them.
I don't remember what their reason was, I don't think the Sunbelt was one of those conferences that started to disintegrate, but if I had to guess it was money and/or football related. I believe that's why the Big East, Conference USA, Mountain West and WAC all started grabbing schools back around 01-03.
I read recently that some folks are speculating that the AD may make a push to move some or all of their sports back to the Sunbelt - which makes soooo much more sense than wasting money having their teams travel to California and Hawaii for all their road games.
I read recently that some folks are speculating that the AD may make a push to move some or all of their sports back to the Sunbelt - which makes soooo much more sense than wasting money having their teams travel to California and Hawaii for all their road games.
Mechelle Voepel on LA Tech
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/columns/story?columnist=voepel_mechelle&id=3901500
She also touches on another former WCBB powerhouse Old Dominion (and to another extent to other mid-majors Western Kentucky and Long Beach State) as a comparison.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/columns/story?columnist=voepel_mechelle&id=3901500
She also touches on another former WCBB powerhouse Old Dominion (and to another extent to other mid-majors Western Kentucky and Long Beach State) as a comparison.
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