Coaches to Watch

Did anyone notice how diverse Iowa’s team looks? Don’t see anyone questioning their coach. To me it’s more related to where your recruiting area.
This is recruiting base for the most part.

SDSU football about 27% players of color
MN about 47%

Gopher women's basketball about 40%
SDSU would need about 4 to be comparable to their football team. They are at zero this year.

Some Sample Rosters with number of players of color

Iowa State Women 3
Indiana 2
Iowa 3
Wisconsin 4 (Coach of Color)
Nebraska 3
MN 6
UCONN 6
Marquette 7


Talent/Location likely is still the main factor and color is likely cyclical based on talent and location.
 

Nuts to an "M-person" or someone with Minnesota connections.
Nuts to male vs. female.
Nuts to a coach of color vs. non-colored coach.
Nuts to a coach from the Upper Midwest.
Nuts to hiring on the cheap.

We have got to get this hire right. We need to reduce the constraints. We need to be open minded, patient, and do the homework. We need to get the best coach available.
 

I personally would have Kieger from Penn St on top of my list. I know she has struggled to get and retain top talent at Penn St, but she is a fabulous leader and will assemble a top notch coaching crew. The fact she is from Roseville, understands MN AAU, she will get and retain top talent at MN easier than Penn St. Plus she is a great communicator.
Most of Marquette's core players are Kiegers recruits. Karlen(from MN), Jordan King, Chloe Marotta. all are Kiegers kids all 3 are the only ones in double figures. If Kieger would of stayed at Marquette, she would still be the #1 hire candidate for almost every open position.
Duffy has kept the winning tradition at MU going, but I want to see her win with her players, that is still tbd.
 

Just throwing another name in but Mandy Pearson has done a great job at the D2 level with Duluth over the last few years.
 

I personally would have Kieger from Penn St on top of my list. I know she has struggled to get and retain top talent at Penn St, but she is a fabulous leader and will assemble a top notch coaching crew. The fact she is from Roseville, understands MN AAU, she will get and retain top talent at MN easier than Penn St. Plus she is a great communicator.
Most of Marquette's core players are Kiegers recruits. Karlen(from MN), Jordan King, Chloe Marotta. all are Kiegers kids all 3 are the only ones in double figures. If Kieger would of stayed at Marquette, she would still be the #1 hire candidate for almost every open position.
Duffy has kept the winning tradition at MU going, but I want to see her win with her players, that is still tbd.
I agree I would rather have Kieger from PSU than Duffy from Marquette.
 


I agree, I think a consideration is Carolyn Krieger. Big Ten head coaching experience, connected locally and to local talent. The Big Ten is brutal competition.
 

The two recent Duffy freshmen at Marquette making the ALL-BIG EAST All-Freshmen team are Duffy recruits.


Below is information that I believe reveals nuances to it. I don't know insider stuff or deeper analysis. This is the widely seen information.


Carolyn Kieger (pronounced KEY-grr) enters her fourth season at the helm of the Lady Lions for the 2022-23 season.” [She hasn't been at Marquette for four seasons.]


Source:




Four Marquette WBB Players Earn 2023 All-BIG EAST Honors, Including 2 All-Freshmen


-Emily La Chapell, 5’ 11” guard from Appleton, Wisconsin earns 2023 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. She is a Duffy recruit.


-Mackenzie Hare, 5’ 9” guard from Naperville, Illinois earns 2023 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. She is a Duffy recruit.


Source:

https://gomarquette.com/news/2023/3...arquette-wbb-players-earn-all-big-east-honors


Also:

-Jordan King, 5’ 11” guard from Rockton, Illinois earns 2023 BIG EAST First Team Honors. She has been with Duffy since year one, a freshman in Duffy’s first season. King is a Kieger commit who declared for Marquette before Duffy was announced the coach.


- Chloe Marotta, 6’ 1” forward from Mequon, Wisconsin earns 2023 BIG EAST First Team Honors. Marotta is a Kieger commit who came to Marquette the season before Duffy was hired.



According to ESPN HoopGurlz, one top-100 2022 prospect went to Marquette last season. That was Emily La Chapell ranked #77 that made the BIG EAST All-Freshman team. The other freshman making the BIG EAST All-Freshman team, Jordan King, was unranked.


According to ESPN HoopGurlz, zero top-100 2023 prospects are declared to Marquette.


Source:



Coach background info (from the source so it has the positive spin):

“Duffy was named the sixth head coach in Marquette women’s basketball history on April 10, 2019. She inherited a team that went 27-8 (15-3 BIG EAST) in 2018-19 that fell in the Round of 32 in the NCAA tournament to Texas A&M, 78-76. The team Coach Duffy took over had lost four 1,000-plus point scorers in Allazia Blockton (2,204 points), Natisha Hiedeman (1,913), Amani Wilborn (1,409) and Danielle King (1,389). Selena Lott was the team's only returning starter in 2019-20.


Despite these losses, Duffy made an immediate impact on the program, directing a team selected to finish ninth in the preseason poll to a second-place effort in the BIG EAST and an appearance in the league tournament championship game. The roster featured a pair of all-league performers in Selena Lott and Camryn Taylor and the program was poised for participation in the NCAA tournament…


The Golden Eagles made history during the 2020-21 season [season three], winning 14 of their 18 BIG EAST games and winning a school-record 11 true road games. 13 of MU's 19 wins came away from home, including a decisive 85-71 victory over then-No. 24 DePaul at Wintrust Arena that helped the team lock up an NCAA tournament bid. After winning BIG EAST tournament games against Providence and Creighton, MU advanced to the BIG EAST tournament championship game for the fifth consecutive season. UConn and Maryland are the only other high major teams to make five straight conference tournament title games from 2017-21.”


Source:



Also:

"Prior to her time in Oxford, Duffy owns stops at BIG EAST school St. John’s (2009-12, assistant coach), George Washington (2012-14, associate head coach) and Michigan (2014-17, assistant coach). She helped lead each of the three programs to the postseason (seven total appearances), highlighted by a trip to the Sweet 16 with the Red Storm in 2012 and the WNIT title with the Wolverines in 2017."

[As head coach of Miami Redbirds], she was one of just four rookie head coaches in 2017-18 to collect at least 20 wins and the only female to accomplish the feat. The RedHawks finished 21-11 that season, the largest improvement in the nation from the previous season in terms of total victories (nine more than 2016-17, 12-21). Duffy guided the program to a 44-20 (.687) record during her two years, making her the winningest active coach in the MAC."


As a college player:

"In 2006, she won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, which is given to the nation's top point guard under 5-8. Duffy was also a two-time All-BIG EAST first team selection (2005-06), the 2006 BIG EAST/Aeropostle Scholar Athlete of the Year and a 2006 CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American (first team)."
 


The two recent Duffy freshmen at Marquette making the ALL-BIG EAST All-Freshmen team are Duffy recruits.


Below is information that I believe reveals nuances to it. I don't know insider stuff or deeper analysis. This is the widely seen information.


Carolyn Kieger (pronounced KEY-grr) enters her fourth season at the helm of the Lady Lions for the 2022-23 season.” [She hasn't been at Marquette for four seasons.]


Source:




Four Marquette WBB Players Earn 2023 All-BIG EAST Honors, Including 2 All-Freshmen


-Emily La Chapell, 5’ 11” guard from Appleton, Wisconsin earns 2023 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. She is a Duffy recruit.


-Mackenzie Hare, 5’ 9” guard from Naperville, Illinois earns 2023 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. She is a Duffy recruit.


Source:

https://gomarquette.com/news/2023/3...arquette-wbb-players-earn-all-big-east-honors


Also:

-Jordan King, 5’ 11” guard from Rockton, Illinois earns 2023 BIG EAST First Team Honors. She has been with Duffy since year one, a freshman in Duffy’s first season. King is a Kieger commit who declared for Marquette before Duffy was announced the coach.


- Chloe Marotta, 6’ 1” forward from Mequon, Wisconsin earns 2023 BIG EAST First Team Honors. Marotta is a Kieger commit who came to Marquette the season before Duffy was hired.



According to ESPN HoopGurlz, one top-100 2022 prospect went to Marquette last season. That was Emily La Chapell ranked #77 that made the BIG EAST All-Freshman team. The other freshman making the BIG EAST All-Freshman team, Jordan King, was unranked.


According to ESPN HoopGurlz, zero top-100 2023 prospects are declared to Marquette.


Source:



Coach background info (from the source so it has the positive spin):

“Duffy was named the sixth head coach in Marquette women’s basketball history on April 10, 2019. She inherited a team that went 27-8 (15-3 BIG EAST) in 2018-19 that fell in the Round of 32 in the NCAA tournament to Texas A&M, 78-76. The team Coach Duffy took over had lost four 1,000-plus point scorers in Allazia Blockton (2,204 points), Natisha Hiedeman (1,913), Amani Wilborn (1,409) and Danielle King (1,389). Selena Lott was the team's only returning starter in 2019-20.


Despite these losses, Duffy made an immediate impact on the program, directing a team selected to finish ninth in the preseason poll to a second-place effort in the BIG EAST and an appearance in the league tournament championship game. The roster featured a pair of all-league performers in Selena Lott and Camryn Taylor and the program was poised for participation in the NCAA tournament…


The Golden Eagles made history during the 2020-21 season [season three], winning 14 of their 18 BIG EAST games and winning a school-record 11 true road games. 13 of MU's 19 wins came away from home, including a decisive 85-71 victory over then-No. 24 DePaul at Wintrust Arena that helped the team lock up an NCAA tournament bid. After winning BIG EAST tournament games against Providence and Creighton, MU advanced to the BIG EAST tournament championship game for the fifth consecutive season. UConn and Maryland are the only other high major teams to make five straight conference tournament title games from 2017-21.”


Source:



Also:

"Prior to her time in Oxford, Duffy owns stops at BIG EAST school St. John’s (2009-12, assistant coach), George Washington (2012-14, associate head coach) and Michigan (2014-17, assistant coach). She helped lead each of the three programs to the postseason (seven total appearances), highlighted by a trip to the Sweet 16 with the Red Storm in 2012 and the WNIT title with the Wolverines in 2017."

[As head coach of Miami Redbirds], she was one of just four rookie head coaches in 2017-18 to collect at least 20 wins and the only female to accomplish the feat. The RedHawks finished 21-11 that season, the largest improvement in the nation from the previous season in terms of total victories (nine more than 2016-17, 12-21). Duffy guided the program to a 44-20 (.687) record during her two years, making her the winningest active coach in the MAC."


As a college player:

"In 2006, she won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, which is given to the nation's top point guard under 5-8. Duffy was also a two-time All-BIG EAST first team selection (2005-06), the 2006 BIG EAST/Aeropostle Scholar Athlete of the Year and a 2006 CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American (first team)."
My comment is based solely on potential Salary cost. I don't think realistically the Gophers can over pay for Duffy the Marquette coach. I don't think the PSU coach is realistic unless she has urge to coach Gophers.
 



I know she has struggled to get and retain top talent at Penn St, but she is a fabulous leader and will assemble a top notch coaching crew.
I am usually in agreement with or persuaded by your posts. But I’m puzzled about your endorsement of Carolyn Kieger. Her Marquette years were certainly impressive, and perhaps PSU is just a bad fit from which she needs to escape. But this season was year 4 at PSU, and she finished t12th, after previous 14th, 11th and 12th-place finishes. Unlike Shauna Green at Illinois or Katie Gearlds at Purdue, signs of life are hard to find at PSU. I have watched about 8 PSU games this year, and I see a disorganized team with bad body language from players, head coach and bench. Five 20+point losses on the road (including Nebraska, Purdue and Illinois), while going 0-10 on the road, are hardly signs of a program on a path of improvement. Finally, her 2-6 record against Lindsay while at PSU is scarcely an endorsement of coaching. Still, she had quite a run at Marquette, but that is starting to fade as her PSU struggles roll on.
 

I am usually in agreement with or persuaded by your posts. But I’m puzzled about your endorsement of Carolyn Kieger. Her Marquette years were certainly impressive, and perhaps PSU is just a bad fit from which she needs to escape. But this season was year 4 at PSU, and she finished t12th, after previous 14th, 11th and 12th-place finishes. Unlike Shauna Green at Illinois or Katie Gearlds at Purdue, signs of life are hard to find at PSU. I have watched about 8 PSU games this year, and I see a disorganized team with bad body language from players, head coach and bench. Five 20+point losses on the road (including Nebraska, Purdue and Illinois), while going 0-10 on the road, are hardly signs of a program on a path of improvement. Finally, her 2-6 record against Lindsay while at PSU is scarcely an endorsement of coaching. Still, she had quite a run at Marquette, but that is starting to fade as her PSU struggles roll on.
PLUS the Gophers beat them twice.. and ALMOST came back down 15 against them last week.. Kieger HAS only 2 wins against the Gophers in her time at PSU..
 

We also found out later that Frese was also interviewing with Ohio State. The Buckeyes thought they had an agreement before Frese accepted the Maryland job.

Yeah, and she had the audacity this weekend to talk about how the Gopher job opening is a really good job. I still do not like her to this day. I agree it IS a good job for the right person but she should shut up about it.
 

Yeah, and she had the audacity this weekend to talk about how the Gopher job opening is a really good job. I still do not like her to this day. I agree it IS a good job for the right person but she should shut up about it.

There was a bit of humor in Frese (the coach that turned around three programs in five years (Ball State, Minnesota and Maryland)) saying Whalen needed more time. And we must remember, Frese's primary issue was with the women's AD not the program.
 



Some Sample Rosters with number of players of color
Be interesting to know your criteria for determining this. I'm guessing it doesn't say so on the roster bio.

Perhaps more realistically/honestly stated as "players who are obviously Black"?
 

SDSU wraps of 28-5 season and (21-0) vs conference opponents. They will be dancing, so Coyle has some time to potentially get a deal done. (Not saying he should or will).

They only had 4 conference games closer than 17-point victories. Won title game by 41. Now would be the time to jump if he is going to make the leap at 48 years old.
 

SDSU wraps of 28-5 season and (21-0) vs conference opponents. They will be dancing, so Coyle has some time to potentially get a deal done. (Not saying he should or will).

They only had 4 conference games closer than 17-point victories. Won title game by 41. Now would be the time to jump if he is going to make the leap at 48 years old.
he has already said he isn't leaving SDSU .. so we can stop bringing up AJ to the Gophers.. thanks
 

SDSU wraps of 28-5 season and (21-0) vs conference opponents. They will be dancing, so Coyle has some time to potentially get a deal done. (Not saying he should or will).

They only had 4 conference games closer than 17-point victories. Won title game by 41. Now would be the time to jump if he is going to make the leap at 48 years old.
One can’t argue with the success! I know some get testy when a male is mentioned for the job, but he should absolutely get an interview. I don’t buy that he’ll never leave SDSU.
 


I'm open to the best coach possible. Just want someone super excited to get after it with the Gophers in the Big 10. There has to be a coach even in the Big 10 conference eager to coach these players. Bigger, faster, stronger, and pride going forward with more depth and no boundary's. This group has a chance to really build something that will wake up the Barn, and kick some hiney. Go Gophers.
 

SDSU wraps of 28-5 season and (21-0) vs conference opponents. They will be dancing, so Coyle has some time to potentially get a deal done. (Not saying he should or will).

They only had 4 conference games closer than 17-point victories. Won title game by 41. Now would be the time to jump if he is going to make the leap at 48 years old.
Posted on the SDSU board that AJ recently built a new house and his wife's parents just moved to Brookings from western SD. Combining that with 2 or 3 young school age kids adds up a number of reasons to stay put.
 


And about $400,000 more reasons per year to leave.
"Every time a job has been opened, my name has been thrown around. So this time is no different. I think the only difference is social media is a little more prevalent. So really other than that, it's the same as any other time

 




"Every time a job has been opened, my name has been thrown around. So this time is no different. I think the only difference is social media is a little more prevalent. So really other than that, it's the same as any other time

No where in there do I see him say he isn't interested...That's classic say nothing coach speak. Plus, if you believe what college coaches say about taking other jobs...I've got a boat to sell ya.
 


Let's put it this way: if Johnston were to ever move up to high major, it would be now or soon. He's 48. Not that he couldn't go later, though: Bo Ryan was 53 when he moved from Milwaukee to Madison. The oldest jumps I know of and can recall on the men's side are Jim Larranaga to Miami at age 62 and Brian Dutcher to Minnesota this year or next year at age 63 or 64 (wink, wink).
 

Any chance they interview Megan Griffith from Columbia? I saw someone on this thread mention the name. Good record in Ivy League. More interesting to me than Princeton coach.
 

Any chance they interview Megan Griffith from Columbia? I saw someone on this thread mention the name. Good record in Ivy League. More interesting to me than Princeton coach.

That name is getting buzz, including from me, but my take is that she's a perfect fit there at Columbia in New York City as a long-term career:

NYC is the #1 media market and yet doesn't have college sports like other areas. It's good for women's basketball to keep a winning team that she built and continues to drive up viewers and presence in maybe the most important city in America for media influence.

She grew up there and loves Manhattan. Imagine the NIL opportunity too. It doesn't make sense to move out of that sweet situation in NYC to Minnesota or any Midwest team
 




Top Bottom