GopherSports: Stollings Names Dawkins Assistant Coach

[BleedGopher]

per GopherSports:

University of Minnesota head women’s basketball coach Marlene Stollings today announced the hiring of 23-year coaching veteran Nikita (Niki) Dawkins as the first member of her coaching staff. A four-time Gold medalist with USA Basketball, Dawkins will serve as the Golden Gophers’ assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.

Dawkins held the same position under Stollings for two seasons at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where she played a significant role in orchestrating one of the largest turnarounds in the nation last season and helped assemble a six-player recruiting class that ranked 38th nationally and third-highest among non-BCS programs.

“It is such a privilege to add one of the most decorated Big Ten performers in history to the Golden Gopher program,” Stollings said. “Coach Nik is an experienced, innovative and relentless recruiter with an outstanding basketball mind and is, without a doubt, one of the top assistants in the country. She will have an immediate impact on our ability to attract top talent and her exceptional capability to interact with student-athletes will be immeasurable.”

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/042514aaa.html

Go Gophers!!

 

[Dr.Don]

Maybe, just maybe, Teague is no dummy when it comes to building programs. I hope Maturi enjoys full retirement soon.

 

[Gold Vision]

Maybe, just maybe, Teague is no dummy when it comes to building programs. I hope Maturi enjoys full retirement soon.

Not a Jerry Kill Fan?

 

[The-Real-Truth]

Maybe, just maybe, Teague is no dummy when it comes to building programs. I hope Maturi enjoys full retirement soon.

Doc, I love your positive attitude but this lady is 2 games or so above .500 at VCU. How the heck will she be able to beat PSU, Purdue, MSU, ......?

 

[beavergopher]

I was hoping for Johnny Dawkins.

 

[Dr.Don]

Doc, I love your positive attitude but this lady is 2 games or so above .500 at VCU. How the heck will she be able to beat PSU, Purdue, MSU, ......?

Truth, you know as well as I do, along with station19, that it was time for Coach Borton to move on to other pastures. What I look at is the recent improvement of a Coach's program, and this new Coach has that. How is she gonna beat some of the heirarchy of the B1G? Keep up the goals she has in her, build a good group of assistants, and work her ass off. That's a start. In all honesty, Truth, I quit following Borton's program 2 years ago. And I love all Gopher sports, but she lost me, because she had no vision.

 

[GopherOhana]

I was hoping for Johnny Dawkins.

that was my first thought, along with a tie into RT

that said, kudos to coach on the hire

 

[nc2mn]

Doc, I love your positive attitude but this lady is 2 games or so above .500 at VCU. How the heck will she be able to beat PSU, Purdue, MSU, ......?

Yeah, but she was 22-10 in the second season - I'd say that is moving in the right direction.

 

[60's Guy]

but sometimes it is smoke and mirrors

Yeah, but she was 22-10 in the second season - I'd say that is moving in the right direction.

14 of those of wins were in the non conference against teams she scheduled that you have never heard of. Then she rode the momentum of a rousing 8 and 9 closing finish to read her notes at her Gopher press conference. She lost by 18 in game one of
WNIT to an Ivy league school.

She might be fine but I'm very skeptical.

 

[Dr.Don]

14 of those of wins were in the non conference against teams she scheduled that you have never heard of. Then she rode the momentum of a rousing 8 and 9 closing finish to read her notes at her Gopher press conference. She lost by 18 in game one of
WNIT to an Ivy league school.

She might be fine butI'm very skeptica.

What else is new on GopherHole
???

 

[gopherhoopsguy]

Is she bringing any players or recruits from VCU?

 

[60's Guy]

Is she bringing any players or recruits from VCU?

News Alert: It has just been announced that the University of Minnesota and Virginia Commonwealth University will be combining athletic programs. UofM athletic director Norwood Teague stated, "It's just easier this way. Rather than attempt to just hire all their coaches and athletic department personnel only, we just felt we probably should include the players too." Details to follow on this exciting development.

 

[jamiche]

14 of those of wins were in the non conference against teams she scheduled that you have never heard of. Then she rode the momentum of a rousing 8 and 9 closing finish to read her notes at her Gopher press conference. She lost by 18 in game one of
WNIT to an Ivy league school.

She might be fine but I'm very skeptical.

Completely agree. I was fully in favor of firing Borton and thought that it should have been done the year that five or six of her players quit on her. However, this hire is underwhelming. From what I have seen so far, if Stallings and Borton were both in my living room talking to my daughter about attending their schools I would declare a draw and pick the third option. Stallings will get a ton of kudos next year for "coaching up" the talent that Borton left behind. Not sure that there will be anything sustainable by the time "B" and Banham are gone.

 

[mplarson7]

14 of those of wins were in the non conference against teams she scheduled that you have never heard of. Then she rode the momentum of a rousing 8 and 9 closing finish to read her notes at her Gopher press conference. She lost by 18 in game one of
WNIT to an Ivy league school.

She might be fine but I'm very skeptical.

Rome was not built in a day.