I agree with you that Vic needs to make the new hires at a faster pace. The transfer portal is heating up and our top recruiting targets for 2023 will likely want to know who their position coach will be (Maul, Cunningham and Wagner, even though she's already announced her commitment). I understand that the HC means the most to players and recruits but I think it's understandable that assistant coaches are also very important. Additionally, TxWBB just sent out an announcement for summer camps so planning for camps is underway. @Moooooo had mentioned Chelsea Newton in a previous post. Newton was an assistant coach for Joni Taylor at Georgia for the past 7 years and prior to Georgia, she coached under Vivian Stringer at Rutgers. The logic is that she will follow Joni Taylor to A&M. However, I hope that Newton is under consideration for Jackson-Durrett's position as she coaches guards and was also the recruiting coordinator. Newton can hit the ground running as she already has connections and relationships with many of the recruits that are on Texas' radar. According to Newton's bio, "she has coached an impressive list of 14 WNBA players and 18 All-Conference selections in just 13 seasons at Rutgers and Georgia. Under her guidance, former Scarlet Knight standouts Kahleah Copper and Betnijah Laney were selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft. Newton also helped sign the No. 1 point guard in the country, Tyler Scaife, in 2013. She then helped develop Scaife into the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2013-14." Additionally, "as the team’s recruiting coordinator, she has helped Georgia sign three highly-rated rated classes in the last four years. This comes after Rutgers hauled in a pair of top-3 classes. In all, Newton has helped sign 13 top-100 prospects and six top-20 recruits during her career." It may be worth noting, that during Vic's tenure as a head coach, whenever he had openings on his staff, he always hired women as replacements. That may be meaningless but it is a pattern after 10 years.
Time is definitely of the essence, especially as the transfer portal recruiting is kicking off. Not the best timing for our top two assistants/recruiters to move on to HC positions but it is what it is, and big-time congrats to both! It will be interesting to see how everything shakes out.
I see on Rebkell boards that McEntire has been hired by Illinois as associate head coach. Wow, all three coaches moving on.
A total rebuild of his Coaching staff for Vic! And recruiting on top of that. I would say that Blair and Dom are doing the work right now! Vic must be proud. All his assistant’s getting promotions. But damn bad timing!
I would have to think Vic has a short list of replacements already... I'm sure he knew his assistants were interviewing and most likely going to be hired.
It’s an immediate problem right now because of the recruiting aspect, but man what a pitching card to future assistants!! You come to Texas to get featured and promoted. I can not remember the last time an entire staff got promoted, anywhere!…
For sure. I also think he vetted and perhaps even interviewed several other coaching candidates one year ago before hiring Calamity and April. So, hopefully that effort will make for quicker hires this time around.
JMO, but 2 seasons as a video coordinator is not enough of a resume' to become an assistant coach at Texas. Sydney Carter - Video Coordinator - Women's Basketball Support Staff - Texas A&M Athletics - 12thMan.com
I would usually agree with you on something like that but considering that Vic is an alpha dog he doesn’t seem to me as the type that needs a bunch of tenured coaches surrounding him. Same with Kim, her assistants currently on staff are very young.
He'll probably pull another rabbit out of his hat. Who predicted Coach Phillips last year? Wish she had stayed another year or two but she seems to be a Cali girl.
The ones at LSU included Daphne Mitchell who had six seasons working for Mulkey at Baylor; before that she had been an assistant coach at Murray State, Jacksonville, and Tennessee Tech. Kaylin Rice is definitely young. But, she's been working for Mulkey at Baylor in some capacity since 2017. And, Sytia Messer was definitely experienced.
Here's a nice interview with Lovato at the time she came over with Vic. She gives some good perspective on his approach with transfers: Would be nice to have her in place right now.
Was there ever any kind of good bye message from Lovato or Vic? I know we all assume she left to be closer to family in New Mexico, but there was never any actual announcement of her departure, right?
Nope. I think the first official indication that she was gone was when they announced Calamity's hiring.
Even though Vic himself has so many recruiting connections with club/high school coaches in the state of Texas, I'd still like him to hire an assistant coach who also has those recruiting connections.
Because there wasn't an announcement of Lovato's departure, I always wondered if she was taking a sabbatical from Texas to return to New Mexico to be with her father. Lavato first joined Vic in Starkville in 2014. She left Mississippi State in 2015 and was rehired in 2018. For those who follow her on social media, Lovato has continued to be engaged with our program, players and in the recruiting circles. If she were to rejoin the program, she would likely get up to speed very quickly.
The posters earlier talking about long time AHC’s who don’t seem to be interested in being a HC again got me thinking about Holly Warlick. Wonder if she’s interested in getting back to the game.
Yeah, I wondered about Gail Goestenkors who is an assistant coach at Kentucky. I do recall her showing interest in the Duke job prior to Lawson getting it. Back in the day, Gail ran some very good offense; not sure how she did at Kentucky, if that was her role. But, not sure Gail is up for recruiting in the state of Texas again. So, that was just me thinking out loud.
I think Mike Carey is an option. Mike has been very complementary of our program in recent years during postgame interviews and coaches a very similar style. I know him and Vic are good friends, may help us in getting Deans or Martinez from WVU who are both in the portal after his departure and both great players.
I don’t think Vic hires males…..or I don’t ever recall one being on his staff….but him and Mike on the same bench would be a show itself. Lol
He’s never had a male assistant coach. He’s never really called attention to that until responding to Gerlich’s asking how “program leaders that go after women” could lead women.
I'd prefer this thread not turn into some dump-on-Gerlich free for all like it did on Orangebloods.com. Let's keep the discussion positive about coaches we think might be good fits for Vic's program.
To me, the issue is that there are PLENTY of well qualified women to hire, so why not? When I start seeing a lot of female coaches on the bench in the Men’s game, I’ll get back to y’all on that. But for now, there are plenty of “best candidates” who happen to be women without just plucking someone out of the bunch based on gender. It’s 2022 and the disparity is still here.
