Marquette and NCAA Soccer

[shoothoops]

Another exciting week of conference tourneys in the books for Women’s Soccer.

Despite being outplayed for much of the game for a 2nd time, Georgetown has claimed the Big East Tourney Title over Xavier. Both of those teams along with Providence will represent the Big East in the NCAA Tourney. UConn was unable to make it in off of the bubble.

NCAA Women’s Tourney begins this weekend. Georgetown received a #3 and they will host Old Dominion. (upset league winner over James Madison. Both made the tourney). And Xavier is a 4 seed. They will host Tennessee in a rematch of last year’s NCAA 1st round game which X won in OT.

2023 NCAA bracket:

https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/soccer-women/d1/2023

The inconsistency of the selection and seeding process can be i proved by seed all 64 teams instead of just 32 teams. This won’t solve the Power 5 bias problem. South Alabama was a deserving team, RPI 27, good season. But they were left out. Some other seeds were off too.

And the lack ot rhyme or reason to some first round matchups. Geography here but not there. RPI here but not there etc….

So as fun as it is, there is still room for some adjustments.

[panda]

Right, because no college coach's job is dependent on developing players into good pros three years after they leave school. The job is dependent on winning now. So, there's no incentive for college coaches to prioritize that. Even programs that take a longer-term approach toward player development - Marquette under Shaka, for example - the goal remains winning college games, not developing future pros.

An interesting conundrum. Selfishly I enjoy college athletics. However is it best for the development of our young athletes? Under the current structure, I’d say no. But the flexibility to change seems limited on the basketball level. Soccer is beginning to install different infrastructure early on for that change.

[panda]

The inconsistency of the selection and seeding process can be i proved by seed all 64 teams instead of just 32 teams. This won’t solve the Power 5 bias problem. South Alabama was a deserving team, RPI 27, good season. But they were left out. Some other seeds were off too.

And the lack ot rhyme or reason to some first round matchups. Geography here but not there. RPI here but not there etc….

So as fun as it is, there is still room for some adjustments.

[Uncle Rico]

Right, because no college coach's job is dependent on developing players into good pros three years after they leave school. The job is dependent on winning now. So, there's no incentive for college coaches to prioritize that. Even programs that take a longer-term approach toward player development - Marquette under Shaka, for example - the goal remains winning college games, not developing future pros.

That’s why I laugh when people suggest kids should stay in school to develop their game for the NBA

That was the line for Ethan Happ at Madison.  Like Greg Gurd was changing how he ran offense to get Happ ready for the NBA

[panda]

That’s why I laugh when people suggest kids should stay in school to develop their game for the NBA

That was the line for Ethan Happ at Madison.  Like Greg Gurd was changing how he ran offense to get Happ ready for the NBA

Agree - I’d have a lot more respect for those fans if they simply said, “player x should stick around because my favorite team will be awesome with him next year” instead of some bogus development claims.

I would’ve loved omax to come back this year because this team would rule with him, but he’s not getting any better playing against competition which is beneath him at this stage in his development.

[shoothoops]

Xavier Women’s Soccer Coach Nate Lie is leaving to take the same position at Kansas. Tough one for Xavier.

Very successful and popular coach. 7 seasons at a challenging place to win. He built a lot. 4 of last 5 NCAA Tourneys, only missing during COVID season. 3 regular season Big East Titles. 1 Conference Tourney Title. They along with Georgetown have been the two annual NCAA teams in the league, top 25 etc…..

Xavier offers very little in terms of resources, for its program. KU is a middle tier Power 5 program. But their budgets, compensation, facilities. etc….are all at least double that of Xavier. Nate Lie went from taking a long bus ride recently to the Big East Conference Tourney in DC, to flying his family private via KU for his hiring.

Tyler Smaha may go with him to KU. Not sure about Katy Etelman.

Prior to this, Lie played and coached his entire career in Ohio at Miami and Cincinnati.

[shoothoops]

David Korn is the new Marquette Men’s Soccer Head Coach.

He was most recently the HC at Maryville University (D2) for 8 seasons, 6 NCAA Tourneys. 3 NCAA Quarterfinals.

He spent a year at SIUE, 3 as an assistant at Wright State. 3 as an assistant at Denver. 1 as an assistant at Lafayette.

Some Influences:

He took the Bobby Muuss/Jay Vidovich (Wake Forest) path at Denver and he worked under Muuss. 

The head coach at Wright State at the time is from Milwaukee. (Bryan Davis)

There are several other local and regional connections as well.

https://maryvillesaints.com/news/2023/12/11/mens-soccer-korn-accepts-head-coach-position-at-marquette-university.aspx

https://gomarquette.com/news/2023/12/11/david-korn-named-marquette-mens-soccer-coach

[shoothoops]

Frank Pelaez is stepping down as Marquette Women’s Soccer Head Coach effective immediately. It’s been almost 2 months since the season ended. So, the timing is unusual and slow/late. The College
Cup Final Four for example, is a common time to announce a new HC.

He returned to Marquette as HC for 4 seasons. This was after leaving Marquette as an assistant, to be an assistant at Loyola Chicago.

Creighton made a change. Jimmy Walker from Bowling Green is their new HC. They tried for Ken Masuhr among others but he took the HC position at Miami FL.

Xavier’s HC left for Kansas. Dec 18 is their application deadline. I’ve heard of a few names interested. I should know some finalists soon.

But Marquette is now on the clock searching for a new Women’s Soccer HC.

For reference, RPI the past 4 seasons has been 126, 163, 103, 152.

Pelaez has been with Marquette 25 seasons, and he was the top assistant and recruiter on their good teams over the years.

Marquette was last good/competitive in 2016 and 2017.  And they were consistently very good 2013 and prior for many years.

https://gomarquette.com/news/2023/12/16/womens-soccer-marquette-womens-soccer-coach-frank-pelaez-steps-down

[shoothoops]

The next Head Coach for Marquette Women’s Soccer is Chris Allen.

Really big get for Marquette.

Most recently Chris was the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Saint Louis University the past 8 seasons, where they’ve been a top 10 team nationally.

https://gomarquette.com/news/2024/1/18/chris-allen-named-marquette-head-womens-soccer-coach

[shoothoops]

New Marquette Women’s Soccer Coach has arrived:

https://x.com/coachallenstl/status/1748506753447157852?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng

https://x.com/coachallenstl/status/1748885578236457409?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng

Chris is going to do good things at MU Rah Rah and he’ll build a strong positive culture. A+ person. Total package coach from recruiting, to technical skills to tactics to off field non soccer stuff.

Give him a little time and a few resources, and he’ll have the 4-2-3-1 high octane high pressure going soon.

Prior to college coaching, Chris worked for 9 years at the same high school that recently produced Courtney Ramey, Drew Hanlen (Pure Sweat), etc…so he knows his hoops too.

[Macallan 18]

Any insight as to why Frank Pelaez left so late into the off season?

Hope Chris Allen can get the program back to prominence again.

[shoothoops]

Any insight as to why Frank Pelaez left so late into the off season?

Hope Chris Allen can get the program back to prominence again.

Short answer:

Officially: They simply decided to make a change, hired a search firm, did due diligence for the 30 plus days with P5 assistants, and Mid Major Head Coaches.

Unofficially: In part it came to their attention they had a chance to get Chris. (He’s turned down other opportunities)

I’ll elaborate when I get a chance shortly.

[shoothoops]

The appeal of Chris Allen is his variety of skill sets. And some of his strengths were complimentary with Katie Shields’ strengths. This helped both add  their individual depth as coaches.

He’ll build a unique unfailingly positive culture on and off of the field. High level recruiter, no stone unturned. Set piece specialist. Tactics, player development. A tireless worker, outside of the box thinker, who also makes the process fun.

He was essentially a Co-Head Coach at a top 10 program that didn’t play in a top 10 league. That isn’t easy to do.

Among his best skill sets are taking his personality and temperament, and connecting with a wide variety of people.

Give him a little time and enough resources to be competitive at a high level (he’s pretty low maintenance) and he’ll get it going within a few years.

No guarantees but it’s encouraging.

[cafesol]

Marquette Women’s Soccer Head Coach Frank Pelaez is expected to be named the next Women’s Soccer Head Coach at Emporia State University. Pelaez was a 19 year assistant at Marquette, and later, a 4 year head coach. Good luck to Frank.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

*Former

[cafesol]

*Former

Yes, former Marquette Women’s Soccer Head Coach. I accidentally omitted the word former.

[MochaJoe]

Yes, former Marquette Women’s Soccer Head Coach. I accidentally omitted the word former.

A lender from St. Louis sold me a predatory sub prime mortgage in 2008. Disgusting city

[jesmu84]

Seriously?