MU Women's Basketball Thread

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Between JWags, Tarragona and Marquette Fan we seem to be in good hands with info on the coaching search. Keep the posts coming.

[Marquette Fan]

It's not that the others don't have interest. So I am hesitant to be more specific than that. Hopefully all of the current and possibly future additional candidates have interest. I can send you a message about it after the process.

That's fine - I'm just being impatient 😂.  I can wait - I expect them to name a new head coach pretty quickly.

[TedBaxter]

The concerm I have for the Drake coach is that she has never lived or coached outside Iowa and her recruiting base is strictly upper midwest.  Counter that with the Fairfield coach who has been at schools in the Midwest, South and now Northeast and has recruited at the high major level.

[Marquette Fan]

Another 2024 signee reopens her recruitment- https://x.com/raoul_000/status/1776997743287820338?s=46&t=qmHojXzONY0z7kSh4Cq1Rg

Leila Wells is the remaining signee that I think is still committed to MU for now.  I haven't heard anything about her since Duffy left and no recent updates on her Twitter.

[Marquette Fan]

Tennessee did not go the direction I was expecting them to go - I thought they would hire a more experienced coach.  Although their new hire does have more experience at the D2 level.  https://utsports.com/news/2024/4/7/womens-basketball-tennessee-selects-caldwell-to-lead-storied-lady-vol-basketball-program.aspx

[The Sultan]

Tennessee did not go the direction I was expecting them to go - I thought they would hire a more experienced coach.  Although their new hire does have more experience at the D2 level.  https://utsports.com/news/2024/4/7/womens-basketball-tennessee-selects-caldwell-to-lead-storied-lady-vol-basketball-program.aspx

When you have the opportunity to hire off the Bunky Harkleroad coaching tree, you have to take it.

[Tarragona]

Tennessee did not go the direction I was expecting them to go - I thought they would hire a more experienced coach.  Although their new hire does have more experience at the D2 level.  https://utsports.com/news/2024/4/7/womens-basketball-tennessee-selects-caldwell-to-lead-storied-lady-vol-basketball-program.aspx

It was in the works for a little while. Caldwell has the same agent as Duffy and Terri Mitchell. He also represents the HC at Holy Cross, Maureen Magarity.

Danny White at Tennessee likes this type of hire, where goes a little bit outside of what others may expect. And he's done it before with other sports.

[Uncle Rico]

FWIW, Trilly's woman's account:

https://x.com/skimmilkey/status/1777150312001802280?s=46&t=QSiaGcOIKZrrpw0ciZkI5Q

[Uncle Rico]

Adia Barnes is a wildcard

[Tarragona]

For what it's worth, that isn't my three.

Barnes makes $1.17 million a year plus incentives. And at one point her buyout was $3 million.

Harper made similar at Tennessee as Barnes does at Arizona. Harper's buyout dropped from $3.3 million to $2.2 plus million April 1st prior to their coaching change.

Duffy made anywhere from $475k to $600k depending on the year at MUWBB. The operating budget was in the $1.5 million plus range.

Raterman's entire experience is as an assistant/staffer for Duffy at MUWBB and Miami (Ohio).

I have Boggess as the strongest (mutual interest) early momentum candidate at this time for MUWBB. But she isn't the only one.

Trilly's info is very hit and miss. He does sometimes receive legit info immediately after a meeting. Other times his info isn't as accurate, and it's similar to someone thinking out loud. And sometimes, some things aren't always what they seem.

We'll see how it goes.

[Marquette Fan]

It doesn't seem like Barnes would be interested in leaving Arizona for MU.  And yeah I can't see MU being able to pay enough for her or Harper based on what they made at their schools this past season.

[Tarragona]

The Adia Barnes connection is in part through Kevin McGuff. McGuff previously hired Barnes as an assistant at Washington when she was finishing her playing career in Seattle. McGuff was a former Notre Dame assistant. His wife also played and coached there. This was all while Scholl was an Assistant AD there. McGuff is a Barnes coaching mentor.

Arizona has a new AD and they have had some $ issues.

And I do believe there are some mixed opinions about the need/desire to try to hire a bigger named coach vs a coach that isn't as big of a name. I know some haven't liked hearing the feedback about being a stepping stone type of program.

[Marquette Fan]

The Adia Barnes connection is in part through Kevin McGuff. McGuff previously hired Barnes as an assistant at Washington when she was finishing her playing career in Seattle. McGuff was a former Notre Dame assistant. His wife also played and coached there. This was all while Scholl was an Assistant AD there. McGuff is a Barnes coaching mentor.

Arizona has a new AD and they have had some $ issues.

And I do believe there are some mixed opinions about the need/desire to try to hire a bigger named coach vs a coach that isn't as big of a name. I know some haven't liked hearing the feedback about being a stepping stone type of program.

I think the Women's Basketball program at Marquette is a stepping stone program.  I wish it wasn't the case but feel like it is especially with the Big East not being very strong in Women's Basketball.

[Tarragona]

Ginny Boggess has also been contacted about the Marshall Head Coaching position. She grew up less than 30 miles from the school.

[Tarragona]

I can confirm that Gillespie has been contacted about the MUWBB position. She is part of that previously mentioned group of names:

https://x.com/skimmilkey/status/1777351692771573922?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng

[Marquette Fan]

I can confirm that Gillespie has been contacted about the MUWBB position. She is part of that previously mentioned group of names:

https://x.com/skimmilkey/status/1777351692771573922?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng

The tweet says Karen Gillespie - is that supposed to be Kristen Gillespie?

[Tarragona]

The tweet says Karen Gillespie - is that supposed to be Kristen Gillespie?

Yes. He fixed it:

https://x.com/skimmilkey/status/1777356309534278119?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng

[The Sultan]

Better than Billy Gillespie.

[wadesworld]

Better than Billy Gillespie.

He should stick to coaching men and leave the women's jobs to women.

[WhiteTrash]

He should stick to coaching men and leave the women's jobs to women.

What if Billy identifies as a woman now?

[wadesworld]

What if Billy identifies as a woman now?

I'd have to ask Dawn Staley her thoughts.

[Marquette Fan]

Yes.

I know of a class of 2025 kid committed to play for her at ISU.  And that makes sense as to why I couldn't figure out who Karen Gillespie was 😀.

[tower912]

Gillespie just signed an extension at Tarleton St.   The days of him being a serious candidate for any high major coaching gig are over.  Too much baggage, too many health issues.   

[Tarragona]

I know of a class of 2025 kid committed to play for her at ISU.  And that makes sense as to why I couldn't figure out who Karen Gillespie was 😀.

He quickly deleted the tweet and corrected it. And I edited that in my post above while you were posting this.

[Marquette Fan]

There may not be any players left by the time they announce a new coach.  Lee Volker has entered the transfer portal - https://x.com/hilsontrevor/status/1777415916835229804?s=12