MU Women's Basketball Thread

[TallTitan34]

Aside from a picture of her head in a tweet, there doesn't seem to be any reason to think Consuegra is the choice.

[cheebs09]

Yeah, I think Scholl has earned enough trust to not freak out about something until she would be hired.

[wadesworld]

If this is true, it certainly speaks volumes about the lack of respect and seriousness for the MU Women's Basketball program. Men's coach is selected by the AD and President. Women's coach by an Assistant AD? 

I don't think anyone is saying the Assistant AD is the one making the final decision.  But I think it's also fairly common to have someone below the AD be very much involved in the search for non-revenue sports coaches.

[Tarragona]

Maybe this is common knowledge and I'm late to game, but just learned thru a fairly well connected MU booster that Consuegra is related to an Asst AD at MU.... This may have been done before it started.  Sad.

Your earlier post suggested it would be Raterman, Kieger, or someone else. Prior to that you said it couldn't be Gillespie or it would have already been done. Your earlier post said Harper, Miller, Griffith. And so on. Miller is the favorite for an SEC job next year. Griffith declined interest.

Prior to that you posted that Brooks' record wasn't that good because of OVC, and that Pohlman hadn't won yet with her own players. Then you mentioned Karius.

Brooks has endorsed Gillespie. Brooks has dominated both the OVC and MVC without missing a beat, and while losing his best player to Tennessee, Baylor, and another again this year.

Pohlman recruited many of those players that she coached. She declined interest in the job.

Karius has not been a candidate.

[Tarragona]

Some things are not always what they seem.

Has the thought occurred to anyone that teasing Consuegra helps her situation at Charlotte after several "uneven" years there? Makes it look like she's in demand a bit.

Has the thought occurred to anyone that teasing Barnes and Harper was an attempt to give MU a small boost in social media as opposed to them being serious candidates for the position? (I thought it was silly and short sighted too for those that think that)

Again, there are 3 people leaking names to Skim/Trilly.

When Kim Caldwell was hired, the two people teased for the position were Lawson and Walz. Lawson for example didn't even interview for the position. Yet there she was, full cartoon.

[WhiteTrash]

I don't think anyone is saying the Assistant AD is the one making the final decision.  But I think it's also fairly common to have someone below the AD be very much involved in the search for non-revenue sports coaches.

Bhawk said " This may have been done before it started.  Sad." insinuating that the relationship has preordained the selection. I understand that was clearly speculation which is why I started my post with "If".

It's not a big deal and I'm not going to write a letter about it, but I was hoping MU took women's basketball more seriously. But to your point it is a non-revenue or low revenue sport, so maybe it make sense.

[The Sultan]

Skim Milkey
@SkimMilkey
·
3m
Cara Consuegra will be named the next head coach of the Marquette Golden Eagles, per source.

Consuegra was 224-164 in 13 years at the helm of Charlotte. She was an assistant at Marquette from 2004-2011.

[Marquette Fan]

It's official finally - https://x.com/marquettewbb/status/1780643673245397289?s=46&t=qmHojXzONY0z7kSh4Cq1Rg

[The Sultan]

I don't think anyone is saying the Assistant AD is the one making the final decision.  But I think it's also fairly common to have someone below the AD be very much involved in the search for non-revenue sports coaches.

At many schools, not all of the coaches report directly to the athletic director.  I am not 100% sure what Marquette's structure is, but would not be surprised if multiple coaches report to assistant ADs.

[MuMark]

Some things are not always what they seem.

Has the thought occurred to anyone that teasing Consuegra helps her situation at Charlotte after several "uneven" years there? Makes it look like she's in demand a bit.

Has the thought occurred to anyone that teasing Barnes and Harper was an attempt to give MU a small boost in social media as opposed to them being serious candidates for the position? (I thought it was silly and short sighted too for those that think that)

Again, there are 3 people leaking names to Skim/Trilly.

When Kim Caldwell was hired, the two people teased for the position were Lawson and Walz. Lawson for example didn't even interview for the position. Yet there she was, full cartoon.

Or they teased it because it really was the hire

https://x.com/marquettewbb/status/1780643673245397289?s=61&t=6XPB8f4sAKmJIzxgMcsCjw

[BHawk309]

I fully admit I wanted Harper or Gillespie. That isn't happening. So mediocre, here we come. Just announced. Consuegra.  Brutal hire.  28-34 in past 2 years.  Obviously they are cutting back on caring about WBB.  Fan base will follow that lead. 

[The Sultan]

I fully admit I wanted Harper or Gillespie. That isn't happening. So mediocre, here we come. Just announced. Consuegra.  Brutal hire.  28-34 in past 2 years.  Obviously they are cutting back on caring about WBB.  Fan base will follow that lead. 

That seems a bit of a reach, but OK.

[Tarragona]

It's official finally - https://x.com/marquettewbb/status/1780643673245397289?s=46&t=qmHojXzONY0z7kSh4Cq1Rg

Now you know why things took so long. Things fell through with other candidates. She wasn't a candidate until recently. They could have hired her much sooner. What a mess.

[TallTitan34]

Aside from a picture of her head in a tweet, there doesn't seem to be any reason to think Consuegra is the choice.

Guess I should never doubt Skim.

[BHawk309]

My guy said Gillespie and Consuegra both were finalists.  They chose Consuegra. Again, I'm not saying Gillespie is Geno, but Consuegra is 28-34 in past 2 years.  Gillespie is 46-21 and a Championship. And recruits Midwest. Consuegra has no Midwest kids on roster. 

[Big Papi]

Disappointing hire. 

Hope to be proven wrong.

Kind of feels like the number one job criteria was to hire someone who wont leave the program for a better job.

It would be like the men's program hiring Wardle after a 2 week search.   Yuck.

Interesting to see who she brings in and how bad a season we could expect this upcoming year.

[Marquette Fan]

Disappointing hire. 

Hope to be proven wrong.

Kind of feels like the number one job criteria was to hire someone who wont leave the program for a better job.

It would be like the men's program hiring Wardle after a 2 week search.   Yuck.

Interesting to see who she brings in and how bad a season we could expect this upcoming year.

I'm expecting to be picked second last in the conference this year and to finish around there.  I think we can still probably beat Xavier who hasn't won a conference game in two seasons.  But yeah I'm expecting a pretty bad season.

Now I wait and see what transfers she picks up and if the 2024 signee who I think is still committed still comes to MU.

[Warrior2008]

I'm sure I don't have the best connections, but to spend two weeks and then hire Cara makes me wonder what went wrong with literally everyone else they were considering.

[Tarragona]

I just spoke with Skim.

He said he first heard of Consuegra's name when he was given the graphic yesterday as a final 2. He had never heard her name before in the process. He is stunned that she is the choice over Gillespie.

Boggess was the first choice but there were issues about the contract, offer, etc....exact words were "Toledo offered more money." The search slowed significantly when Boggess took Toledo.

There were also issues with the contract with Gillespie. Consuegra "fought less" over the contract.

Another connection is Cara Consuegra played basketball at Iowa while Bob Bowlsby was the AD there. Bob's son's search firm was used in the MUWBB search. He is also an Iowa alum.

[BHawk309]

I was just hoping for something new. Even the press release is blah. Talks about strong values and off the court stuff. Hard to sell a coach that is coming off 2 bad years.  Guess family on the inside helps.

[BHawk309]

Sad Toledo pays more than Marq.  Toledo paid 450 according to press release.  They are obviously defunding WBB if Toledo has a bigger pool.  My booster guy just told me Gillespie would have taken if offered... MU took care of their own and hired Cara.  I wish her the best.  But I know how this ends. Gillespie and Harper will be in better spots next year I'd bet. 

[Tarragona]

Gillespie's agent has placed at least 8 Women's BB head coaches this cycle. He is also the same agent for Megan Duffy, Terri Mitchell, and Jim Jabir among many others. So there was plenty of familiarity with him.

[Marquette Fan]

If it's true that Toledo offered more money than MU, that's really depressing.  What did Duffy make when she first got to MU?

[Tarragona]

If it's true that Toledo offered more money than MU, that's really depressing.  What did Duffy make when she first got to MU?

Duffy made anywhere between $425k to $600k at MU depending on the year. Kieger made $485k before she left for Penn State. Mitchell was making $450k

Consuegra started at $165k plus incentives, and over 13 years that became $270k plus incentives.

Gillespie is $260k plus incentives at Illinois State

It's also about staff salary pool and several other things during negotiations.

The MUWBB operational budget is I believe 3rd most in the Big East. (UConn, Villanova).

But all of this checks out with the information I have had throughout the process. Barnes and Harper were never candidates.. Many other targets declined interest. I had it as only Boggess and Gillespie, in that order. At the last minute, they hire Consuegra.

And like I said, two Senior Athletic Department people were very vocal before the process saying that MUWBB was a destination job and not a stepping stone job, etc...

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Thanks to all the contributors who chimed in throughout this...saga!?! Good luck to Coach Consuegra. I would love to get the story some day but I anticipate it will never see the light of day (like Grimes).