McCallie resigns; who'll coach next?

[loran16]

Duke is officially looking for a new women's basketball coach:

https://twitter.com/TheNextHoops/sta...91512394620929

[Stray Gator]

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sp...243952172.html

"Joanne P. McCallie has resigned as Duke’s women’s basketball coach after 13 seasons, the school announced Thursday morning.

The decision is effective immediately.

In a video message posted on the team’s Twitter account, McCallie said she was stepping away because she is entering the final year of her contract and no agreement on an extension has been reached."

[hallcity]

FINALLY! Why didn't this happen years ago?

[August West]

I guess she didn't like her pay being cut. AW.

[uh_no]

I guess she didn't like her pay being cut. AW.

it's not uncommon for coaches to leave if they don't have an extension lined up, but those coaches are usually expecting to go coach elsewhere. If that's mccallie's goal, then it makes sense. If she was going to retire anyway, I don't see why you wouldn't suffer through a potentially lame duck season and part ways with another million, or whatever it was.


In any case, I hope she stays healthy.

[Mike Corey]

Very, very excited for the future of Duke women's basketball.

As Coach McCallie said in her farewell remarks: It's time for change, growth, and security for the program.

[scottdude8]

Interesting. I have to imagine that we'll be learning a LOT more about the sudden nature of this decision in the coming days (although without The Chronicle currently on campus maybe not, as it is student journalists who would often do the digging into a story like this that isn't MBB or FB).

I've never been a fan of McCallie going back to when I was a student: in the few WBB games I covered for The Chronicle I found her gameplanning and in-game decision making clearly subpar. Yet, she continued to do relatively well recruiting. Especially in the past 5-10 years Duke's WBB has reminded me a bit of Texas MBB: a program that consistently pulled in top recruits but never performed up to the level of the recruiting rankings.

I think Duke now has a serious decision to make: do we want to compete for National Titles in WBB, or are we content being a Top-25 program? The last few years have shown that the landscape of the women's game is changing, with UConn being slightly less dominant and a wider variety of teams becoming competitive at the national level. Duke has all the tools built in to lay claim to one of those spots at the top of the sport, so I hope the athletic department aims high in their coaching search.

[uh_no]

Interesting. I have to imagine that we'll be learning a LOT more about the sudden nature of this decision in the coming days (although without The Chronicle currently on campus maybe not, as it is student journalists who would often do the digging into a story like this that isn't MBB or FB).

I've never been a fan of McCallie going back to when I was a student: in the few WBB games I covered for The Chronicle I found her gameplanning and in-game decision making clearly subpar. Yet, she continued to do relatively well recruiting. Especially in the past 5-10 years Duke's WBB has reminded me a bit of Texas MBB: a program that consistently pulled in top recruits but never performed up to the level of the recruiting rankings.

I think Duke now has a serious decision to make: do we want to compete for National Titles in WBB, or are we content being a Top-25 program? The last few years have shown that the landscape of the women's game is changing, with UConn being slightly less dominant and a wider variety of teams becoming competitive at the national level. Duke has all the tools built in to lay claim to one of those spots at the top of the sport, so I hope the athletic department aims high in their coaching search.

I don't think there is going to be a mccallie caliber coach out there right now (or at least the caliber that she appeared to be at when we signed her). Given the belt tightening, I am also skeptical we'll be able to pony up enough $ to lure such a coach were one to exist.

Vic Schaeffer's move to texas is a bit of a special case, as it's his hometown.

Duke will always have aspirations of success in any sport, and we will try to find the best coach we can for the program. I'm not an expert on up-and-coming coaches, but Duke is still an extremely enviable position. It will pay well enough, and has great facilities, history, basketball...etc. I imagine we will find some aspiring promising coach who just needs a environment like Duke to succeed.



I don't imagine there's much to the "sudden nature" of the decision. It probably became evident that the department wasn't going to renew her contract, and so she called it quits. I imagine the uncertainty to the season and the decreased pay made it not worth it to grin and bear it.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Oh, I see. I was on the wrong thread searching for calm and level-headed discussion. I don't follow our women's team very carefully, but I know McCallie brings up strong opinions.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I don't think there is going to be a mccallie caliber coach out there right now (or at least the caliber that she appeared to be at when we signed her). Given the belt tightening, I am also skeptical we'll be able to pony up enough $ to lure such a coach were one to exist.

Duke will always have aspirations of success in any sport, and we will try to find the best coach we can for the program. I'm not an expert on up-and-coming coaches, but Duke is still an extremely enviable position. It will pay well enough, and has great facilities, history, basketball...etc. I imagine we will find some aspiring promising coach who just needs a environment like Duke to succeed.

I'm very glad to read that she has decided to move on.

Now, as far as a successor, here's a suggestion that is both "out of the box" and yet still "in the box".
> Chris Carrawell <

C-Well was an assistant on the women's team a few years ago, before moving to various men's team positions in the office before moving to the bench as an assistant coach. Without first hand knowledge, I believe he does want to be a head coach at some point, and this could be the opportunity to get one.

[hallcity]

I don't think there is going to be a mccallie caliber coach out there right now (or at least the caliber that she appeared to be at when we signed her). Given the belt tightening, I am also skeptical we'll be able to pony up enough $ to lure such a coach were one to exist.

Vic Schaeffer's move to texas is a bit of a special case, as it's his hometown.

Duke will always have aspirations of success in any sport, and we will try to find the best coach we can for the program. I'm not an expert on up-and-coming coaches, but Duke is still an extremely enviable position. It will pay well enough, and has great facilities, history, basketball...etc. I imagine we will find some aspiring promising coach who just needs a environment like Duke to succeed.



I don't imagine there's much to the "sudden nature" of the decision. It probably became evident that the department wasn't going to renew her contract, and so she called it quits. I imagine the uncertainty to the season and the decreased pay made it not worth it to grin and bear it.

A "mccallie caliber coach"? Anyway, Coach Goestenkors is tan and rested. She just might be available.

[sagegrouse]

Oh, I see. I was on the wrong thread searching for calm and level-headed discussion. I don't follow our women's team very carefully, but I know McCallie brings up strong opinions.

This is clearly, Mountain Devil, an emotional topic for the Board. I am sure that Kevin White has a lot of intelligence on who might be available. (I always imagine that ADs constantly talk to the headhunters in the coaching business -- people, compensation -- swapping info and rumors.)

I also expect that McCallie worked out some form of settlement with Duke.

By the way, in terms of being the "wrong time" to hire a coach, what else are potential coaching doing right now except sitting by the phone?

[uh_no]

By the way, in terms of being the "wrong time" to hire a coach, what else are potential coaching doing right now except sitting by the phone?

I think it may be a GREAT time to hire a coach. The way things are going, who knows what will be able to happen this season. If the season is curtailed in any way, it gives a new incoming coach almost an entire year to be putting their team together. Except for a relatively small number of coaches, the opportunity to move to Duke, and have space to build up your program SHOULD be extremely enticing.

[DukieInKansas]

This is clearly, Mountain Devil, an emotional topic for the Board. I am sure that Kevin White has a lot of intelligence on who might be available. (I always imagine that ADs constantly talk to the headhunters in the coaching business -- people, compensation -- swapping info and rumors.)

I also expect that McCallie worked out some form of settlement with Duke.

By the way, in terms of being the "wrong time" to hire a coach, what else are potential coaching doing right now except sitting by the phone?

Her statement indicated she is passing on her final year compensation so not sure what kind of settlement there is.

[throatybeard]

1PMVNNKVIL8Ig.jpg

[ehdg]

A "mccallie caliber coach"? Anyway, Coach Goestenkors is tan and rested. She just might be available.

First I've been a huge fan of Coach G from her days at Duke. I was quite upset with our AD at the time, Alleva, for letting her go and not extending her contract before it ran out!! Being as the Women's season
isn't that far from now I think Coach G would be a great get again. I think she still has the fire and love for Duke. Hopefully she has connections for recruits still but but if not she could bring in some good strong
assistants that know the recruiting still well and could help her with that aspect. I truly Duke checks in with Coach G and see if she's interested in coming back even if it's just a stop gap/seat filler for a few seasons
till she either grooms a young assistant or we find a young up and comer we'd like in say 5 years.

As for Coach P I've long not been a fan of hers. But I have to give her credit for realizing that her time at Duke was pretty much over and walking away with honor and giving Duke a chance to start the rebuild regroup
sooner and with a better chance of turning it around faster.

[Jedweb]

My reaction is an unqualified HALLELUJAH! For several years she did have recruiting going at a really high level, somewhat surprisingly because if memory serves when she was hired she said that was the part of the job she liked lease, or felt the least confident in, or something of the sort. And, from time to time she did have a game in which her players really performed well and surpassed expectations. That having been said, there were just far too many games in which her team appeared to be on a part talent wise with an opponent but got blown out. Several of the games against Geno were embarrassing because of the enormous difference in play on the court. And it happened far too frequently. How many, many games with turnovers around twenty, sometimes more. Bottom line in my inexpert view is that she simply did not have the talent to be a top flight coach. She's been very well compensated for her time at Duke, and unless she's financially profligate she ought to be financially secure. If, as the announcement indicates, she has foregone the remaining contract compensation, or most of it, I think Duke fans owe her our thanks, and i am certainly happy that she resigned in time for a new coach to be well in place before the 20 - 21 season begins (if there is one) and for recruiting not to go completely to pot. In fact, the announcement may well enhance recruiting quickly.

[Jedweb]

PAR talent wise

[dm9e24]

Would like to see us go after Lindsey Hardin or Alana Beard. Hopefully duplicate what Dawn Staley has done at South Carolina as a former player turned coach. Their connections with Coach G's program would be invaluable. I believe they both could recruit well at Duke. Their experiences in the professional ranks would also be a plus.

I am not sure what either one earns presently, but we probably would not have to break the bank to hire them.

[uh_no]

First I've been a huge fan of Coach G from her days at Duke. I was quite upset with our AD at the time, Alleva, for letting her go and not extending her contract before it ran out!! Being as the Women's season
isn't that far from now I think Coach G would be a great get again. I think she still has the fire and love for Duke. Hopefully she has connections for recruits still but but if not she could bring in some good strong
assistants that know the recruiting still well and could help her with that aspect. I truly Duke checks in with Coach G and see if she's interested in coming back even if it's just a stop gap/seat filler for a few seasons
till she either grooms a young assistant or we find a young up and comer we'd like in say 5 years.

As for Coach P I've long not been a fan of hers. But I have to give her credit for realizing that her time at Duke was pretty much over and walking away with honor and giving Duke a chance to start the rebuild regroup
sooner and with a better chance of turning it around faster.

I love G, but I don't think that's the right move. The price would be high, and as you point out, your resigning the HC to a "stop gap" position.

Hire for the future now.

I feel like this is like the USMNT hiring Bruce Arena a couple years ago...because that worked out so well.