She played for Borseth (retiring) and took Plitzuweit's place at South Dakota when she left for WVU (now already at Minnesota). She's young (maybe 34) and already on 2nd HC job.
South Dakota now looking again which sucks. Decent program. Karius was making $255K (easier to know what state school folks make).
Braker is now in that Plitzuweit family. If Minnesota can have a good two-year run and she is considered a key contributor, then she will be in position to get a HC role in the Midwest. Plitzuweit and Borseth know all the smaller schools in the Midwest well and she can leverage those connections, in addition to her MM connections.
P.S. I assume Braker like most aspires to get her HC shot. Mabrey still a couple years younger than Braker. They both have to be encouraged by D'Amico Graves and Duffy. The MM tree is growing. I assume she takes an interest in the coaching careers of her former players - beyond those at ND.
Muffet advised/supported Megan Duffy when she was up for the Marquette job (when she'd been at Miami of Ohio for all of two years). Of course, she had input on the other side of the coin, too, knowing Marquette AD Bill Scholl from his decades of working at ND.
She's made mention of D'Amico Graves from time to time, when she was at Yale, then Wake Forest, working for Jen Hoover (who now, coincidentally, is working for Megan Duffy at Va. Tech. Good hire, Megan.)
Given how much she appreciated Braker at ND, I've got to think the phone like is open there, too.
Ashley Barlow is currently assistant coach and offensive coordinator at Cincinnati, so that's another ND player in the mix in the coaching ranks. She works for Katrina Merriweather and that family was huge in the AAU world in/around Indy for years. Barlow's been with her at Wright State, Memphis and, now, Cincy. I could see her taking a HC position at some point.
Will be interesting to see what "later MM" players choose to go in that direction. Abby Prohaska? Down the road (after pro ball): Lindsey Allen? Natalie Achonwa?
...plus she's also got a (very) young child to raise, so that time/resource commitment might factor into whatever her next steps (post-playing) are.
a path like Ruth Riley. Around the sport but not necessarily coaching.
I believe (could be wrong) she said she is interested in coaching after her playing career is over.
best endorsement yet of Cara Consuegra as HC at Marquette. It definitely caught my eye.
Good luck to all. Making your own future as a HC is the path. Niele very special situation. The Mabrey, Allen, Brakers need to look to how D'Amico Graves has done it. You need to take that chance. Why would any P5/P6 AD hire an assistant over someone with HC experience.
Michaela needs to think about next cycle and where she might want to be. Yes, she can stay at ND (no idea if personal reasons push her in that direction) but she will eventually have to leave and take HC job.
Gary Larson of the Far Side fame (my ALL TIME favorite cartoon)
Love the Houdini
Niece graduated from MU and I still remember going to the 2006 NCAA Tournament in Philly and watching the Men win their Opening Round play-in #16 game and then lose to #1 Villanova. I'd love to see Michaela get her first Head Coaching job here but I think with her experience and credentials she would end up at a P5 School. Go Hawks...