Per post from ND Hoops Recruits based on source for Lou S.
Stay tuned....
Don't know anything about her husband. I know her dad was baseball coach at IU for 22 years
Either Niele chose not to retain or Beth was upset that she wasn't considered. I would not have been surprised to see her leave for a HC position. But, to go to a conference rival for an at-best lateral move, smells like a rough parting.
you don't buy one of the biggest if not biggest house in the bend and then sink the money they did into the house if they were looking to bolt to Chapel Hill.
Personally, I don't think Coach Cunningham wanted to be the head coach at ND not based on conversations. She was also very happy there and wanted to see her kids grow up there with her parents and siblings all a close drive away. Same goes for her husband whose family was in Ohio. This is a couple who LOVES the University
Mr. Cunningham owns his own business. He has less then 5 employees tops. Working from home and getting to an airport wasn't too difficult for him.
To me, finding her a job within Notre Dame would have been the best way for Ivey to bring in her staff with out causing some drama. Knowing Coach Cunningham, she will handle this with class and what may have transpired won't be very public.
UNC will be a good spot for her because having an ND connection with Bubba is important but this feels more like an alternative plan versus a plan.
Last thought, the MM moving on was in play for a while prior to Covid, if she knew she wouldn't be retained wouldn't she have interviewed face to face when she could have?
...based on your last paragraph, which is this one:
"Last thought, the MM moving on was in play for a while prior to Covid, if she knew she wouldn't be retained wouldn't she have interviewed face to face when she could have?"
After you mention "Covid," there's a lot of "she's" in play and I'm not quite sure where that is all going.
- Do all the "she's" refer to Beth?
- If that's the case, and Beth knew she would not be retained, do you mean as an assistant coach?
- And whom would Beth have interviewed face to face with? Niele -- for a chance to stay? Jack S. -- for another position within the university? Courtney Banghart/Bubba Cunningham for the UNC positions?
In the case of the latter, didn't that assistant coaching position open up because Tim Taylor got the HC job at Navy? And I think that happened just around the time COVID locked everything down.
Thanks for clarifying, IrishRudy (or anyone else).
Sorry If I didn't make my thoughts clear. I can get lost while doing multiple things.
I firmly believe the entire hoops staff knew MM was thinking or at least planning to leave prior to covid. Did Beth think she would get the job. I doubt it because every interview heard since is that this plan was in place a few years ago. MM being a great leader and mentor, I am sure shared with a CO and BC that it would be Niele's job. If Beth felt once the season was over that Niele may not keep her I believe she would have started looking for other jobs if she wanted out of SB- out of that amazing forever house for her kids, away from family she is close too, from a University she loves where she left a program that was very stable (she built).
In my opinion, Notre Dame should have found a way to keep her within the university. That's just my opinion. Reggie Brooks job opened up in the last month.
..appreciated.
When many of us were in "pondering out loud" mode on who would be leaving, I theorized that Jack S. could find a way to keep the "un-chosen" at ND (although my specific line of thinking was for Michaela).
One would think the Brooks position might be, at least, a position for discussion...if Beth is interested.
Agree that this is a business and Niele gets to choose her staff, but this ia a more than capable coach (both HC and AHC) who did a bunch for this program and university. If nothing internal, I'm hopeful that outreach is well in play for external possibilities.
Good luck all the way around.
I realize it's a business, but her banner is hanging on the Ring of Honor for gosh sakes
and she decided she rather stay in coaching instead. MM leaving forced hear out of her comfort zone - stay and take a job that doesn't suit you OR stay in your profession but have to move. I would think MM and/or ND had a backup plan for both Asst HCs. I think we'll see her as a head coach very soon. It's all speculation, but the way MM took the bullet willingly last season makes me think she made sure her longtime assts. Would be ok.
.
Maybe the change was a catalyst for Coach Cunningham and her husband to consider their options including where they want to live for the forseeable future, where she believes her career will be enhanced the most, where he might have better career options, and South Bend weather vs Chapel Hill weather.
It isn't necessarily true that Cunningham felt snubbed or was pissed, and it isn't necessarily true that she wasn't offered the opportunity to stay.
Change ofter begets more change.
Experienced HC than a rookie HC. If she aspires to be a HC at some point, she may be similar to NI and want to learn from a different tree and someone perceived to know more than she does v being the mentor to a rookie head coach.
Then layer weather, etc on top of that for lifestyle differences.
back to ND?
Not everyone wants to be a babysitter. An experienced HV likely has no desire to train someone else how to be a HC above them. They want to learn or at least not have to bother dealing with growing pains.
What the heck, I'll put names to schools and personalities.
...if she joins Courtney Banghart at UNC, she'll also be working for Domer Bubba Cunningham (Thanks ND8486)
...down the road from Chapel Hill is Duke, where HC Joanne McCallie is kind of still downshifted and/or stuck in third gear (some might find this generous). Her contract, I believe, is coming up around '21 or '22.
The AD there is (still) Kevin White, who still has those ND connections (it's a small world, like it or not).
Interesting. I know I'm just playing with connections, but I was worried that White might pull the plug on McCallie a few years back and Niele might head there. That (obviously) didn't happen and now I'm thinking another ND assc. head coach might have the opportunity of heading there.
Plus, some of her VCU connections still might be in play, which could come in handy in any capacity.
Very few of my friends that headed down that way for job transfers rarely came back. (says the guy who has lived in Long Island, NYC or Jersey most of his adult life...)
I believe that Courtney Banghart will have great success there. Beth should enjoy working as her assistant. I have always enjoyed my visits to the Triangle area, especially when ND beat Maryland in Raleigh to advance to the Final Four
I am a tad surprised as I did not believe Beth would uproot her young and growing family. Also, she is a Hoosier, so even more surprising. If this is true, I salute Beth for all she has given to ND and wish her all the best in the future.
Living in Lady Lion country I saw her body of work.
And some people are best suited for assistant roles.
Niele's time at ND as a player. I wonder if they developed a close relationship that has continued. Coquese also got of to a good start at Penn State, 2010-2014 she made the NCAA's and had 2 sweet sixteens. Not sure why though it all fell apart for her after that.
Mabrey or Cunningham?
Seems to be a strong opinion by a number of posters that it's Cunningham, due to elements ranging from she has not been on her ND twitter since April 27 to the fact that the posting was for an associate head coach.
Now, yes, ND could hire a third associate head coach, in part, because they probably are not paying Niele anywhere near what they paid MM. However, given the COVID-19 crisis and financial considerations brought by that, you've got to think that two associate head coaches are enough.
Plus, not such a bad idea to have someone who is close(r) in age to your players. Yes, Niele is enthusiastic and relatable, but she's still in her early 40s. Mike is in her mid-20's. Still.
If you know something we don't, look foward to it.
Otherwise, stay tuned.
of managers for the team on twitter. This and other evidence already cited regarding Beth and Coquese leads me to believe that Michaela is staying as an assistant coach. As Bob Dylan once sang, "You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows."
1). The posting says “ Assist the Head Coach and Associate Head Coaches with all facets of administering a Division I program.“ the plural associate head coaches would lead me to believe Beth and Carol are staying. 2). The posting says coordinate the recruiting efforts - which was a central part of Mike’s job. 3) neither Carol or Beth coach pg/g and Coquese is certainly a pg/g position coach. 4) one of the things missing in 2019/2020 season was a strong assistant who could prep the scout team and provide in game adjustment suggestions.
He comes off as someone who's on the inside, but he never backs up his posts when challenged.
Not saying he doesn't have connections, but his drive-by 1 liners make him come off as a small fish in a big pond.
Original post from Charles said both Beth and Co are staying. That's not happening. All i said.
I imagine we can all find some tea leaves and read them in such a way that we have different takeaways.
1) I'll give you the plural of "associate head coaches." Unless that's a typo, point taken.
But I can't see what one gets out of having three Assc. Head Coaches, all of whom have been HC's (from a pychological standpoint, I'd go nuts).
2) I reread the recruiting portion: "Identify and evaluate prospective student-athletes. Assist in the coordination of recruiting activities for program." That sounds like she's part of the overall effort, as opposed to Beth "spearheading" or Michaela "coordinating." The other open question here is how Niele addresses recruiting her first few years. She likes to recruit and realizes how important she -- Niele -- is to this effort. Maybe everyone helps, with Niele as focal point?
3) We're in agreement on position coach and it does not matter who stays: Coquese can coach PG's. Mike -- who did fine with Anaya and Katlyn -- can swing over to wings easily and obviously Beth could stay there.
4) Hmmm. Shouldn't all coaches contribute to that? In Beth's bio, she's credited with developing scouting reports and practice plans, while "she’s really good on the bench during timeouts with comments and suggestions we can use,” according to MM.
MM on Mike: “I’ve been amazed with how she can break down film and do a scouting report. She can recruit with anybody, and against anybody, because she has that innate ability to relate to the players and the parents."
Theoretically, Coquese does all of these things, as well.
Other factors:
- Seenms good to have a "young 'un" there to do the little things that pop up everywhere. Plus, hop on a plane on a moment's notice. And relate to kids, which Mike can do. Plus, MM has always hired younger coaches, such as Niele Ivey and, oh yeah, Coquese, before that.
- As Orangutan and MPG have pointed out, social media can give hints. Since late April, Beth is nowhere to be found on her twitter. MM is busy as ever, with tweents on program elements (manager), alum interaction (Arike) and personal notes that jive with ND (mother's day).
- Who knows? We'll find out soon enough. One other thought (albeit a long shot). Niele isn't making what MM did. So theoretically, if Niele wanted three assc. head coaches, she could pay for Coquese to join Beth and Carol. Maybe, Niele would also want to have a Director of Player Recruitment and Retention? Many schools are developing these roles, recognizing how important it is to stay with a player from propsect to grad. Mike seems a natural.
As you say, ND can probably afford as Niele is probably not - yet - getting Muffet money (and of course there is money coming from outside ND to pay coaches)
Add Coquese for all the reasons mentione, move Mike to Recruiting coordinator (or whatever you name the position). I know there are rules to what "coaches" can do and whatever other staff can do, but it's definitely a group effort.
on in some other position if in fact she is the one that's out? She is after all one of Niele's girls!
No postion that was in existence, but maybe one that other program use...
If Carol were leaving, none of the remaining coaches have played underneath and therefore probably wouldn't be considered expert at coaching those positions.
Whoever is leaving, I hope it was their decision and leaving on their own volition. I know it is a business, but this staff has served well both as coaches, and some, as players at ND
I was hoping if Ivey were to make changes to her staff that they would be positive ones.
I'm not sure anyone can look at her tenure at PSU and not have some reservations.
My glass half full comment on this would be maybe she will be a much better assistant/recruiter than she was HC.
are two positions that have very different responsibilities that require different skill sets....albeit with some commonality. This also applies to Ivey.
PSU success w/ CW centered around Maggie Lucas & Alex Bentley. When the 2 WNBA players graduated,CW had failed to recruit at the same level.
However, they still got transfers from UConn, Duke and weren't able to coach them up to success.
Losing asst coach Chmiel was the biggest factor in the program and CW's failure.
..she was an assitant coach to Muffet from 199-2007, raising to Assc. Head Coach in charge of recruiting. During that time, she was on the coaching staff that won the first national championship.
- During that time, as Cbiebel has pointed out, she worked with the starting point guard, one Niele Ivey. So there's undoubtedly a positive enough connection there for Niele to want to bring her back. Assuming Carol Owens is back, that will give her two assistants with HC experience.
- As poor as four of her last five years were, she intially built the team up into a top-flight unit from 2010-14, led by the spectacular Maggie Lucas.
- Per your recruiting reference, she does know her native Michigan area, as well as Penn State places of interest, from Maryland and eastern PA. to New Jersey.
- Coquese is something of a 40-year story from ND. Besides playing professionally and coaching, she's got her law degree and worked hard with the players' union. Great example for recruits.
-- Actually thought her recruiting class of 2019 was pretty good. A couple of her incoming kids got off to good starts with Carolyn Kieger; others didn't.