armchair
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If I had to pick/hire a coach to lead our women's program, it would be Courtney Banghart of Princeton.
She is smart, dynamic, competitive, was a player herself--and her Princeton team has dominated the Ivy League for several years. Two years ago they were 30-0 and ranked 13th in the country before being beaten in the NCAA tourney--no easy feat for an Ivy team. She was the national Coach of the Year that year. She was an all-Ivy League player herself--at Dartmouth. She is youngish--late 30s--and so still very much in the prime of her career as opposed to veteran coaches who are past their coaching prime. THAT is a serious consideration.
She is the total package, in my mind, and reminds me of a youngish VanDerveer of Stanford. We need an infusion of intelligence in this program--we do not play smart basketball most of the time and haven't for years. She has the qualities needed to take us back to the top, assuming our recruiting with her would be strong--and why wouldn't it be? I would run, not walk, to Princeton in an effort to hire Banghart. There is a noticeable culture gap between Princeton/Princeton, N.J. and UT/Knoxville, which might be a consideration, but otherwise what's not to like? A big program is going to hire Banghart soon--IF she is interested in moving up and coaching a big program. She may not be; may be happy where she is, who knows. But, IMO, Banghart would be an outstanding choice. She also has a subtle connection to Summitt, but you'll have to Google to find it.
- GoPrincetonTigers.com | Princeton Athletics
She is smart, dynamic, competitive, was a player herself--and her Princeton team has dominated the Ivy League for several years. Two years ago they were 30-0 and ranked 13th in the country before being beaten in the NCAA tourney--no easy feat for an Ivy team. She was the national Coach of the Year that year. She was an all-Ivy League player herself--at Dartmouth. She is youngish--late 30s--and so still very much in the prime of her career as opposed to veteran coaches who are past their coaching prime. THAT is a serious consideration.
She is the total package, in my mind, and reminds me of a youngish VanDerveer of Stanford. We need an infusion of intelligence in this program--we do not play smart basketball most of the time and haven't for years. She has the qualities needed to take us back to the top, assuming our recruiting with her would be strong--and why wouldn't it be? I would run, not walk, to Princeton in an effort to hire Banghart. There is a noticeable culture gap between Princeton/Princeton, N.J. and UT/Knoxville, which might be a consideration, but otherwise what's not to like? A big program is going to hire Banghart soon--IF she is interested in moving up and coaching a big program. She may not be; may be happy where she is, who knows. But, IMO, Banghart would be an outstanding choice. She also has a subtle connection to Summitt, but you'll have to Google to find it.
- GoPrincetonTigers.com | Princeton Athletics