Long Beach State Athletics!: Re: My suggested candidates for WBB head coach...

I like Jody too, but don't know if she's equipped to deal with our reality. Can she deal with her best 5 or 6 players leaving every year? Can she get a team with 75% of them new every year to play together as a team? Unless there's a sugar daddy who's planning to supply us with NIL money for Jody, I think a veteran D2 coach might work better. They never had NIL at D2, so no expectations. They have constant turnover year to year but still put together great or competitive teams (lower division of course). Just need a "general manager" who can help with scouting the D2, D3, and JUCO ranks for players.

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My first choice is Jody Wynn. She knows LBSU and I like the system she runs. I spoke to her at an event at LBSU this year and I think she would be interested in returning. Of course the sporting environment has changed but that will affect all programs outside the P4 conferences that throw money at players.

A good D2 coach could also work and the example you gave is a good one. I would prefer a younger coach with a significant portion of their career in front of them. Drive and energy is needed and a young candidate may be a better choice than some of the older possibilities you referenced.

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In today’s environment where low-majors need to reset their rosters every year, it only makes sense to consider current head coaches with that type of experience. Most D1 assistant coaches don’t fit that bill, so Slytherin should forget about hiring a SDSU assistant and concentrate on these 3 SoCal D2 head coaches that have years of experience. They are, in no particular order:

Danelle Bishop, Cal Poly Pomona – Head coach for 16 years with a .658 winning percentage. Has made 1 D2 final four, 3 Elite Eights, and 4 Sweet 16’s.

Russ Davis, Vanguard – Head coach for 30 years with a .783 winning percentage.

Charity Elliott, Point Loma Nazarene University – 5 years at Point Loma with a .63 winning percentage. Head coach at D1 Loyola Marymount for 9 years and 5 years at UCSD before they went D1.

If you are skeptical about a D2 head coach, just look at what CSU Fullerton did last year. They hired John Bonner, former HC for Dominguez Hills. They went 18-14 after finishing 7-23 the year before under their previous coach.