Duke Coach Steps Down

#4
#4
I read the article in my newspaper this morning. She announced her departure in a 6 minute video posted Thursday on Duke's twitter account. She stated that she's choosing to step away saying she wants to bring "clarity instead of uncertainty". She wants to help provide an opportunity for change & growth with a sense of security relative to the future of the program. So whatever that is suppose to mean for the Duke team I have no clue.....the article said that she's 54 years old. I think she still has a life in coaching somewhere else if she chooses to do so.

Then the article talks about her win-loss records at the colleges that she had been a coach.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: StarRaider, VolnJC, Volfaninfl2 and 3 others
#5
#5
Seems to me she was in a similar position to Holly after the 17-18 season. Everyone could see the writing on the wall. Rather than give her hope it sounds like Duke went ahead and notified her that her contract likely would not be renewed so she opted to step down and allow them to select a new coach. Sounds like her goal is to provide transparency and prevent all the rumors from affecting the team. IMO it is a classy move.

I think she would really excel as a coach at a military institution. She seems to be a pretty hardline disciplinarian and I think she would fit great in a program like that.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: StarRaider, W.TN.Orange Blood, sport3500 and 2 others
#10
#10
That Duke job is a gold mine when you have Coach K on the faculty roster to bounce ideas off of and introduce to potential recruits on their visits.
 
#11
#11
sport3500 said:
That Duke job is a gold mine when you have Coach K on the faculty roster to bounce ideas off of and introduce to potential recruits on their visits.
Click to expand...

I have a strong feeling Goestenkors will be back at Duke. She left there on good terms I believe. She was just burned out and going through a divorce. I think she and Coach K had a great relationship and the student body seemed to love her. I remember people being really sad she was leaving. She could have them back to contending for Final Fours in no time. Her stop at Texas wasn’t great, but their athletics department was a mess around that time and her hands were kind of tied.

I think if she wants the Duke job back it’s hers. She has indicated over the last year that she would like to get back into coaching at the college level.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OL SMOKEY, sport3500 and Volfaninfl2
#13
#13
VolBall09 said:
I have a strong feeling Goestenkors will be back at Duke. She left there on good terms I believe. She was just burned out and going through a divorce.
Click to expand...

Duke pretty much said "see ya" when Texas came calling, despite Duke having just won the last two ACC championships, and them being the #1 overall seed that season and the national runner-up the season before. They showed her no respect or appreciation, so it might have been good terms on Gail's part, but certainly wasn't on the part of Duke. And their reward was getting a mediocre coach that treats players and assistants like garbage.
 
  • Like
Reactions: stlvolsfan
#14
#14
volman128 said:
Duke pretty much said "see ya" when Texas came calling, despite Duke having just won the last two ACC championships, and them being the #1 overall seed that season and the national runner-up the season before. They showed her no respect or appreciation, so it might have been good terms on Gail's part, but certainly wasn't on the part of Duke. And their reward was getting a mediocre coach that treats players and assistants like garbage.
Click to expand...

Direct quote form the athletic director at the time that they were disappointed she was choosing to leave. Doesn’t really sound like “don’t let the door hit ya” to me.

I do think Shae Ralph could be on their short list as well. I don’t see her leaving UCONN though. She is a North Carolina native though and would likely be a great fit at Duke.
 

Attachments

  • 85F124A9-D1D0-4F08-8D02-0A19D403127D.jpeg
    85F124A9-D1D0-4F08-8D02-0A19D403127D.jpeg
    480.2 KB · Views: 25
  • Like
Reactions: sport3500
#16
#16
VolBall09 said:
Direct quote form the athletic director at the time that they were disappointed she was choosing to leave. Doesn’t really sound like “don’t let the door hit ya” to me.

I do think Shae Ralph could be on their short list as well. I don’t see her leaving UCONN though. She is a North Carolina native though and would likely be a great fit at Duke.
Click to expand...

They/he may have been disappointed she was choosing to leave, but he/they did absolutely nothing to attempt to get her to stay!

Jim
 
  • Like
Reactions: stlvolsfan and creekdipper
#18
#18
VolBall09 said:
And you know that how? I’m sure there were negotiations when she notified them.
Click to expand...

A number of people who were in the know and were aware of the requests that were made were very vocal in their disregard for the position taken by Joe Alleva and reported that he rejected all of her requests, including the relatively moderate raise she requested. The other requests were for program money and money for her assistants.

Jim
 
  • Like
Reactions: stlvolsfan and VolBall09
#19
#19
VolBall09 said:
And you know that how? I’m sure there were negotiations when she notified them.
Click to expand...

Actually, there were no negotiations. Duke really didn't try to keep her, and it broke Gail's heart because she wanted to stay at the place she loved. But because the way the Duke AD handled it was so shockingly disinterested ["We wish her well in future endeavors"], Goestenkors felt she had no choice but to leave. I've often said that all Duke had to do to get her to stay was to act like she mattered to the university. Instead, they let her go as if the success she'd had there had meant nothing. It was shameful, and the program has never been the same since.
 
  • Like
Reactions: stlvolsfan, sport3500, Amb3096 and 5 others
#20
#20
lvocd said:
Actually, there were no negotiations. Duke really didn't try to keep her, and it broke Gail's heart because she wanted to stay at the place she loved. But because the way the Duke AD handled it was so shockingly disinterested ["We wish her well in future endeavors"], Goestenkors felt she had no choice but to leave. I've often said that all Duke had to do to get her to stay was to act like she mattered to the university. Instead, they let her go as if the success she'd had there had meant nothing. It was shameful, and the program has never been the same since.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that clarification! Still think they’d have her back.
 
#22
#22
lvocd said:
Actually, there were no negotiations. Duke really didn't try to keep her, and it broke Gail's heart because she wanted to stay at the place she loved. But because the way the Duke AD handled it was so shockingly disinterested ["We wish her well in future endeavors"], Goestenkors felt she had no choice but to leave. I've often said that all Duke had to do to get her to stay was to act like she mattered to the university. Instead, they let her go as if the success she'd had there had meant nothing. It was shameful, and the program has never been the same since.
Click to expand...

Precisely. All of this.
 
#23
#23
VolBall09 said:
Seems to me she was in a similar position to Holly after the 17-18 season. Everyone could see the writing on the wall. Rather than give her hope it sounds like Duke went ahead and notified her that her contract likely would not be renewed so she opted to step down and allow them to select a new coach. Sounds like her goal is to provide transparency and prevent all the rumors from affecting the team. IMO it is a classy move.

I think she would really excel as a coach at a military institution. She seems to be a pretty hardline disciplinarian and I think she would fit great in a program like that.
Click to expand...
I really believe Duke wants to return to the glory days. Duke was a major factor in the ACC until ND and Louisville joined the league. Now Duke has fallen behind NCSU, ND, Louisville, SU and NCU is on the rise. The Duke program, because of its prestige, recruits for itself, however, recruitment has fallen off.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VolBall09
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top