Kim Caldwell (Rookie Coach of the Year-WBCA) is named Head Coach of Iconic Lady Vols WBB

[VolFuture]

I just checked the Marshall message board and they say Kim Stephens is a done deal to us.

All 3 of their posters?

 

[Deebowbear]

Seem like a Brenda Freese hire coming

I like that hire if it’s her

 

[ERvolsfan]

For the Kelly Graves is the reason Fortier is successful she just maintained what he left.

I feel like that argument only works for 1 recruiting class, the first few years. But that argument is void when she has dominated for 10 years, and her worst year was 2nd year which indicates she had to build and develop her own program.

Not dismissing Graves, I just believe Fortier's success is her own, and deserves said respect.

 

[VolBall09]

If it’s a big name and a splash hire I think we find out tomorrow unless it is Dawn Staley. Would be great PR to announce the same day as the final is it’s going to be a point of pride.

 

[VolBall09]

I just checked the Marshall message board and they say Kim Stephens is a done deal to us.

Probably the Hayes’ sisters parents lmao. We know how they can be.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

It just appears it doesn’t sound like the HR hire DW thought he could get, more like the backup plan

I didn’t mean to say that and haven’t heard that. I’ve heard they are very happy and believe they got a great coach. I might never know if that was their number one or not. I’ve known since the beginning some of the definite “no” candidates, but still don’t know the hire.

 

[ERvolsfan]

I’m just excited to know who at this point. I have faith Danny did not take this lightly, removing Harper to hire an up and comer or lateral coach makes little sense.

Unless their working relationship was completely untenable I don’t see him firing Kellie to replace her with a lesser coach or someone with less experience. Harper had 15 years of HC experience when hired, don’t think we see less than that personally.

I agree with the sentiment and thought process. It's same way I'm looking at this move, you don't make it to rebuild, you make it to advance/upgrade.

However I don't know it's 15 years of experience benchmark... But I do agree it will be a more proven resume. I think the benchmark maybe 10 with high winning pctg.

 

[Volstylexx]

I would be ecstatic if it were Brenda Frese. I didn't feel that way a few days ago, but the more I've learned about her situation at Maryland the more I think the move to UT would be beneficial to both parties. She's a winnner. Outside the "family" tree but a woman - so that would be a 50/50 win for anyone left from the old school way of thinking. She was killed this year by NIL at Maryland. Folks forget she recruited and signed Angel Reese and then lost her to LSU due to no NIL funding with the Terps. She is one of a handful of existing coaches in the game who have won a National Championship. She's won nearly 80% of her games over a 24 year coaching career. She is only 54 years old. She would be a HR hire, imo. even if she wasn't on my initial list of "wants."

 

[VolFuture]

I would be ecstatic if it were Brenda Frese. I didn't feel that way a few days ago, but the more I've learned about her situation at Maryland the more I think the move to UT would be beneficial to both parties. She's a winnner. Outside the "family" tree but a woman - so that would be a 50/50 win for anyone left from the old school way of thinking. She was killed this year by NIL at Maryland. Folks forget she recruited and signed Angel Reese and then lost her to LSU due to no NIL funding with the Terps. She is one of a handful of existing coaches in the game who have won a National Championship. She's won nearly 80% of her games over a 24 year coaching career. She is only 54 years old. She would be a HR hire, imo. even if she wasn't on my initial list of "wants."

Dear Santa,

See above.

 

[Voltopia]

I would be ecstatic if it were Brenda Frese. I didn't feel that way a few days ago, but the more I've learned about her situation at Maryland the more I think the move to UT would be beneficial to both parties. She's a winnner. Outside the "family" tree but a woman - so that would be a 50/50 win for anyone left from the old school way of thinking. She was killed this year by NIL at Maryland. Folks forget she recruited and signed Angel Reese and then lost her to LSU due to no NIL funding with the Terps. She is one of a handful of existing coaches in the game who have won a National Championship. She's won nearly 80% of her games over a 24 year coaching career. She is only 54 years old. She would be a HR hire, imo. even if she wasn't on my initial list of "wants."

She also employed a lot of negative recruiting against Tennessee — and Summitt — back in the 2000s. Never forgotten that. Will never forget it.

 

[Volinnooga]

If it’s a big name and a splash hire I think we find out tomorrow unless it is Dawn Staley. Would be great PR to announce the same day as the final is it’s going to be a point of pride.

Do people really believe there’s a chance Staley would come to TN?

 

[SGMVols]

Do people really believe there’s a chance Staley would come to TN?

There’s a better chance I get a date with Sydney Sweeney. People need to get a grip. She isn’t going to leave SC and has no good reason to do so.

 

[Volstylexx]

She also employed a lot of negative recruiting against Tennessee — and Summitt — back in the 2000s. Never forgotten that. Will never forget it.

I don't know the specifics of that, or the truth of it. I imagine 80% of Lady Vols wouldn't know or care, and I think you might even soften when the wins start rolling in again.

 

[papatomany]

Eight years ago, deep in the woods of West Virginia, a young woman stumbled through a door at tiny Glenville State college. The school
was experiencing hard times--it had only 311 students and 3 majors---Coal Mining, Appalachia Wood Carving and Steep Hill Farming. A recent fire had destroyed much of the 3-building campus, sparing only the old barn that served as the gym for the school's women's basketball team, the only team the school could afford to support, and that one only barely. The gym had wooden backboards and old aluminum lawn chairs for seats. The Pioneer players played in their bare feet--there was no money for shoes. The coach had abandoned the team a few weeks earlier---midway through its 11-game schedule--running off with a bootlegger who'd stolen her father's car.

The young woman at the door was a waif, as pitiable as the school. Her clothes were tattered, her hair a tangled mess. She'd run away from the tumbledown cabin where she lived with six sisters, four brothers and several cats. Her parents, poor and beaten down by hard luck, spent most of their time staring at a black-and-white TV. The young woman fled in the night, seeking a better life. She had in her possession only a threadbare sack and an uncooked potato.

The school president, a former used-car dealer named Amos, asked the young woman what was in the sack. She pulled out... an old basketball. She told Amos that she love basketball--it was the only joy in her life. She used to dribble the ball on a dirt path around her family's cabin until her father, tired of the thumping sound, threatened to shoot the ball with his shotgun. She would sneak into local high-school games, where she learned the rudiments of basketball tactics and team motivation by observing the coaches scream at their players. "I've only got a fourth-grade education," she admitted to Amos, "but I know a little bit about basketball." Amos scratched his stubble and replied: "We need a basketball coach."

And thus began the most unusual Division II success story of all time. Under the young woman's tutelage, the barefoot Pioneers of Glenville State won all five of its remaining games by whopping margins. The new, unknown coach never yelled at her charges, only whispered in their ears during timeouts. And, yet, so fast and furious was the team's style of play that the court's floorboards started to crack. Amos, encouraged by the team's unexpected success, expanded the schedule to 30 games, gave the new and mysterious coach a $15 raise and, thanks to a donation from a Coal Dust Rectification company, bought the team new sneakers. The next season the Pioneers went 29-1, and from there the team dominated the modest Mountain East Conference for the next seven seasons--averaging 212 points a game. For all the success, the team's 40 fans could leaern little about their astounding whiz of a coach. She'd ride off on a bike after every practice and game, disappearing into the woods that she knew best. There were rumors that she lived in a tent and read books by John Wooden by lantern light at night. But they were only rumors. All anyone could say with certainty was her name....Kim Stephens.

So, if she doesn't work out as coach, at least we'll have the movie rights.

 

[SGMVols]

She also employed a lot of negative recruiting against Tennessee — and Summitt — back in the 2000s. Never forgotten that. Will never forget it.

Well part of your job as a coach is to sell recruits why you are a better fit than the other team.

 

[Batman1948]

Key is not a star, just a solid role player.

Cooper is a total unknown since no one has seen her play at this level.

Spear was good as the Robin to Rickea’s Batman. But can she handle being Batman?

Stop with the stupid talk----I'm Batman

 

[House|RockyTop]

There were proven coaches with championship resumes involved in this coaching search from day one, that is why I don’t understand why a 4k thread turned so controversial. It is a known fact that the fanatics on this forum are the same ones on Twitter that will say and do anything to be seen on the Internet. Although, the coaching search behind the scenes and from sources has been managed successfully. You certainly interview all candidates when you announce this is a nationwide search which is what DW did. The candidates that move on as finalists after being vetted might not always be common fans top choice which is where these leaks and rumors from journalists took off despite being false. People keep focusing on names like Staley and Geno to distract from the point that Tennessee with a new coach and boosters funding a NIL collective for female basketball players is reshaping the WBB landscape.
I maintain that the announcement could come as early as this weekend.

 

[WVU05UT09]

I just checked the Marshall message board and they say Kim Stephens is a done deal to us.

Small world. Just realized my college roommates sister played ball at Glenville. Graduated the year before Kim started.

I believe they can relax.

 

[Mafiaboss]

I believe I'm beginning to catch on why Kellie avoided some of these donors.

Yep. Never satisfied.

 

[UTtoDC]

I’m going to go ahead and post this so I don’t get accused of not supporting anyone because I wanted Kellie to stay.
I will support anyone but Jeff and Brenda. They are just not fits with the Lady Vol culture in so many ways! Candace will disown us if it is Brenda.

Did something happen between Brenda and Candace?

 

[Volstylexx]

There were proven coaches with championship resumes involved in this coaching search from day one, that is why I don’t understand why a 4k thread turned so controversial. It is a known fact that the fanatics on this forum are the same ones on Twitter that will say and do anything to be seen on the Internet. Although, the coaching search behind the scenes and from sources has been managed successfully. You certainly interview all candidates when you announce this is a nationwide search which is what DW did. The candidates that move on as finalists after being vetted might not always be common fans top choice which is where when these leaks and rumors from journalists took off despite being false. People keep focusing on names like Staley and Geno to distract from the point that Tennessee with a new coach and boosters funding a NIL collective from female basketball players is reshaping the WBB landscape.
I maintain that the announcement could come as early as this weekend.

This is completely opposite of what you said last night. Did you already forget what you said?

 

[SGMVols]

It’s usually not SOP for a hire to be announced on a weekend. I’d be surprised if we heard an official announcement before Monday. Though someone in the media may leak it sooner if they find out

 

[Cb153181]

There were proven coaches with championship resumes involved in this coaching search from day one, that is why I don’t understand why a 4k thread turned so controversial. It is a known fact that the fanatics on this forum are the same ones on Twitter that will say and do anything to be seen on the Internet. Although, the coaching search behind the scenes and from sources has been managed successfully. You certainly interview all candidates when you announce this is a nationwide search which is what DW did. The candidates that move on as finalists after being vetted might not always be common fans top choice which is where when these leaks and rumors from journalists took off despite being false. People keep focusing on names like Staley and Geno to distract from the point that Tennessee with a new coach and boosters funding a NIL collective from female basketball players is reshaping the WBB landscape.
I maintain that the announcement could come as early as this weekend.

Do you know who the hire is?

 

[VolBall09]

Do people really believe there’s a chance Staley would come to TN?

81 million votes

 

[Mafiaboss]

Probably the Hayes’ sisters parents lmao. We know how they can be.