Guru's Data Base: AP Poll Notes

By Mel Greenberg

Louisville became the 140th team to crack the Associated Press women's poll Monday in the 31-year history of the rankings.

The Cardinals, who entered at No. 24, are the third team from Kentucky to earn a spot from the voters following former appearances by Western Kentucky and current appearances by Kentucky.

Coach Tom Collen joined the doubles club which is a little less exclusive than the triples club of coaches with different teams in the poll. He previously coached at Colorado State and led the team to a national ranking, although one could make the case that future New York Liberty walk-on Becky Hammon in the WNBA had a word or two to say about that team's past success.

We'll run the lists and other updates with coaches in the poll at the bottom of this report.

Rutgers' setback to Pepperdine dropped the Scarlet Knights from 14th to 18th, the lowest ranking since being 24th the last week of December, 1994.

Coach C. Vivian Stringer's team then did an immediate about-face, beating three top-five teams and in turn making the fastest rise in history to the top five over a two-week stretch.

Rutgers meets Penn State in the Virgin Islands Friday for the first time since the two former Atlantic Ten rulers met in a season opener in November,1997, at Rutgers after the Scarlet Knights had moved on to the Big East and Penn State to the Big Ten.

The two came close to meeting in the Women's Final Four in Philadelphia in 2000, well, sort of close, but Tennessee beat Rutgers while Connecticut beat Penn State in the semifinals.

Penn State coach Rene Portland is a former teammate of Rutgers assistant coach Marianne Stanley at Immaculata during the Mighty Macs' national championship era in the early 1970s.

Stringer is fourth on the all-time appearance list of coaches in the AP rankings with 347 from three different schools. Portland is fifth at 336 off of a stint at St. Joseph's in Philadelphia before moving on to Colorado and eventually Penn State.

In some historical trivia known only by the Guru, Portland actually had a de-facto two teams ranked at the same time because her former Colorado team cracked the rankings the same time her Nittany Lions' bunch appeared soon after her arrival.

Anyhow, our data-man Dylan Purcell here might run some stats later Tuesday but enjoy some of these notes also being kept manually as the season rolls along.

Dylan is also working on a plan to eventually get the poll history interactive at Philly.com, part of the special features the Guru's minions here are attempting to augment the Guru's season-long road to Knoxville, Tenn., in June for his recently-announced impending induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Anyhow, here's the list which will also include a breakout list of doubles rankings at the bottom.

By Mel Greenberg
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Quick hits on AP poll (week 3) for coaches thru week No. 3 of the 2006-07 poll

(This is 520th poll after week 3). (Records on pages through Monday, 11/20/06)

Coaches With Three Ranked Teams

C. Vivian Stringer (Cheyney-85), (Iowa-155), (Rutgers-107), 347
Jim Foster (St. Joe-35), (Vanderbilt-164), Ohio St.-59), 258
Marianne Stanley (Old Dominion-141), (Southern Cal-24), (Stanford*-18), 183
Gary Blair (Stephen F. Austin-79), (Arkansas-67), (Texas A&M-9), 155
Lin Dunn (Miami-2), (Mississippi-1), (Purdue-130), 133
Don Perrelli (Northwestern-52), (S. Conn.-20), (St. John’s-1), 73
Sharon Fanning (Kentucky-4), (Miss. St.-46), (Tenn.-Chattannoga-4), 54
Debbie Yow (Florida-2), (Kentucky-21), (Oral Roberts-1), 24

Co-Coaches
Kittie Blakemore, Scott Harrelson – West Virginia 8
Sonja Hogg, Leon Barmore – Louisiana Tech 51
Jill Hutchison, Linda Fischer – Illinois St. 3
Jim Jarrett, Joyce Patterson – Georgia St. 1
Marianne Stanley, Amy Tucker – Stanford 18
Jim Bolla, Sheila Strike – UNLV 18

Coaches All Time Ranking Appearances

1. Pat Summitt, Tennessee – 506 (missed just 14 polls in entire AP history)
2. Andy Landers, Georgia – 398
3. Jody Conradt, Texas – 389
4. C. Vivian Stringer (3 schools – Cheyney, Iowa, Rutgers) – 347
5. Rene Portland (2 schools – St. Joseph, Penn St.) – 336
6. **-Leon Barmore, Louisiana Tech (51-shared with Sonja Hogg) – 325
7. Kay Yow, North Caro. St. – 323
8. Tara VanDerveer (2 schools – Ohio St., Stanford) – 314
9. Debbie Ryan, Virginia – 292
10.**-Joe Ciampi, Auburn – 290
11. Geno Auriemma, Connecticut, 274
12. **-Sue Gunter (2 schools – Stephen F. Austin, LSU) – 270
13. Joan Bonvicini (2 schools – Long Beach, Arizona) - 267
14. **-Marsha Sharp, Texas Tech – 264
15. Jim Foster (3 schools – St. Joseph’s, Vanderbilt, Ohio St.) – 258
16. **-Chris Weller, Maryland - 227
17. Theresa Grentz (2 schools – Rutgers, Illinois) – 225
18. Sylvia Hatchell, North Carolina – 224
19. **-Van Chancellor, Mississippi – 221
20. Gail Goestenkors, Duke – 213
21. **-Marianne Stanley (3 schools – Old Dominion, Southern Cal, Stanford*) – 183
22. **-Paul Sanderford (2 schools – W. Kentucky, Nebraska) – 182
23. **-Marian Washington, Kansas – 176
24. Gary Blair, (3 schools – Stephen F. Austin, Arkansas, Texas A&M) – 155
25. **-Ceal Barry, Colorado – 142
**-Not in college or not in as a head coach

Active Coaches-All Time AP Ranking Appearances

1. Pat Summitt, Tennessee – 506 (missed just 14 polls in entire AP history)
2. Andy Landers, Georgia – 398
3. Jody Conradt, Texas – 389
4. C. Vivian Stringer (3 schools – Cheyney, Iowa, Rutgers) – 347
5. Rene Portland (2 schools – St. Joseph, Penn St.) – 336
6. Kay Yow, North Caro. St. – 323
7. Tara VanDerveer (2 schools – Ohio St., Stanford) – 314
8. Debbie Ryan, Virginia – 292
9. Geno Auriemma, Connecticut – 274
10. Joan Bonvicini (2 schools – Long Beach, Arizona) - 267
11 Jim Foster (3 schools – St. Joseph’s, Vanderbilt, Ohio St.) – 258
12. Theresa Grentz (2 schools – Rutgers, Illinois) – 225
13. Sylvia Hatchell, North Carolina – 224
14. Gail Goestenkors, Duke – 213
15. Gary Blair, (3 schools – Stephen F. Austin, Arkansas, Texas A&M) – 155
16. Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame – 139
17.Wendy Larry, Old Dominion – 127
18. ()()-Kristy Curry, Purdue – 123
19. Carol Ross, (2 schools – Florida, Mississippi) - 112
20. )))-Chris Gobrecht (Washington) - 104
21. Sherri Coale, Oklahoma – 100
22. Cathy Inglese (2 school - Boston College, Vermont) – 98
23. ---Jane Albright (N. Illinois, Wisconsin) _ 96
24. Bill Fennelly, (2 schools – Toledo, Iowa) – 95
25. Joe McKeown, George Washington – 83
26. Melanie Balcomb (2 schools – Xavier, Vanderbilt) – 81
27. Doug Bruno, DePaul – 79
28. Kim Mulkey-Robertson, Baylor – 76
29. &&-Jim Bolla, UNLV* – 75
29. Pam Borton, Minnesota – 75
31. Debbie Patterson, Kansas St. – 67
32. Joanne P. McCallie, Michigan St. – 56
33. Sharon Fanning (3 schools – Tenn.-Chattanooga, Kentucky, Miss. St.) – 54
33. Mark French, UC Santa Barbara – 54
35. Kathy Olivier, UCLA 52
36. @@-Cheryl Burnett, Missouri St., 51
37. Elaine Elliott, Utah – 45
38. Brenda Frese (2 schools, Minnesota, Maryland) – 46
39. Harry Perretta, Villanova – 44
40. ##-Kurt Budke, Louisiana Tech. – 42
41. Pokey Chatman, LSU – 40
42. ++-Bonnie Henrickson, Virginia Tech – 36
43. Tom Collen, (2 schools, Colorado St., Louisville) – 35
44. Lisa Stockton, Tulane – 34
45. June Daugherty (2 schools – Boise St., Washington) 32
&&-Active at Hawaii (Shared 18 with Sheila Strike); @@-Active at Michigan; ##-Active at Oklahoma St.; ++-Active at Kansas; )))-Active at Yale; ---Active at Wichita St.; ()()-Active at Texas Tech.

The Doubles List

Doubles Club

*-Rene Portland (2 schools - St. Joseph, Penn St.) - 336
*-Tara VanDerveer (2 schools - Ohio St., Stanford) - 314
Sue Gunter (2 schools - Stephen F. Austin, LSU) - 270
*-Joan Bonvicini (2 schools - Long Beach, Arizona) - 267
*-Theresa Grentz (2 schools - Rutgers, Illinois) - 225
Paul Sanderford (2 schools - W. Kentucky, Nebraska) - 182
*- Carol Ross, (2 schools - Florida, Mississippi) - 112
*- Cathy Inglese (2 school - Boston College, Vermont) - 98
*&--Jane Albright (N. Illinois, Wisconsin) _ 96
&-currently at Wichita St.
*- Bill Fennelly, (2 schools - Toledo, Iowa) - 95
*- Melanie Balcomb (2 schools - Xavier, Vanderbilt) - 81
Lynn Hickey (2 schools -- Kansas St., Texas A&M) - 64 .
Pam Parsons (2 schools -- Old Dominion, South Carolina) -- 49
*- Brenda Frese (2 schools, Minnesota, Maryland) - 46
.*- Tom Collen, (2 schools, Colorado St., Louisville) - 35
*- June Daugherty (2 schools - Boise St., Washington) - 32
* - Carolyn Peck (2 schools -- Purdue, Florida) - 29
Marynell Meadors (2 schools -- Tennessee Tech, Florida St.) - 21
Ellen Mosher (2 schools -- UCLA, Minnesota) - 20
*$- Maura McHugh (2 schools -- Oklahoma, Arizona St.) -- 18
$ - currently at Stony Brook
* - Lisa Bluder (2 schools -- Iowa, Drake) -- 13
*- Beth Burns (2 schools -- San Diego St., Ohio St. ) -- 10