Guru's Musings: Old Guard Takes Another Hit With Jim Foster's Exit From Ohio State

By Mel Greenberg

The Guru will comment sometime further in the next 24 hours about the departure of Jim Foster from Ohio State, but will point out that here in Philadelphia he was there at the very beginning when the Guru started what became the Associated Press women’s basketball.

Though it may be a while before getting reaction and doing a further writing on the topic, here is a comment from Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw that was emailed from Chris Masters, her sports information director, upon the Guru’s request.

McGraw replaced Geno Auriemma as an assistant at Saint Joseph’s to Foster in the early 1980s.

“Jim is a hall of fame coach with a tremendous record for developing talent and having long-term success at several schools. Personally, he has been a mentor and friend for more than 30 years and I’m grateful for the guidance and support he’s shown throughout my career.

“The women’s basketball community and the coaching profession are losing a great role model and advocate, someone who has given everything to this sport for more than three decades. I wish nothing but the best for both he and Donna.”

At the close of business in the 37th edition of the AP poll for 2012-13 on Monday Foster was one of nine coaches to lead three different teams in the poll, making him second behind Rutgers’ C. Vivian Stringer in terms of total rankings combined (407-370) and ahead of Gary Blair, who is third with 282.

On the all-time list for everyone who has had teams in the AP Poll, Foster was 7th and ahead of North Carolina’s Sylvia Hatchell (344). On the active list, unless he lands somewhere else, Foster’s departure moves Hatchell up to fifth behind Auriemma.

Sometimes it is forgotten as time moves on but Foster is the latest notable in recent years to be out of the profession.

Here’s is a list, their placement on the all-time list, and total rankings of notable people not active on the sidelines for all the various reasons.

Pat Summitt, Tennessee, 1, 618 – missed only 14 rankings at the time of her resignation.
Jody Conradt, Texas, 6, 395.
Rene Portland, Penn State/Saint Joseph’s,9, 336
Debbie Ryan, Virginia, 10, 328
*-Kay Yow, North Carolina State, 11, 326
Leon Barmore, Louisiana Tech, 12, 325 including 51 share with Sonja Hogg
Gail Goestenkors, Duke, Texas, 13, 295
Joe Ciampi, Auburn, 14, 290 – Currently an assistant in the WNBA
*-Sue Gunter, LSU/Stephen F. Austin, 16, 270
Marsha Sharp, Texas Tech, 18, 264
Van Chancellor, LSU/Mississippi, 19, 261 – Also coached in WNBA
Chris Weller, Maryland, 21, 227
Theresa Grentz, Rutgers, Illinois, 22, 225
Marianne Stanley, Old Dominion/Southern Cal/Stanford-1996, 26, 183
*-Deceased

Rankings and Conference Changes

The math won’t be done until the shifts go into place but here are schools that have been ranked in the AP Poll and will be taking their numbers with them in terms of current conference affilation – conference at time of ranking is a separate category.

The conference called unnamed is the Big East football surviving group that has to form under a new moniker.

Cincinnati – Big East to unnamed
Connecticut – Big East to unnamed
Louisville --- Big East to unnamed and in 2014-15 to ACC
Maryland – ACC to Big Ten in 2014-15
Rutgers – Big East to unnamed and in 2014=15 to ACC
Tulane – Conference USA to unnamed in 2014-15
Notre Dame – Big East to ACC
DePaul – Big East to neo-Big East
FIU – Sun Belt to Conference USA
Georgetown -- Big East to neo-Big East
Georgia State -- CAA to Sun Belt
Houston -- Conference USA to unnamed
Louisiana Tech – WAC to Conference USA
Marquette – Big East to neo-Big East
Memphis – Conference USA to unnamed
Middle Tennessee – Sun Belt to Conference USA
Old Dominion – CAA to Conference USA
Pittsburgh – Big East to ACC
Providence – Big East to neo-Big East
St. John’s – Big East to neo-Big East
Seton Hall – Big East to neo-Big East
Syracuse – Big East to ACC
Temple – Atlantic 10 to unnamed
Villanova – Big East to neo-Big East
(possibly Xavier – Atlantic 10 to neo-Big East)
(possibly Creighton – Missouri Valley to neo-Big East)

All seven Catholic instutions shiftng from the Big East to the neo-Big East have appeared in the AP Poll.

Rookie Coaches in the Post Season

While doing some lists, how about a look at who made the postseason from the last record carousel of 43 of the 75 first-time head coaches:

Jennifer Roos – Bowling Green (WNIT)
Natasha Adair – Charleston (WBI)
Joe Haigh - St. Francis, Pa. (WBI)
Laura Beeman – Hawaii (WNIT)
Tarrell Robinson – North Carolina AT (WNIT)
Joe Tartamella – St. John’s (NCAA)
Holly Warlick – Tennessee (NCAA)
Michelle Clark-Heard – Western Kentucky (WNIT)
Kevin Cook – Winthrop (WNIT)

Old Faces at New Places

Kim Barnes Arico – Michigan (NCAA)
Brady Sallee – Ball State (WNIT)
Cynthia Cooper-Dyke – Texas Southern (WNIT)
Matt Bollant – Illinois (WNIT)
Terry Williams-Flournoy – Auburn (WNIT)
Kevin Borseth -- Wis.-Green Bay (NCAA)

And that’s it for the moment.

-- Mel


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad