C. Vivian Stringer Receives WBCA Betty F. Jaynes Lifetime Achievement Award - Rutgers University Athletics
Rutgers University Athletics
C. Vivian Stringer Receives WBCA Betty F. Jaynes Lifetime Achievement Award
- Thread starter Tango Two
- Start date
She's destroyed the program and fleeced the university for millions. It's criminal that her name is on the court.
The way she tried to stay when her health wouldn't permit it was wrong.
But too often the great ones ruin their legacy by trying to stay to long refusing their health won't return so they can lead thir program to victory again, like they did in their heyday .
Vivian's last 5 years produced 78-36 record , holding her accountable for when Eatman was interim HC because of CVS' ill fated LOA her last years produced a 89-56 record .
What really destroyed the program was how Hobbs didn't plan on her not returning and hiring someone ill equied to move the program forward.
But Stringer does share part of the blame for refusing to give up the Ghost and forcing Hobbs to wait till she admit her health problems wouldn't allow her to return .
Also for putting an unqualified person to take her place while she was on a year's LOA , even if Eatman proved adequate ,as her temporary HC replacement, few years back when he was interim HC for a short time while CVS was out sick.
Agreed. She singlehandedly ruined a once great program. Completely destroyed due to her greed and selfishness. That is her legacy at RU.
I'm a fan of Vivian , especially because of the way she kept RU WBB on top when the lack of institutional support made the other major programs close worthless .Name a better coach than CVS at Rutgers
But I'm torn about who was better Vivian or Theresa
Grentz was a winner that brought Rutgers a Championship in 1982 and was 434-150 in her 19 years at RU
I'll go with Theresa to answer your question and that's not a slight on CVS who was a great one in her heyday ( 2004 to 2008) and a good HC for 26 years at Rutgers ( 535–291)
Name a coach who wrecked a program any worse than CVS? Remember, Shea and Ash didn’t inherit above average programs to begin with. Her destruction was complete and absolute. From elite or uncompetitive.Name a better coach than CVS at Rutgers
Who left the program in better shape on the way out? That’s a huge part of one’s legacy.
Actually the team Grentz left wasn’t that great and she took two kids with her to IL when she left and a third that went a year later.
Oh for Christ sake, this same BS again. How do you know she "fleeced" the school of millions. The woman is a basketball genius, long before the
women's game really started.
You want to talk about an embarrassment, let's start with the disgusting pig Hobbs. I'll wait.
Should I go on...Pikell quickly comes to mind. Couldn't even win with Dylan, and Bailey. Or Jordan, or, the naked free throw guy. If you want to talk **** at least know what your talking about.
I hate to stir this pot but do you detest CVS because she is a black woman, and one of the most well known coaches while she was still coaching. Let me stop. Just reminded me to take my BP meds.
Sounds like you need lots of meds... Stringer was a plague on the university.
Pike and Schiano are bigger PLAGUES than CVS has ever been. They don't win. Football and Men's Basketball never have a winning record they haven't been ranked in the top 25 in years
I don't think folks are necessarily interested in engaging in a real conversation here, but to start:
This is a LIFETIME achievement award. Anyone who doesn't think CVS is worthy of a lifetime achievement award for her role in WCBB is not serious.
This is a LIFETIME achievement award. Anyone who doesn't think CVS is worthy of a lifetime achievement award for her role in WCBB is not serious.
- Stringer is the first coach in NCAA history to lead three different women's programs to the NCAA Final Four, including coaching in the first ever NCAA Championship game
- She is the fifth winningest coach in women's college basketball history (Lifetime record: 1055-426 (.712))
- So many of her RU players had lengthy WNBA careers, including three still playing now who have all been all stars (Copper, Laney-Hamilton, Wheeler)
- As one of the few prominent Black women's head coaches for decades (And it's not like the numbers now are high), she paved the way for folks like Dawn Staley, Carolyn Peck, Yolett McPhee-McCuin, and more--all people who have named her as a huge influence on their career
- And so much more, if you care to learn
Now, when it comes to the end of her career, a few things can be true. And while I'm not an expert on how things went down, it's fair to say she hung on too long. Her "motives" behind that are certainly up for debate, and you can make kind or unkind assumptions there. But I think it's important to remember:
Does this "Ruin" a 50+ year coaching career. No. Does it complicate her legacy at RU? I think it's fair to say it does a little bit. But she will remain one of the all time greats in the sport and one of the best to ever coach at Rutgers University (if not THE best).
- Her last two years coaching were 2020 (NCAA tournament cancelled, team was 22-9) and 2021 (shortened season, team was 14-5, lost in first round of NCAAs). AKA--a lot was happening in the world due to a global pandemic.
- As her career is winding down, the whole scope of college basketball is changing. Extra COVID years. No-penalty transfers. NIL. I think folks who cover all of Rutgers sports know the university as a whole was too slow to react to these changes.
- Her announced retirement came far too late after the 2022 season, meaning a lot of the top coaching prospects had already been hired. For reference, Coquese was named head coach on May 23, 2022. Gary Redus was named head coach on March 9, 2026. That's a 2.5 month difference.
- Coquese could bring in some good talent to RU (though a good amount of it came from CVS and team), but her coaching was a disaster (and she had very little NIL support)
Does this "Ruin" a 50+ year coaching career. No. Does it complicate her legacy at RU? I think it's fair to say it does a little bit. But she will remain one of the all time greats in the sport and one of the best to ever coach at Rutgers University (if not THE best).
Theresa Grentz did win a national championship title, albeit when the NCAA was trying to take over from the AIAW. Under Grentz, it was common for the women’s basketball team to double up opponents. Offensively her teams were known for incredible passing. The most memorable team had Sue Wicks, Regina Howard, and Telicher Austin. Best fight I ever saw in a college game was when some idiot girl on another team hit Telicher Austin and Austin dropped into a fighter’s stance then hit her with three quick left jabs to her face and then finished the girl with a hard right.Name a better coach than CVS at Rutgers
You boneheads need to stop with the Stringer bashing.
This is a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Quick Question - Who is the only WBB Coach to take 3 different programs to the Final 4. Cheney State, Iowa and Rutgers?? Should have won the Natty against Tennessee if not for that horrible call.
Who is #4 in career WBB wins?
All of this while dealing with the pressure of dealing with this:
Daughter, Janine (also known as Nina), who contracted spinal meningitis as an infant. The illness left her severely disabled and wheelchair-bound, requiring lifelong special care.
This is a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Quick Question - Who is the only WBB Coach to take 3 different programs to the Final 4. Cheney State, Iowa and Rutgers?? Should have won the Natty against Tennessee if not for that horrible call.
Who is #4 in career WBB wins?
All of this while dealing with the pressure of dealing with this:
Daughter, Janine (also known as Nina), who contracted spinal meningitis as an infant. The illness left her severely disabled and wheelchair-bound, requiring lifelong special care.
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I think Hobbs' other mistake was giving her that last contract, seemed she was over the hill and many players didn't want to play that style of ball anymore, so either wouldn't come or transferred out. As bad as Eatman was as a coach, the cupboard seemed pretty bare at the end
1) She left a long time agoSo why didn't they put her name on the floor.
2) It was part of the negotiation to get CVS, an absentee coach for 17 months, to retire?
I felt she replaced those that left with plsayers that could help, but her coaching stale and type of game she ran wasn't a good fit for the game towards the end of her career, but stayed a winner, but not good enough to be considered a good program.
Eatman proved to be a disaster and that's on CVS.
a google search found this
>Recruiting during legendary coach C. Vivian Stringer’s final three active years at Rutgers (2018–2021) was mixed. She and her staff signed elite, nationally ranked talents but also struggled with overall class depth, heavy roster turnover, and increasing reliance on transfers. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The recruiting profile during this timeframe included:
- The 2020 Bright Spot: Stringer had a spectacular recruiting cycle. She signed a top-10 nationally ranked recruiting class, featuring Pennsylvania's Gatorade Player of the Year, Diamond Johnson (a 5-star guard), alongside heavily touted 4-star recruits Sakima Walker and Chyna Cornwell. [1, 2]
- Roster Depth & Turnover Issues: Aside from 2020, recruiting classes frequently lacked depth, forcing the program to heavily rely on the transfer portal to fill roster holes. The coaching staff suffered multiple assistant coaching turnovers, which historically disrupted their ability to consistently secure elite, multi-year commitments.
- Before her retirement in 2022, Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer heavily leaned on the transfer portal to overhaul her roster in her final years at Rutgers. Facing recruiting challenges and roster turnover, she brought in a massive six-player transfer class for the 2021–2022 season alone. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The transfer portal was essential in keeping the Scarlet Knights competitive as she navigated a transitional period: [1, 2]- The 2021-2022 Overhaul: Stringer brought in six Division I transfers: Osh Brown (Ball State), Shug Dickson (Missouri), Sayawni Lassiter (Florida State), Lasha Petree (Bradley), Jailyn Mason (Arkansas), and Victoria Morris (Old Dominion). [1]
- Prioritizing Experience: The strategy allowed her to plug immediate holes on the court with proven, veteran talent rather than relying solely on true freshmen<
I also feel towards the end CVS wasn't bringing in the best assistants like the type she had during her heyday
- Stringer did leave a mess but I feel she only was acting like many great coaches have done over and over, refusing to give up the ghost when it's time for them to retire.
- Vivian thought her health would return, refusing to see the signs that her health never would allow her to come back and coach the team again.
- But all in all C.Vivian Stringer deserves our respect and understanding that for some the competitive drive inside them refuses themselves to allow themselves to believe their competitive days or over
How does anyone know. She signed a multi year extension and never came back to the office. That is the definition of “fleecing”. If only she stayed true to her word and followed the script she wrote. (CViv negotiated a 2 year transition, coach in waiting and then reneged at the last minute). There wouldn’t be a negative thing said about C viv.
STFU with this nonsense. She had serious health issues that came up. That's why she "never came back to the office". Then she was paid according to her contract terms. The same as any other coach. The same as any other state employee.
Let me ask you a question? If you developed a serious illness and cannot work, are you fleecing your company if you get full pay during a year of disability?
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Then should have never signed the contract. She was a pawn used by her hangers on and advisors. Buddy I know the story and the players. She was “sick” before the contract. Thanks for keeping it civil. STFU. Crazy. How people that don’t know always say people are wrong and to STFU. And no. I would not sign a contract knowing I would not be able to live up to the terms.
Lol, you knew her private and personal health situation. You knew it was not a short term illness. You knew it was a long term illness. You knew all the details.
Again,.STFU with that nonsense.
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Buddy why so emotional? Her health issues weren’t exactly a secret for years. She took leaves on multiple occasions leading up to the signing of the contract. She didn’t finish the prior season. And there were many more instances that were discussed on this board over the years. So maybe you should follow your own advice.
If I knew in advance I would sign on for two NCAA final fours and an NIT championship at the cost of two bad final years
Not sure it was just the final 2 years. A program that only missed the tournament 4 times in nearly 30 years. Missed the tournament 7 times in her final 10. No one can take away that c viv is a great coach. The sad thing is her “advisors” took advantage of her.
We can blame CVS for the dismal (11-20) 2021-2022 season when she took her LOA for the while season , leaving Tim Eatman in charge and maybe even charge her for Washington;s first year in the 2022-2023 record of 12-20
But Stringer's last two years , when she was on the bench , produced 22-9 (11-7 B1G) in 2019-2020 > Covid 19 canceled Dance<and the 14-5 (10-3) record in 2020-21 >made Dance but quickly out.
I fully there is/was a lot more to appropriate about C.Vivian Stringer's tenure as the RU WBB HC than her detractors fail to recognize.
Vivian's failure to give up the ghost and recognize her health would prevent her from coaching is a major blow to her legacy
CVS' RU years : 535-251 ((.648)
| Total :1055-420 (.712) for the 3 schools she coached |
I'm not a fan because I certainly think she could have done more with what she had. Although I think that clock operator at UTENN certainly didn't help, And it not because she is black. Because I feel the same way about Pike and it is not because he is white. The ending sucked and it did damage and I do not think anyone's name should be on our court.
Now THAT having been said as you note it is a Lifetime award so good for her. Your highlights support that for sure.
I sort of agree with ":I certainly think she could have done more with what she had".
CVS towards the end of her career kept RU's W-L record on the + side, but her teams were playing in an outdated system that if Stringer changed to a more offensive strategy Rutgers might have returned to the to type of program that strategy at one time made RU WBB considered one of the best, instead of being a winner but not a threat to go all the way and was a program that seemed always on the bubble , not a program you know would get the invite to dance..
I point out to Vivian's detractors the winning record she had in her last years on the bench because the detractors try to make it look like Vivian was a loser her last years.
But pointing out CVS' winning records her final years doesn't mean I think they were great years, just showing not as bad as implied by some, even if I felt Stringer had the talent to do better if she changed her game strategy to go along with the times , because the better programs knew how to get around the way she had the team play a D first style in the age of the O
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