Carlene Mitchell
- Thread starter oldtimer67
- Start date
So so sorry to hear this. \
[/URL]Perhaps UCSB was not the best situation for a newbie head coach, Evidently, the school name and her lack of a reputation as a head coach prevented her from bringing in the players she needed to establish her program.
Still strange that she could not maintain in that conference.
I am sure she will land on her feet and get another shot as a HC. Wishing her the best
[/URL]Perhaps UCSB was not the best situation for a newbie head coach, Evidently, the school name and her lack of a reputation as a head coach prevented her from bringing in the players she needed to establish her program.
Still strange that she could not maintain in that conference.
I am sure she will land on her feet and get another shot as a HC. Wishing her the best
Having a 2-27 record for the year will get just about any HC fired.
It was announced today by UCSB's AD (John McCutcheon) :
Carlene Mitchell will not return as head coach of the UC Santa Barbara women's basketball program
She had a 17-16 record (2011-12) her first year, 16-17 (2012-13) , 8-22 (2013-14) and the 2-27 for (2014-15)
Sorry Carlene didn't have success as a Head Coach , but was a great assistant during the 10 years she was at RU.
I'm positive CM will land on her feet as an assistant, but not as a HC at the College level (in my opinion)
Mitchel replaced Linda Gottlieb, who moved up to become the University of California's WBB HC after
years as UCSB's HC with a 3 year record of 56–39 and taking the BWC Conference Championship 2 of the 3 years she was there. With 1 NCAA appearance and 1 NIT in those 3 years.
This post was edited on 3/25 5:27 PM by MADHAT1
It was announced today by UCSB's AD (John McCutcheon) :
Carlene Mitchell will not return as head coach of the UC Santa Barbara women's basketball program
She had a 17-16 record (2011-12) her first year, 16-17 (2012-13) , 8-22 (2013-14) and the 2-27 for (2014-15)
Sorry Carlene didn't have success as a Head Coach , but was a great assistant during the 10 years she was at RU.
I'm positive CM will land on her feet as an assistant, but not as a HC at the College level (in my opinion)
Mitchel replaced Linda Gottlieb, who moved up to become the University of California's WBB HC after
years as UCSB's HC with a 3 year record of 56–39 and taking the BWC Conference Championship 2 of the 3 years she was there. With 1 NCAA appearance and 1 NIT in those 3 years.
This post was edited on 3/25 5:27 PM by MADHAT1
UCSB looked like a great opportunity, and her first year, when she got an NCAA bid by winning the conference tournament, showed that she could coach. I think the problem had to be recruiting, as UCSB really depends on a California pipeline, and Carlene's contacts (a) probably weren't that great in California; and (b) probably were focused on programs at a higher level than UCSB. I'm sorry it didn't work out, but the handwriting definitely was on the wall, and honestly she probably needed a really good season this year to keep her job after getting consistently declining results over the past two years.
I hear there is more to the story that probably can't be reported.
Let's be concerned for Heather landing on her feet.
Let's be concerned for Heather landing on her feet.
UCSB is a Tier 3 or 4 school in California, speaking athletically. Most attention is focused on the four Pac12 schools, followed by the second tier that includes San Diego State and Fresno (maybe you could add San Jose State to that group since they are also in the MWC). USCB resides on the margins of the greater LA metro region and so, will get very little TV attention, since that is already spread rather thin.
In addition to all that, it doesn't appear as if there is very much emphasis on sports there. Probably much more on recreation than on intercollegiate sports, due to the wonderful climate and location right on the beach.
Not a great place to be building a program, especially for an outsider.
In addition to all that, it doesn't appear as if there is very much emphasis on sports there. Probably much more on recreation than on intercollegiate sports, due to the wonderful climate and location right on the beach.
Not a great place to be building a program, especially for an outsider.
Eco - info on UCSB.
You are right that athletics are not important at UCSB. Having said that, their soccer team competes at a high Div 1 level (above RU). As for basketball, their goal is always to do well in the Big West Conference and try to make the NCAA tournament. Both the men's and women's programs have a history of doing that. In Carlene's first year, with the previous coach's players (now the head coach at Cal) she went 17-16 but pulled off the upset and won the BWC tournament thus making the NCAAs. The next year she was 16-17, then 8 wins then 2. The latter reflect teams with players she recruited.
When Carlene was hired the second choice was the head coach at a small NAIA school in Santa Barbara. In the last two years she has won the NAIA championship and made the semi-finals, at a small religious college. She is the most likely successor at UCSB.
The UCSB women's program has always had a rabid, if small, support group of fans who have contributed much to the program. In the last two years that support has all but disappeared and attendance has dropped to a fraction of what it was.
As for whether or not it is a great place to be building a program, most people think the reasons you cited are exactly why you should be able to build a program there, not be handicaps. How many major universities are located right on their own beach? The climate is great, too. UCSB is one of the highest ranked schools in the world loaded with Nobel prize winners (way ahead of RU, see the 2 different world rankings posted elsewhere on this site) and is consistently ranked as one of the best party schools in the country. You would think all those things would aid in recruiting, not hurt it.
USCB does have to compete for recruits with the other Cal schools you mentioned, but there should be plenty left to compete in the BWC. To be a successful head coach you have to be good at 3 things: recruiting, motivating and Xs and Os. From all reports I hear, Carlene was great at Xs and Os.
You are right that athletics are not important at UCSB. Having said that, their soccer team competes at a high Div 1 level (above RU). As for basketball, their goal is always to do well in the Big West Conference and try to make the NCAA tournament. Both the men's and women's programs have a history of doing that. In Carlene's first year, with the previous coach's players (now the head coach at Cal) she went 17-16 but pulled off the upset and won the BWC tournament thus making the NCAAs. The next year she was 16-17, then 8 wins then 2. The latter reflect teams with players she recruited.
When Carlene was hired the second choice was the head coach at a small NAIA school in Santa Barbara. In the last two years she has won the NAIA championship and made the semi-finals, at a small religious college. She is the most likely successor at UCSB.
The UCSB women's program has always had a rabid, if small, support group of fans who have contributed much to the program. In the last two years that support has all but disappeared and attendance has dropped to a fraction of what it was.
As for whether or not it is a great place to be building a program, most people think the reasons you cited are exactly why you should be able to build a program there, not be handicaps. How many major universities are located right on their own beach? The climate is great, too. UCSB is one of the highest ranked schools in the world loaded with Nobel prize winners (way ahead of RU, see the 2 different world rankings posted elsewhere on this site) and is consistently ranked as one of the best party schools in the country. You would think all those things would aid in recruiting, not hurt it.
USCB does have to compete for recruits with the other Cal schools you mentioned, but there should be plenty left to compete in the BWC. To be a successful head coach you have to be good at 3 things: recruiting, motivating and Xs and Os. From all reports I hear, Carlene was great at Xs and Os.