Women’s Basketball Coaching News (Update w/ Caulton Tudor’s thoughts)

Thanks to a link on another thread, WRAL is reporting that Stephanie Glance will not be promoted to head women’s basketball coach at NC State. I don’t really follow women’s basketball, but didn’t want the BB Byte thread to be taken over by this emotional topic.

UPDATE: Ronnie Brown, Kay’s brother, talked to WRAL and also provided a copy of the letter that Coach Yow sent Lee Fowler and Chancellor Oblinger.

Caulton Tudor weighs in on Saturday morning.

But there’s a wise old adage that the hands of the dead should not dictate the hands of the living. On this issue, there’s more to be taken into account than the last wish of the legendary Yow. Her request should be a primary consideration, of course. But even more than honoring Yow’s request, Fowler and his superiors owe it to her memory to hire the very best candidate the school can afford.

About VaWolf82

Engineer living in Central Va. and senior curmudgeon amongst SFN authors One wife, two kids, one dog, four vehicles on insurance, and four phones on cell plan...looking forward to empty nest status. Graduated 1982

General Kay Yow NCS Basketball Non-Revenue

132 Responses to Women’s Basketball Coaching News (Update w/ Caulton Tudor’s thoughts)

  1. coppertop 04/09/2009 at 5:15 PM #

    I guess the desires of one of our best coaches to wear wolfpack red, and the dedication her assistant showed us isn’t enough for someone who ‘knows’ baseketball…

  2. wufpup76 04/09/2009 at 5:18 PM #

    Personally speaking, I was hoping Glance would get the position (sorry to rudely correct you, Va, but it’s actually ‘Stephanie’ as opposed to ‘Sylvia’).

    But, that’s not to be … I can certainly understand others wanting to go in another direction though.

    I’m taking a wild guess here, but I’m going to say Carolyn Peck.

    LOL…I told you that I don’t follow WBB. Thanks for the correction.
    VaWolf82

  3. old13 04/09/2009 at 5:25 PM #

    Once again I’m greatly dissappointed in my alma matre!

  4. Wulfpack 04/09/2009 at 5:38 PM #

    I, too, am very disappointed in this news. Fowler is a clown, and he did not make good on the wishes of our fallen coach.

  5. VaWolf82 04/09/2009 at 5:45 PM #

    ….and Norm Chow recommended Mazzone.

    While I am not about to defend LF, it is his job to hire the best person for the job. So I am going to wait and see who he gets before deciding whether or not this is yet another mistake by the ole Coach.

  6. old13 04/09/2009 at 5:56 PM #

    ^ While I understand, and at a lower level tend to agree with this approach, as long as Wolfpack athletics is mired in mediocrity anyway, why not give a sentimental favorite – one who was named by an NCSU icon as her replacement – a chance! I think Foulup, and/OR whoever else, has a hard time, even in obvious situations, knowing when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em. But, then again, maybe I’m just a sentimental old fool.

  7. boxorice 04/09/2009 at 5:59 PM #

    Sounds like Lee is making a decent decision, for once.

  8. 61Packer 04/09/2009 at 6:22 PM #

    Stephanie Glance wasn’t the best person for the job of women’s head basketball coach, she was the ONLY person for that job when you consider what has happened to women’s basketball at NC State recently. I cannot imagine anyone else but Glance as being the overwhelming choice of Wolfpack fans (and probably the players as well) to have at least a couple of years as head coach. Why would any rational person think Glance couldn’t take the program in the right direction?

    These same Wolfpack officials have already hired, extended, and touted a coaching moron for their men’s basketball program for three years now, but for some reason they think they need to rid us of the Kay Yow legacy in three months. I’m getting to the point- no, I’m AT the point- that I’m ashamed of being an NC State fan. I really am.

    Is there a way we average fans can do something that will restore sanity to our athletics department before it is completely destroyed?

  9. Dr. BadgerPack 04/09/2009 at 6:42 PM #

    wufpup- I’d be very, very surprised if it was Carolyn Peck. She is one of several that I have spoken to regarding Stephanie Glance. At the time, although mind you this was about 14 months ago, she was not at all a big fan of Lee Fowler’s.

  10. Sw0rdf1sh 04/09/2009 at 6:54 PM #

    Outside of my varied thoughts regarding the coaching situation….61packer, I’m pretty ashamed of you as a NC State fan myself.

  11. BladenWolf 04/09/2009 at 7:02 PM #

    “So I am going to wait and see who he gets before deciding whether or not this is yet another mistake…” VAWolf82

    Virginia…I can’t believe you are giving Uncle Jed so much benefit of the doubt.

    I understand your logic in general, however we both have also witnessed ad nauseum the continuous ineptitude of our “dear leader”.

  12. BladenWolf 04/09/2009 at 7:04 PM #

    “Why would any rational person think Glance couldn’t take the program in the right direction?” – 61Packer

    I think this accurately hits the nail upon its apex…need I say more?

  13. BladenWolf 04/09/2009 at 7:09 PM #

    “Outside of my varied thoughts regarding the coaching situation….61packer, I’m pretty ashamed of you as a NC State fan myself.” – Sw0rdf1sh

    Let’s not get so smug and sanctimonious… 61Packer is only reflecting the past several seasons worth of mediocrity piled on top of apathetic leadership… are you oaky with the status quo?

    If the curent state of NCSU athletics is not enought to tick you off then you haven’t been a member of Wolfpack Nation very long…

  14. PackMan97 04/09/2009 at 7:32 PM #

    Glance has been running the NC State program for the past few years. I consider that her job interview.

  15. TOBtime 04/09/2009 at 7:37 PM #

    ^Exactly PackMan97. What would be the difference if we gave Glance a chance? One where SHE could actually call all the shots? Of course, the bag we have for an AD would know better than to allow HER to have a shot. We need to go in a different direction. Soon, Mr. foul-up, soon NCSU will go in a different direction…from the way you’re headed.

    Sorry for the personal attack SFN. I really should just keep my fingers off the keyboard in regard to foul-up.

    OK, I feel better now.

    Use the edit function then. Thanks.

  16. Alpha Wolf 04/09/2009 at 7:39 PM #

    I am surprised at this move, and all I can say is that it had better be a home run hire or….well…things will stay just the same as they have.

  17. bgreen 04/09/2009 at 7:44 PM #

    Hiring Glance would have been the easy way out, the sentimental choice, and most likely the wrong choice. How many times does hiring the assistant coach that the former coach recommends work out? Not many. I am sure it was a very difficult decision but in the long run will be what is best for the womens basketball program.

  18. VaWolf82 04/09/2009 at 7:44 PM #

    I can’t believe you are giving Uncle Jed so much benefit of the doubt.

    It’s not that as much as I haven’t seen all that much that impresses me with the current state of the WBB program. So what have you seen that makes you think that Glance is the best choice for the job?

  19. TOBtime 04/09/2009 at 7:54 PM #

    How many times does an assistant coach RUN the team while the HC has chemo? Kay wasn’t hired away to another team though she is on a great team now. Glance should have shown what she is made of by holding things together as well as she did. Give her 2 years, tell her what the expectation are and let her roll. Are we really worried about loss of tourney money from WBB?

    Slightly off topic, but has anyone seen Harper from WCU? Holy smoke…

  20. WTNY 04/09/2009 at 7:54 PM #

    A good decision and part one of a two-step process.

    1) As much as Kay Yow was beloved by all State fans, including me, it is time for a new direction. Keeping Coach Glance would have been nice and all but it wouldn’t have been best for NC State. Fowler (or whomever) got this one right.

    2) Hiring the correct coach to guide program is step 2. Hopefully Fowler has sought the right help for this part.

  21. buttPACKer 04/09/2009 at 8:09 PM #

    indifference has drained me of my SOUL. . .

    I only hope the next WBB coach, can hold her on in the league!!

    GO WOLFPACK, GO NC STATE!!

  22. wufpup76 04/09/2009 at 8:15 PM #

    “I’d be very, very surprised if it was Carolyn Peck. She is one of several that I have spoken to regarding Stephanie Glance. At the time, although mind you this was about 14 months ago, she was not at all a big fan of Lee Fowler’s.”

    ^Thanks for the info, Dr.BP. I guess that would make her unlikely.

    Had what you said not been the case, I could see Fowler attempting a move like that (get somebody on tv! A name hire a la Lavin!). FWIW, I’m of the mind that Peck would actually be a pretty good choice … she’s a better coach than Lavin IMO anyway.

  23. xphoenix87 04/09/2009 at 8:20 PM #

    I’m as big a women’s basketball fan as anyone. I grew up on Wolfpack Women’s Basketball, I learned the game by watching Kay Yow patrol the sidelines, and I love Coach Glance for the large role she’s played in the program. However, I don’t mind this move. As someone who has watched literally every home game and as many of the road games as possible over the last few years, I’ve witnessed Glance’s various stints as interim coach and seen her struggle in that role. While she makes a great assistant, Glance struggled with rotations and didn’t come off as a very strong Xs and Os coach (in fact, the coach who most often seemed to be diagramming the plays was Assistant Coach Kristen Gillespie, daughter of Billy Gillespie and point guard on the NCSU 1998 Final Four team). Now, obviously she was put in a very hard position, and I admire the way she led the team to persevere through a tough situation. I wouldn’t have been particularly mad if Glance had been fired, but this is probably a better direction for the program to go. I’ve heard (I stress that this is simply what I’ve heard, I have no actual proof behind it) that Anne Donovan is a candidate for the position. I respect Glance, but if Anne Donovan comes knocking at the door, you make that hire in a heartbeat.

  24. BJD95 04/09/2009 at 8:32 PM #

    I don’t know enough about women’s basketball to evaluate the decision. I certainly hope it brings more pressure and scrutiny onto Fowler, because he has already proven he has no clue wrt hiring or firing coaches.

    I certainly don’t think he should be able to rehabilitate himself with the WBB hire, even if he makes the right call.

  25. wufpup76 04/09/2009 at 8:44 PM #

    ^Ditto, BJD … on all points.

    Thanks for your insight, xphoenix … Anne Donovan has had an impressive career.

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