New women's coach

[1972Shocker]

I hope she's successful here but it's not a slam dunk hire in my opinion.

I don't think anyone is really disputing this. I think we all realize we don't exactly have a storied WBB tradition at Wichita State and fan support is pretty tepid right now. It will be interesting to see if Keitha or perhaps a move to the AAC can perhaps rebuild stronger fan support for the program.

I don't think it will take too long to get an indication of what kind of impact Keitha might have on the program. Now sustaining a high level of success in WBB will no doubt be very challenging. The pool of quality players simply is no where near as deep as it is in men's basketball and plugging in Juco players to fill holes is also more challenging in the women's game. Knee injuries also seem to be more prevalent in WBB. There is no where near the parity in women's basketball as their is in men's basketball or in volleyball for that matter. It is a challenging gig.

[ShockerInKC]

Keitha was a personal friend back in college. She seemed really driven and very attached to the circle of friends. Hadn't heard her name in 30 years. So pleased she's done well and hope my connections will get me a minute to say hi and best of luck with the girls' team.

[1972Shocker]

I don't know that you can ever say a coaching hire is a slam dunk. You strike oil every now and then and you also hit a dry hole every now and then. Not sure anyone predicted, or could have predicted, the success that Gregg Marshall has brought to WSU men's BB or the sustained success that Lambo has brought to Volleyball, a sport hardly anyone knew existed at WSU when Lambo was hired. You do your best in trying to find the right person for the job. Keitha has a solid resume and from what I can tell a very solid reputation and is very well liked and respected in El Paso. If she can win 6 out of every 10 games at Wichita State she will be a success based on the historical standards for WBB at Wichita State. Wichita State has yet to have a WBB coach finish with a career winning percentage of .600 or better.

The Shocks only lose one player, TaQuandra Mike, who was a key component of this year's team and I thought TaQuandra, while she had her moments, had a sub-par year this past season. Assuming no player defections, Coach K will at least have some experienced players on the floor next year although I thought the entire team under-performed this past season although it is entirely possible, perhaps probable, that the players we had were not quite as talented as I had first thought.

The real challenge will most likely begin with the 2018-19 season. As the roster stands right now and with the expectation that Jaleesa Chapel will be back next year the Shockers will have 8 seniors on next year's team to go along with 1 junior (Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage) and 1 sophomore (Kayla Willams) and, assuming she doesn't request a release from her LOI, 1 freshman (Lauren Brocke, a 6-2 wing out of Boise, Idaho). So while she is starting with a full cupboard of players that cupboard will be pretty bare at the end of next year. Coach Adams does have 4 scholarships available for 2017-18 and what she does with those scholarships could have a big impact on the 2018-19 season along with her 2018 recruiting class.

So while it first glance it doesn't look like a total rebuild job as a practical matter it pretty much is.

[1972Shocker]

Coach K's message to UTEP on her move to Wichita State.

[ShockTalk]

My guess is Keitha Adams, with 16 years of D-1 coaching experience at UTEP, would be the most expensive of the names that have been mentioned so far.

According to this information Keitha Adams was the highest paid coach at UTEP at $306.000 according to this information (not sure what year this is for but it says this was last updated 06/21/16). More than the UTEP men's basketball coach and more than the UTEP football coach.

Perhaps because in the previous 10 years she was 221-97 (0.695) at UTEP and her career coaching record in D-1 basketball is 284-209 (.576) over 16 years. Keitha Adams had a 127-37 (0.774) record in 5 years at Independence CC. Jody Adams-Birch had a career record of 161-115 (.583) at WSU in 9+ years at WSU which is by far the best winning % by a WSU Women;s BB coach. In the 25 years before Keitha Adams took over at UTEP they had 5 winning seasons with 18 being the most wins in a season. She has already been inducted into the UTEP Hall of Fame.

So of the names that have been mentioned so far she has by far the most experience and, whether you like it or not, I think the fact she is a woman gives her an advantage for this position. However, there is little question that she is a highly qualified candidate not withstanding the down year in 2016-17.

Whether she approached Wichita State or whether Wichita State approached her is hard to say. She is already apparently making $300,000+ per yer and while Jody Adams was much below that can we really justify that kind of money for a sport that is a poorly supported as WSU Women's basketball. Personally, I think Chris Lamb should be our most highly compensated women's coach based on his record and the support for the Volleyball program that he has built.

Perhaps there is some thinking the Shocks need an experienced D-1 coach if they are going to move to the AAC as that will be a big step up from the women's basketball that is currently being played in the Missouri Valley Conference.

I don't know if Keitha Adams is the best candidate but I do think she is a qualified candidate with a solid resume.

Even though I'm quoting @1972Shocker:, these questions are open to anyone.

1) How is C-USA women's basketball compared to MVC (I know the answer to AAC)?

2) How did her salary at UTEP compare with other non-P5 schools and/or lower P-5?

3) No indication (or that I've seen) mentions why she would leave her long-time current and successful situation, with what appears to be fairly well paid gig, and come to WSU (sans, the AAC or is that the reason).

4) OK. I'm stirring the pot, so I'm not going to say I'm "not wanting to", but how does this affect our highly visible, successful, well attended volleyball program and how Coach Lamb should be rewarded to how a newbie Shocker women's coach is most likely being "rewarded"?

There. I said it. It's probably on most posters minds anyway.

[ShockTalk]

Coach K's message to UTEP on her move to Wichita State.

This link isn't working for me. It sends me back to that post.

[1972Shocker]

1) How is C-USA women's basketball compared to MVC (I know the answer to AAC)?
-- In terms of RPI the MVC and C-USA were pretty similarly ranked. For the 5 years from 2008-09 through 2012-13 the MVC had an average ranking of 9.8 and C-USA had an average ranking of 10.2. However, over the last 4 years from 2013-14 through 2016-17 the MVC had an average ranking of 19.3 and C-USA had an average ranking of 13.5. So both conferences have fallen off in the last 4 years but the Valley has fallen much more precipitously. The AAC during its 4 years of existence has an average RPI ranking of 7 and were ranked 5th this past season.

3) No indication (or that I've seen) mentions why she would leave her long-time current and successful situation, with what appears to be fairly well paid gig, and come to WSU (sans, the AAC or is that the reason).
-- See her statement in post #94 above. Seems like moving closer to home was a key factor. The Shocks moving to the AAC could have been a factor but obviously she can't say anything about that since that has not happened or been announced.

4) OK. I'm stirring the pot, so I'm not going to say I'm "not wanting to", but how does this affect our highly visible, successful, well attended volleyball program and how Coach Lamb should be rewarded to how a newbie Shocker women's coach is most likely being "rewarded"?
-- It should not affect it although I think Lambo should be our highest paid women's coach. However, Jody Adams was already making more than Lambo was so that probably won't change. My sense is, although I don't have specific numbers to back this up, overall salary levels for women's basketball are generally higher than overall salary levels for volleyball. The comparison Lambo has to be concerned with is how he is compensated vs other Volleyball coaches since he won't be in the market for any basketball coaching jobs. Also keep in mind that Shannon Lamb is also on the WSU payroll. Chris and Shannon seem to be pretty content at WSU. The market is what it is. One thing Lambo has going for him at WSU is that in the fall Volleyball is the sport. He doesn't have to operate in the shadows of a football program.

[1972Shocker]

This link isn't working for me. It sends me back to that post.

Try this link: http://www.utepathletics.com/sports/...032917aaa.html

[WuDrWu]

Can't say something like that any better. Wish her and UTEP all the best.

[1972Shocker]

Keitha had an interesting career at UTEP. If nothing else becoming good friends with Don Haskins had to be fun. You wonder if Coach K wasn't in a little bit over her head when she started at UTEP as she jumped from 5 Years at Independence Juco to D-1 basketball and took over a less than successful UTEP program. Only 5 winning seasons in the previous 25 years with 18 being the most wins in a year. In her 1st 5 years at UTEP she went 55-89 (0.382) which would get you fired at many places. However, over the next 10 years she was a solid 221-137 (0.617) until she hit a speed bump this past season going 8-23 with a very young team (something she may face again after next season). The fact that UTEP stayed with Coach K after that rocky start perhaps says something good about her character and personality. In any case UTEP's patience worked out well for them in the long run.

Not sure what Coach K will be able to do at Wichita State but I'm not expecting the Lady Shockers to be world beaters. As I said before if Coach K can win 60% of her games at Wichita State I will consider that a success (especially if that happens in the AAC) assuming that goes along with providing our student athletes with a positive experience and a good educational result.

I guess the next big question is what will happen with Coach K's UTEP staff. Will her Associate Head Coach be in line to take over at UTEP? I would think that is at least a possibility considering the longevity at UTEP.

If Coach K does need to rework her staff that will add a bit to the challenge.

[1972Shocker]

Interesting article on Keitha Adams heading into the 2016-17 season;

http://www.theprospectordaily.com/2016/11/01/adams-embarks-on-her-15th-year-as-head-coach/

And here is a article at the end of the 2016-17 season prior to her leaving for Wichita State:

http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/sports/college/utep/2017/03/17/young-miners-grew-through-rough-season/99307710/

She will be facing a very similar situation to this in 2018-19 although I'm not expecting the Shockers will go 29-5 next year like UTEP did in 2015-16 before last year's stumble.

[1972Shocker]

According to a report on on of the El Paso TV stations Coach Keitha Adams will be introduced in Wichita on Monday.

http://www.elpasoproud.com/sports/utep-mens-coach-reacts-to-adams-departure/683445285

[1972Shocker]

Keitha Adams' long-time assistant and Associate Head Coach Ewa Laskowska was offered the opportunity to continue as Coach Adams' top assistant at Wichita State.

However, she is the acting interim Coach at UTEP and both the UTEP AD has said he would like Coach Laskowska to be a candidate and Laskowska seems to be open to that as well as she said that as of right now she is still recruiting for UTEP.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/sports/college/utep/2017/03/30/utep-begins-task-replacing-adams/99846256/

It seems to me that there is a very good chance that Laskowska will take over as the head coach at UTEP providing Coach Adams one more challenge to deal with as she embarks on her sojourn at Wichita State.

[1972Shocker]

E-mail received from Wichita State:

[shockerfanmas]

If she's looking for assistant coaches, I can think of a couple. ��