The Bobcat Nation

.... as follows

* Greg Kudrna, first-year interim coach at MSU.

* Sunny Smallwood, interim head coach at California and former assistant at the University of Washington.

* Tricia Badr-Binford, assistant at Utah State.

* Christopher Long, assistant at Louisiana Tech.

* Amy White, assistant at Wyoming.

Link:

http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articl ... uwomen.txt

An interesting list.

It's obvious the interim label is going to come off Coach Kudrna; evidently we didn't attract many applicants
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/b ... index.html
One of our finalists may not have been fully checked or Tech would be all over him, figuratively speaking

How can the comical scoop this site? Where are the lady cat basketball followers?

That is funny
http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articl ... uwomen.txt

I have my favorite picked out right now (of the five remaining Would it be appropriate to set up a poll here or the finalists bracket Just don't "bet" on the choices...

...and is it politically correct to refer to the women's head coaching finalists as a short list? One would think that's bound to bias the selection process to the males...

More info from MSU athletics

http://www.msubobcats.com/news.php?sid=h&nid=949

The candidates are (in alphabetical order):

Tricia Bader-Binford: Bader-Binford, who played at Boise State from 1991-96 when the Broncos were part of the Big Sky Conference, is currently the first assistant and recruiting coordinator at Utah State University. Bader-Binford also played in the WNBA for the Cleveland Rockers and Utah Starzz.

Greg Kudrna: Kudrna, who is currently serving as interim head coach at Montana State University, has been with the Bobcats for three seasons. In his first season at MSU, Kudrna helped guide the Bobcats to a regular-season Big Sky title and a WNIT appearance. He is originally from Texas.

Christopher Long: Long is currently the interim head coach at Louisiana Tech, where he has served as an assistant since 1999. Long played an instrumental role in leading the Lady Techsters to a pair of NCAA Elite Eight appearances. During his tenure at Louisiana Tech, the women’s basketball program has notched a 165-27 record.

Sunny Smallwood: Smallwood is currently the associate head coach/lead in the interim at the University of California-Berkeley. Previously, she was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Washington from 1993-2004. At Washington, she helped guide the Huskies to the 2001 Elite Eight and a PAC-10 Championship. She played collegiately at Boise State University.

Jaime White: White is currently serving as an assistant coach at the University of Wyoming, where she has helped lead a resurgent Cowgirl basketball program. Prior to her stint in Laramie, Wyo., she was an assistant coach at the University of Utah from 2001-2003. White was head coach at Snow College from 1996-2001.

All five candidates have accepted on-campus interviews.

“We have an outstanding pool of candidates and we’re very excited about the future of the Montana State women’s basketball program,” Fields said.

Fields hopes to have a head coach in place prior to the NCAA national letter-of-intent spring signing date on April 13.

OPEN PUBLIC FORUMS

Greg Kudrna
Wednesday, March 30
5 p.m., Brick Breeden Hall of Fame Room

Sunny Smallwood
Thursday, March 31
5 p.m., Stadium Club, Bobcat Stadium

The remaining three candidates will also take part in open public forums. Dates and times will be announced at a later time.

Smallwood

Oh, I know what the Fizzlies will do with whomever we choose out of this list of names Just hope they don't get their whatever in a wad...when the creative names start flying

Did anyone go to Kuderna's interview? How did it go?
I'm going to try and get to the interview tonight, anyone else going to be there?

There is an article in the Bozeman Chronicle (as a favor to Welsch I am trying not to call it Bozo Comicle) on Kudnra dog and pony show. Does anyone know if any interviews will be held next Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.

Whomever gets the job must have a recruiting base preferably in the west and northwest. We can't hope to have any coaches with a decent base in Montana( since the short list doesn't have anybody familiar with the state except Kudrna), but it should be someone who will nurture the state's highschool talent and gain a repoire with the state's coaches and athletes.

Mslacat, the next interview will be with Jaime White at 5 pm on Tuesday, Hall of Fame Room, MSU Fieldhouse.

Kudrna came across very well. Lately we've had huge issues with player abuse and lack of integrity. I don't see these as problems with him. A couple of recruits that have verbals but have not signed say they will sign if he is hired and will probably not otherwise because there might be yet another short-term coach. He is seen as representing some stability.

Smallwood's background on paper is very good, but she seemed quite scripted, oriented toward her agenda, perhaps not much of a player's coach, and it is hard to believe she might stay in Bozeman very long after having lived the good life in the Pac-10 for so long.

Those a good points to consider; however, since she played at Boise State and coached at You Dubya and we can now afford our coaches some stabilty and security, I find it very hard to believe anyone would leave Bozo for "greener pastures." Just can't believe they would now.

Helcat72 wrote:Whomever gets the job must have a recruiting base preferably in the west and northwest. We can't hope to have any coaches with a decent base in Montana( since the short list doesn't have anybody familiar with the state except Kudrna), but it should be someone who will nurture the state's highschool talent and gain a repoire with the state's coaches and athletes.

look lets be honest and frank now;

why is kuderna on the short list to begin with? I know that he was in a bad situation to start with and I want him as my favroite as head coach, i have heard nothing but posative things about him. But lets give the guy the truth now, MSU has no intention of hireing the guy whatsoever?

Also where is Shawn Nelson? Did he apply, and so why isnt he on the short list? I am sure after the NAIA tournament that Carroll is trying to hold onto him as long as possible, but he is a guy who will be able to bring the cats back to the promised land, he did the same thing for the lady fighting saints.

I tend to agree HB, who were Kudrna's recruits last year? Other than the girl from Billings Central does he have any others on his list, (front line players) or does he even have a list (due to not knowing if he has a job)?

Personally I would like to know about the prospective recruits each coach could bring in, or at least the possible ones they have a relationship with that they could convince of coming here.

Again, much like the men's team, the coach can be the nicest guy or gal in the world, but if they can't recruit the players needed...we don't need them!

i guess they want to give him a shot because he did fill in. if he is not going their selection why dont they just say so and not have him on their short list, and reward him by telling whoever coaches the women's team that he is to be on their staff?

Helcat72, there are some really good recruits in line. There is a superb and tall point guard from Washington, rumors of a 6-6 recruit, as well as one of the Bozeman Hawks and Shannon Bosley from Livingston -- and of course Jenny Herringer from Billings. There will be at least 7 slots to fill. Kudrna said in his interview that they are proceeding full speed ahead.

If that's the case...I say it's foolish to hire anyone else!

Helcat72 wrote:If that's the case...I say it's foolish to hire anyone else!

this is the same school that has gone through how many coaches for the ladies team since 1998, 4?!?!?!?

also dont forget about sonia rogers from lewistown. i have a source that says that she is very interested in playing here.

Helcat72 wrote:If that's the case...I say it's foolish to hire anyone else!

But who knows how good of recruits a new coach could bring in?