To-do list will be long for new women’s basketball coach

The right decision isn’t always the easiest. It almost never is. Thankfully, Athletics Director Fred Glass was able to make the right decision in the case of the women’s
basketball program.

On March 12, Glass announced Felisha Legette-Jack would no longer be the coach of the women’s basketball team. This happened after her third-straight losing season and the team’s worst Big Ten record in its history.

Glass could have stuck with the contract extension that was given in good faith last year, but instead, he realized the issues in the program and let Legette-Jack go before her contract was complete.

Now that Legette-Jack is out, what does this mean? It means the committee put in place to find a new head coach has to find someone with a spark, someone who is willing to come in and build a program on his or her own.

But what is the most important thing this coach needs to be able to do? Stop me if you have heard this: take back the recruits in the state of Indiana.

Much like men’s basketball, Indiana has a rich tradition of women’s basketball, and there have to be women who would be proud to represent their state.

IU currently has three Indiana natives on its roster. Purdue has six.

IU also has a roster with junior college transfers and two players from Latvia. These players have all been great for the program, but it is much harder to develop someone who is playing junior college ball compared to someone straight out of high school.

The new coach needs to find players who are willing to learn and work hard to get better. The new coach also has to have the personality to bring people into Assembly Hall for women’s basketball games. Many times, I’ve walked into a women’s game and have actually been able to count the number of people in the gym. Some people blame students and the committee for not supporting the team, but the truth is that during these last few seasons, there was really nothing to cheer for.

The new coach has to figure out how to do that. The best way? Win basketball games.
Unlike the two most recent hires for IU, football Coach Kevin Wilson and men’s basketball Coach Tom Crean, this new coach won’t have as much pressure to win
right away.

This coach will have the chance to work out kinks and recruit his or her own players to come in and help develop. This could make the job for whomever the new coach might be.

Regardless of whom is hired, it needs to be someone who can find a way to win.

I won’t get to see it while I’m in Bloomington, but I hope that won’t be the case for the next group.