Coach Mike Leflar

[MikeUMA]

Verdi is moving on. Time to start the watch for what will be the 12th coach in UM program history.

Some starters...

Elevate current Associate Head Coach Mike Leflar to the lead. https://umassathletics.com/sports/women ... eflar/1924
+ Obvious familiarity with everything we currently have
+ Might be our best shot at retaining our best current players
- Never been a head coach
- Boston College grad

A couple other ideas floated recently:

They said the guy from FGCU (Karl Smesko) was in the running for the Pitt job. Anyone know anything about him? They were 33-4 last year and 17-1 in the ASUN Conference. The A10 would be a step up in conferences, but we might have a depleted roster.

He has had a lot of success in league over his 16 years there. But if he's been there that long with that kind of success, maybe he's comfortable where he is. Money would certainly be better in a P5 or high mid major, but if likes winters in Fort Myers...
https://fgcuathletics.com/sports/womens ... mesko/5004
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/co ... sko-1.html

I am not very familiar with the women’s game but I have been a big fan of Carla Berube now at Princeton. Played HS ball in Central Mass before UConn, played in Springfield/Hartford with the NE Blizzard (I was a season ticket holder) and coached at Tufts. My guess is she is out of our price range but doesn’t hurt to kick the tires.

https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/wo ... erube/9855
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/co ... ube-1.html

[InnervisionsUMASS]

No idea if they will stay in-house or try to find someone else but here is the bio for our Associate Head Coach and the leading in-house candidate, Mike Leflar:

https://umassathletics.com/sports/women ... eflar/1924


My guess is that they cut costs by not paying a search firm/search committee and hire Mike.

[MikeUMA]

Another take:

@InsiderExposure
Candidates for UMass WBB -
@CoachMikeLeflar - UMass Assoc HC
@walker_coach - Former UMass Asst., now at St. Johns
@coachmull2 - Great job as HC @ Albany
@CoachGabeLazo - P5 Miss St. Asst with connection to Frank Martin
@coachamyvachon - Great job as HC @ Maine

https://twitter.com/InsiderExposure/sta ... 3369458689

[69MG]

^ That's a good list. Most have head coaching experience. If all of the key players transfer, I think it lessens Lefler's chance at the job. He might even go with Tory to Pitt.

[TruBluMaroon]

A thought.

Billi Chambers - Iona WBB HC - wonder if RP would put in a good word for UM

[PreecherJenkins]

Carly Thibault HC at Fairfield, not sure she'll leave after year one Fairfield, but played highschool in CT, and comes from a hella good coaching family.

Lefler does not do it for me, just looking at his background and experiences before UMass does not excite me.

[Berkman]

We need to outside of the present staff.

[PreecherJenkins]

Tory was making what 450k? If he goes with the assoicate coach he can probably pay em 300k and bank the 100k to his budget. Bam bam is not stupid.

[Berkman]

Has anyone heard anything about any candidates being interviewed?

[Berkman]

I will imagine that if/when they interview outside candidates they would probably do it at a motel near Bradley airport.

[MikeUMA]

I will imagine that if/when they interview outside candidates they would probably do it at a motel near Bradley airport.

A motel near Bradley? Yeesh, I hope not.

Seriously though, I'd bet first conversations these days are over Zoom. Stage 2, Bamford goes to see them. Stage 3, we bring them up to campus, hopefully private to Westover.

[LS71]

^ or Barnes.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Word on the street is that Mike Leflar has been promoted to Head Coach.

[MikeUMA]

Announced
https://umassathletics.com/news/2023/4/ ... head-coach

[Floyd]

So... who is coming back?