[ballcoach15]

Going to be interesting as to who new coach will be. I think going after a top assistant of a ranked team might be the route to take.

[Purple Haize]

Going to be interesting as to who new coach will be. I think going after a top assistant of a ranked team might be the route to take.

I love how you lays go out on a limb. I guess you mean as opposed to a head coach for a program who never had a winning season

[JK37]

It's so general and vague, as if to say simply being an assistant for a top program qualifies the candidate. Lets not forget, Liberty comes with its own extra set of qualifications, many of which go against the majority of the sport. Think back to why it was shut down all those years ago.

Coach Wetmore has done a fantastic job! Well wishes to him as he enters retirement!

[olldflame]

We hired a VERY well respected assistant from a VERY successful major college program as our baseball coach, and the fact is opinions are mixed at best as to how that has worked out. Good assistants do not always make good head coaches.

[HenryGale]

Yea...I can think of a past basketball coach that was the top assistant at a Big East school...how did that work out?

It will be interesting to see who is interested in the job with the current state of the facilities....

But anybody that has been around LU for any length of time knows the only time anything really gets accomplished is with promises to new coaches...

[olldflame]

Yea...I can think of a past basketball coach that was the top assistant at a Big East school...how did that work out?

It will be interesting to see who is interested in the job with the current state of the facilities....

But anybody that has been around LU for any length of time knows the only time anything really gets accomplished is with promises to new coaches...

If the new facility is actually under construction with a reasonable expectation to be ready for next season, and it is comparable to recent construction for other sports, I would say that is a plus rather than a minus in hiring a new coach. I´m sure some will disagree, but if the new field can be built in time, it would be a huge waste of money to redo Worthington just for one season.

[CheapSeats]

It's so general and vague, as if to say simply being an assistant for a top program qualifies the candidate. Lets not forget, Liberty comes with its own extra set of qualifications, many of which go against the majority of the sport. Think back to why it was shut down all those years ago.

Coach Wetmore has done a fantastic job! Well wishes to him as he enters retirement!

In my opinion (and you know where I sit) LU might look at NAIA or Assistants that have built or could build a sustainable Program. I admit to being a novice BUT this may be a chance to get someone who also played the sport. I am glad that this is a process to watch (from the CheapSeats) not to participate in.

[Purple Haize]

It's so general and vague, as if to say simply being an assistant for a top program qualifies the candidate. Lets not forget, Liberty comes with its own extra set of qualifications, many of which go against the majority of the sport. Think back to why it was shut down all those years ago.

Coach Wetmore has done a fantastic job! Well wishes to him as he enters retirement!

In my opinion (and you know where I sit) LU might look at NAIA or Assistants that have built or could build a sustainable Program. I admit to being a novice BUT this may be a chance to get someone who also played the sport. I am glad that this is a process to watch (from the CheapSeats) not to participate in.

I've always thought this is a great way to go for a school like us. Football would be different but. For the other sports I like this philosophy. Which means they will go in the complete opposite direction!

[ballcoach15]

I say LU should look at one of the Top 10 teams in the NFCA/USA Today Poll, and find an Assistant Coach at one of those schools, and offer the job. Those assistant coaches on ranked teams know wha tit takes to build.............and maintain a strong program. Softball is a sport where LU should rule the Big South, and go to NCAA Tournament most EVERY season.

[BJWilliams]

Im with PH on this one...getting a D1 assistant probably would not work well because with lower level assistants looking for a job, they have had a chance to do "more with less". I will defer to him to offer a more detailed counterpoint to your suggestion ballcoach but that is something that has been mentioned as a reason why going for another D1 coach isnt the most prudent thing to do

[Purple Haize]

I say LU should look at one of the Top 10 teams in the NFCA/USA Today Poll, and find an Assistant Coach at one of those schools, and offer the job. Those assistant coaches on ranked teams know wha tit takes to build.............and maintain a strong program. Softball is a sport where LU should rule the Big South, and go to NCAA Tournament most EVERY season.

Do they? Were those assistants around when those programs were being built ?

[BJWilliams]

I say LU should look at one of the Top 10 teams in the NFCA/USA Today Poll, and find an Assistant Coach at one of those schools, and offer the job. Those assistant coaches on ranked teams know wha tit takes to build.............and maintain a strong program. Softball is a sport where LU should rule the Big South, and go to NCAA Tournament most EVERY season.

Do they? Were those assistants around when those programs were being built ?

Id doubt many of them were...Im sure if I looked at the coaching staffs of the top 10 schools in said poll, you probably woudlnt find too many coaches that fit that criterion...and the ones that do probably would be closer to retiring than getting a head coaching job

[ballcoach15]

Most D1 Assistants are fairly young. Heck, most D1 Head coaches are fairly young. I don't hear of many college softball coaches retiring. Many college D1 programs are around 20 years old, thus there are not many old coaches out there.

[Sly Fox]

Great observation, ballcoach15. I suspect anyone we hire regardless of previous position will probably be 45 or under. That is what the talent pool looks like these days.

[ballcoach15]

I would bet the farm that new coach will be under 45.


I know of an assistant at a top 10 school who would be a good candidate for LU job, but this assistant has turned down several head coaching jobs in past several years to remain at current school. Probably the best assistant coach in NCAA.

[Cider Jim]

Didn't the UVa softball coach just resign? Does anyone know if that coach is a believer?

[ballcoach15]

There are a lot of lesiban female coaches within NCAA.

[Purple Haize]

There are a lot of lesiban female coaches within NCAA.

Noooo. Really? Shocked! Shocked, I say!

[BJWilliams]

Im with PH in that it would probably be better to have a DII or lower coach move into a DI job because, as he said, they have done more with less as far as facilities go.

As far as the UVa coach, Im not too thrilled with her overall credentials.

As far as ballcoach's suggestion, if its who I think it is, I think he will retire before leaving his position where he is at

[JK37]

Ballcoach, what makes said candidate a good one for LU?

[BJWilliams]

According to his previous post, they are one of the top assistants in the nation and are at a top 10 school, ergo, they would be an instant fit at Liberty, to which I say, if he doesnt fit the school philosophically (and I dont just mean from an athletic standpoint), hiring them would be a definite step backwards even if they are from one of the top schools in the country. Im not going to hire somebody simply because they have a Jesus fish on their car, went to a Christian school and have a bible on their desk in their office.

[ballcoach15]

The new coach needs to be a good recruiter, know when to win with "small ball", and know when to win with "3-run homer".

Unless new coach is a pitching guru, a good pitching coach will need to be brought on board.

[Purple Haize]

The new coach needs to be a good recruiter, know when to win with "small ball", and know when to win with "3-run homer".

Unless new coach is a pitching guru, a good pitching coach will need to be brought on board.

They have one now. The staff is just young.

[ballcoach15]

who is the pitching guru ?

[Purple Haize]

who is the pitching guru ?

If you don't even know who is on the staff, how can you call for them to be replaced?