It's OFFICIAL - Paula Buscher is announced as NEW head coach at SIUE

[tornado]

Announced on SIUE's official Athletic website

http://www.siuecougars.com/sports/w-baskbl/2012-13/releases/20120611wtr674

[Da Coach]

Announcement from BradleyBraves.com-

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=25972&SPID=1499&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205438562&DB_OEM_ID=3400

Paula was just removed from the coaches page, too-

http://www.bradleybraves.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=3400&SPID=1499&SPSID=19341

[Old Coach]

Anyone know the length of her contract?

[tornado]

Today's column says they think it's 5 years at SIUE at about what she was getting here and that BU would not extend her so she only had a year left at BU.

There are also a couple other interesting quotes in today's article...

http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x681113107/BUs-Buscher-resigns-to-become-SIU-E-coach

"But there are many, many good coaches out there who are incredibly excited about this opportunity.” (the open Bradley job)

Cross said he does not plan to retain a search firm to assist in the process, as he did when hiring Geno Ford to replace Jim Les as men’s basketball coach in 2011.

“Since the official announcement (of Buscher’s departure, Wednesday morning), the phone has been ringing off the hook,” Cross said. “There has been non-stop interest.”

She had one year remaining on her contract with Bradley, but Cross would not commit to renewing it, multiple sources said.
..Buscher called the SIUE position “a really good opportunity.”


Then a few comments from coaching legend Lorene Ramsey...
"Buscher’s mentor, national Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lorene Ramsey, said she was happy for her former player but disappointed Bradley let Buscher go.

“Paula loved Bradley, but it was a business decision that had to be made,” Ramsey said.
.... Bradley should have supported her with a contract extension. The lack of commitment, Ramsey said, would have been a drag on recruiting.

“Do I think Paula’s contract should have been extended? You bet I do,” Ramsey said. “I do not have a warm feeling on how this was handled.

“The AD at Edwardsville showed a lot of want. He showed tremendous enthusiasm for her. I would say she probably was not feeling the same from Dr. Cross.”

[lefty]

Hmmm....nice quotes by Cross....no wishing luck to Paula or about her time at BU....just that this job is in such demand.......

[Bobby Parker]

Lefty, here is a quote from Dr. Cross that was included prominently in the news release announcing her resignation that was distributed to all of the local media, including the Journal Star, and posted on BradleyBraves.com:

"Coach Buscher has been a valued member of the Bradley Athletics staff for the last 12 years and has brought the women's basketball program its first two postseason appearances," said Bradley Director of Athletics Dr. Michael Cross. "We wish her the best of luck at SIUE."

[Beninator]

Lefty, here is a quote from Dr. Cross that was included prominently in the news release announcing her resignation that was distributed to all of the local media, including the Journal Star, and posted on BradleyBraves.com:

"Coach Buscher has been a valued member of the Bradley Athletics staff for the last 12 years and has brought the women's basketball program its first two postseason appearances," said Bradley Director of Athletics Dr. Michael Cross. "We wish her the best of luck at SIUE."

A general comment here:

I always get a kick out of the "goodbye good luck" quotes when any coach leaves. They always bring up the positives while leaving the knives in the drawer.

[tornado]

It is a business as well as a game...and the people in charge have to make the tough decisions they feel necessary...
but given that, it needs to be said that at least BU Women's Basketball was one of our programs that was on the uptick...the past four seasons rank among the best we've ever had.
So, now out of the 14 different sports programs that BU sponsors, all but two have changed coaches in the past 4 years or so....
so, given the new facilities, all the major investments, and the extraordinary fan support and donor support - ought we not to expect a few of the others to show a bit of an uptick also??

[lefty]

Lefty, here is a quote from Dr. Cross that was included prominently in the news release announcing her resignation that was distributed to all of the local media, including the Journal Star, and posted on BradleyBraves.com:

"Coach Buscher has been a valued member of the Bradley Athletics staff for the last 12 years and has brought the women's basketball program its first two postseason appearances," said Bradley Director of Athletics Dr. Michael Cross. "We wish her the best of luck at SIUE."

Thanks for making me aware of that Bobby...I had only seen what PJS reported

[tornado]

Could this have some connection and will he apply??

"March 12, 2012...(ICC) Head Women’s Basketball Coach Steve Garber has resigned in order to
explore other opportunities.
....(He has won)...four national championships – one while he was at the helm
and three while on the coaching staff as an assistant. Under his leadership as
head coach, the Cougars also won runner-up (2005) and third place (2008 )
finishes in the national championship as well.
...and has a career record of 230-69..."

http://www.cinewsnow.com/sports/ICCs-Garber-Resigns-142417175.html

[BUBraves fan]

Hmmm... I would think that could be somewhat awkward at family holiday dinners; as his sister, Jeni was the longest tenured assistant coach in BU women's program history!

[tornado]

virtually all recent hires have come to BU from elsewhere - mostly from outside of Illinois and having zero prior connections to BU or this area....
A few have had some previous Central IL experience - so it'll be interesting who the search comes up with...

[Braveman]

I would think you would want someone with major college experience, probably as top assistant or recruiter, or maybe some head coaching experience... Somebody like perhaps these kind of folks:

Michelle Nason
Alex Ivansheck
Carol Owens
Stephanie Norman
Kia Damon
Jenni Fitzgerald
Ashley Kelly
Kara Cassidy
Amy Cherubini

Hope it is a good hire....

[Da Coach]

Who is Ashley Kelly? Is it this coach- Ashlee Kelly?

I believe all those names are assistant coaches elsewhere.
I think these are correct-
Michelle Nason- Marquette
Alex Ivansheck- Ithaca College (D3)
Carol Owens- Notre Dame
Stephanie Norman- Louisville
Kia Damon- Penn State
Jenni Fitzgerald- Iowa
Ashley Kelly- Iona
Kara Cassidy- Penn
Amy Cherubini- Butler

Those all look like respectable assistants, but none have any successful head coaching experience at a D1 school, do they? Note: Carol Owens did coach Northern Illinois for 5 losing years before returning to Notre Dame as an assistant. What distinguishes them from the other thousand D1 assistants? Does Bradley want to hire another school's assistant, especially assistants from a low D1, or a D3 school like Ithaca, losing programs like Iona and Penn?
What do you think makes them qualified candidates to be Bradley's head coach? Shouldn't we have the same minimum criteria we had for choosing a men's head coach last year, such as successful head coaching experience?

[tornado]

The job listing seems to suggest D-I experience is a must