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Yet another Valley coach might be on the move.
Here is discussion that a local radio staion in Wichita reported that a University of Arkansas plane was seen at the airport in Wichita, KS either picking up Mark Turgeon or flying in some people to interview him.
Here's a thought...
Did anyone here know that Wichita's Mark Turgeon has a twin brother who is also a very successful coach?
Jim Turgeon is the womens coach at Dodge City Community College (where BU recruiting targets Wade Knapp and Charlie Coley play), and is very successful.
This article notes that Jim Turgeon is the leading candidate for the open womens head coaching spot at Pittsburg State, a D-II school in Kansas.
Since it is a premium article, I will help a little.
Here is a picture of Jim Turgeon
"Turgeon ready for 'next step'
Jim Turgeon is ready to make the next step.
"Professionally-wise, the MIAA is the best women's basketball Division II conference in the country,'' Turgeon said. "The competition is unbelievable. The coaches are fantastic, and to me, in my profession, it's the logical next step to take. I really like the fact that all the coaches who are working here have been here a long time. That's something that I'd like to do.
"Personal-wise, I know (Pittsburg is) a great community. ... I know they have fantastic schools here. Both professionally and personally, I'm really excited about the possible opportunity.''
Turgeon, the women's head basketball coach at Dodge City Community College, visited Pittsburg State University on Wednesday and interviewed for the Gorillas' women's basketball head coaching position.
Turgeon, the brother of Wichita State men's basketball coach Mark Turgeon, has posted a 124-96 record in seven seasons at Dodge City CC, highlighted by back-to-back 26-win seasons.
"The three years before I got there, they won a total of 12 games,'' Turgeon said during his public interview session at the Jack Overman Student Center. "We've had some success there. It's been a lot of hard work, and I love Dodge City. But this opportunity to be in a great university like Pittsburg State and a good city like Pittsburg really excites me. I hope I get the opportunity to coach here.''
The Lady Conquistadors dropped to 11 victories last season. Sophomore Patrice McKenzie, an honorable mention all-Jayhawk Conference selection, has committed to play at Florida Gulf Coast, which finished second in the Division II Tournament and is in the process of becoming Division I.
"We had two girls right at the last minute decide to go to four-year schools, so I was scrambling for players to replace them,'' Turgeon said. "Two of our starters coming back got pregnant, and we had some injuries. My best player broke her hand, came back for two weeks and then broke her nose.
"It was just one of those years. Recruiting is going very well, and I expect us back on top next year. Hopefully I'm here though.''
Turgeon prefers an up-tempo style of play.
"I love pressure defense,'' he said. "We had to play a majority of zone this year because we weren't very good man-to-man. We like to put on a lot of pressure, change defenses a lot, and then we fast break.
"I think the best times to score are either in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock or the last 10 seconds. We'll try to get an early (shot off the break), and if we don't, we go into our motion offense, try to wear down the defense and take advantage of breakdowns. Until this year, we probably went five years in a row where we were in the top three in Region 6 in scoring and usually in the top five in field-goal percentage. We get up and down the floor.''
Turgeon also has coached five academic all-Americans at Dodge City.
"We stress academics,'' he said. "We do class checks, we have study hall four times a week for two hours, and I'm actually there. I can help them a little bit except for algebra.
"A big thing is the relationship I've had with instructors. They feel real comfortable calling me on the phone and say 'What's wrong with Sally. She hasn't been doing anything.' Also they call me and give compliments, too. To me, the communication, the bridge between athletics and education has been very good, and I think that's the reason we've had success.''
Here is discussion that a local radio staion in Wichita reported that a University of Arkansas plane was seen at the airport in Wichita, KS either picking up Mark Turgeon or flying in some people to interview him.
Here's a thought...
Did anyone here know that Wichita's Mark Turgeon has a twin brother who is also a very successful coach?
Jim Turgeon is the womens coach at Dodge City Community College (where BU recruiting targets Wade Knapp and Charlie Coley play), and is very successful.
This article notes that Jim Turgeon is the leading candidate for the open womens head coaching spot at Pittsburg State, a D-II school in Kansas.
Since it is a premium article, I will help a little.
Here is a picture of Jim Turgeon
"Turgeon ready for 'next step'
Jim Turgeon is ready to make the next step.
"Professionally-wise, the MIAA is the best women's basketball Division II conference in the country,'' Turgeon said. "The competition is unbelievable. The coaches are fantastic, and to me, in my profession, it's the logical next step to take. I really like the fact that all the coaches who are working here have been here a long time. That's something that I'd like to do.
"Personal-wise, I know (Pittsburg is) a great community. ... I know they have fantastic schools here. Both professionally and personally, I'm really excited about the possible opportunity.''
Turgeon, the women's head basketball coach at Dodge City Community College, visited Pittsburg State University on Wednesday and interviewed for the Gorillas' women's basketball head coaching position.
Turgeon, the brother of Wichita State men's basketball coach Mark Turgeon, has posted a 124-96 record in seven seasons at Dodge City CC, highlighted by back-to-back 26-win seasons.
"The three years before I got there, they won a total of 12 games,'' Turgeon said during his public interview session at the Jack Overman Student Center. "We've had some success there. It's been a lot of hard work, and I love Dodge City. But this opportunity to be in a great university like Pittsburg State and a good city like Pittsburg really excites me. I hope I get the opportunity to coach here.''
The Lady Conquistadors dropped to 11 victories last season. Sophomore Patrice McKenzie, an honorable mention all-Jayhawk Conference selection, has committed to play at Florida Gulf Coast, which finished second in the Division II Tournament and is in the process of becoming Division I.
"We had two girls right at the last minute decide to go to four-year schools, so I was scrambling for players to replace them,'' Turgeon said. "Two of our starters coming back got pregnant, and we had some injuries. My best player broke her hand, came back for two weeks and then broke her nose.
"It was just one of those years. Recruiting is going very well, and I expect us back on top next year. Hopefully I'm here though.''
Turgeon prefers an up-tempo style of play.
"I love pressure defense,'' he said. "We had to play a majority of zone this year because we weren't very good man-to-man. We like to put on a lot of pressure, change defenses a lot, and then we fast break.
"I think the best times to score are either in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock or the last 10 seconds. We'll try to get an early (shot off the break), and if we don't, we go into our motion offense, try to wear down the defense and take advantage of breakdowns. Until this year, we probably went five years in a row where we were in the top three in Region 6 in scoring and usually in the top five in field-goal percentage. We get up and down the floor.''
Turgeon also has coached five academic all-Americans at Dodge City.
"We stress academics,'' he said. "We do class checks, we have study hall four times a week for two hours, and I'm actually there. I can help them a little bit except for algebra.
"A big thing is the relationship I've had with instructors. They feel real comfortable calling me on the phone and say 'What's wrong with Sally. She hasn't been doing anything.' Also they call me and give compliments, too. To me, the communication, the bridge between athletics and education has been very good, and I think that's the reason we've had success.''
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