A chat with a former Richmond star and ex-ODU assistant about her new head coaching job

If you've never had an Ivy League team to cheer for, there's reason to put on your green for the Big Green of Dartmouth. Former University of Richmond point guard Belle Koclanes -- also an assistant to Old Dominion coach Wendy Larry -- has landed her first head coaching job at Dartmouth.

Koclanes replaces Chris Wielgus, at the helm of Dartmouth for the last 28 years and behind 17 Ivy titles, the last in 2009. The highly energetic Koclanes, who promises to buy some warm clothing (she owns neither boots nor a warm jacket) for her new Hanover, N.H., home, comes in after two years as an assistant at American University and three years with ODU. She's also an Ivy veteran; Koclanes was director of operations at Columbia in 2003-04 prior to being hired as an assistant to Pat Knapp at Penn.

We thank Belle for chatting with LadySwish.

From the nation's capitol to New Hampshire. Wow! Talk about the transition.

It's definitely a change, but a positive change. Hanover, New Hampshire is a small town, which I feel really excited about. The entire community reached out to me and is so warm and welcoming. Everyone is supportive of Dartmouth athletics. It really is a close knit community that I'm looking forward to being a part of. It's very different from Washington, D.C., from Philadelphia, Pa. I think the closest I came to it is down in Norfolk just because of the community support. Now, obviously, Norfolk is a lot bigger. ...

Spiders all-time assist leader

As for that New Hampshire rush hour ...

I was driving from Hanover to Manchester, which is the closest airport. I called my family when I was
flying back to D.C., and I'm looking in my rearview mirror and there's not a car in sight! It was just really a nice peaceful drive. I get in a plane, get to D.C., hop in a cab and it's bumper to bumper with the cabdriver hitting the brake every two minutes. I'm not going to miss that so much.

Talk about the philosophy you want to implement in your first head coaching job.

The first thing that has always been so important to me is creating the culture I envision. As an assistant, you definitely play a role in that, but only to a certain extent, because at the end of the day, it's the head coach's vision that you're on board with.

I want to create my own culture. It's not just my own; it's in accordance with the Dartmouth Athletic Department and also the players and the people I get to work with. Because every team, every player, every year is going to be different. There will always be fundamental values that are the same, but the culture itself is always going to be different because people make culture.

Really what I love about teaching and coaching is building relationships with people. That's what it's about for me. With that said, this is really exciting and I've been able to start building this culture. It started during the interview process when I got to meet them -- an hour with the team.

In that time, I talked to them about culture, and one of the first questions I asked them was, "What are your core values as a group?" There were 10 players in the room -- currently there's 13 -- and I had two phone in from Washington, D.C. where they have internships (the other is in Spain). They couldn't answer my question. Your core values are the oxygen of your program; that's what keeps the blood flowing. That's where we need to start.












If I'm going to be able to inspire you in any way, I need to know you as people. (Koclanes brought crayons and index cards into the interview and inspired players to create their personal "flags.") There's was a white board in the room and I asked, "Who's the artist in the group?" and they all pointed at one of our players who is from Serbia. So Misty gets up to the board, and I ask her to draw three doors for me and she draws three rectangles with little knobs. I joked with her, "Anybody could have done that. The reason I asked for an artist....."

So she got creative with each door. Above each door, I had her write culture, leadership and the third door was hoops. I told them these were three really important topics that I wanted to discuss with them, but I wanted it to be an open dialogue, and I let them pick where they wanted to begin. The first question was, "What is this culture all about?"

I'm glad they started there because that's where you have to start. That's where we got into a conversation about core values. I told them we're going to establish core values right off the bat: respect, attitude and preparation have always been at the core of my being.

A culture has to breathe -- that's core values. And a culture has to speak. So we talked about creating one language for each other, how we're all from different places and we all have different lingos. We talked about how important it is for a culture to build one common language. A culture also acts. We talked about how everything has to tie back to our core values.

I want them to make mistakes. It's the only way they're going to get better. Failure is awesome. We're going to get worse before we get better.

I talked about how a culture has to rest. I understand the academic rigor they're under. Five out of my 10 years coaching I was in the Ivy League, so I have an understanding of what it's like for student-athletes at a high academic level.

On being a team player and her Ivy League experience ....

 I come from a big family. I've always been on a team. That's all I know -- how to sacrifice for others and how to share. I never had my own room until I played professional basketball in Greece.

I've been blessed starting off with Pat Knapp at Penn. When he hired me in 2004, I didn't have any experience coaching. He really did take a chance on me. In the Ivy League, you only have two assistant coaches under you, so those hires are really important. He gave me an opportunity. He taught me all about managing and how to be fair in not only our team but among our staff. He was always trying to get better. Even at his age, he was still learning. He was constantly pushing me to grow in my skills. My first two years I coached the guards, but after a couple years of doing that, he came to me and said, "Belle, it's time for you to coach the post players."

On Wendy Larry and Allison Greene (1990 Dartmouth grad Greene was part of the Search Advisory Committee that picked Koclanes) 

Wendy was my next mentor. It's interesting how people come into your life. I say that about Coach Larry and Allison Greene. Because Allison Greene really played a role in Dartmouth. As a college player at Richmond in the CAA, Old Dominion was dominating. We would try to get close. The closest we came to them was my freshman year. We played them pretty tight. Wendy and Allison always, after every game against Old Dominion, always took an extra minute with me going through the line. Coach Larry always had inspiring words to say to me going through the line. She didn't have to do that. She didn't recruit me. I was a little bitty from New York. I was an opponent. But there was always this mutual respect of player-coach. That's so vivid in my memories.

When Wendy offered me the position, Bob Foley my college coach said, "Belle, you know when you got this job? You got this job when you were a college player. Wendy always respected you and how you carried yourself and how you competed. She remembered that."

I always felt connected to Coach Larry. Coming to Old Dominion, that was my favorite place to play -- the Field House, the environment, plus my older sister played soccer at Old Dominon. So I felt a bond to the place.

When Wendy hired me, that connection was still there. When Wendy called to talk with me about the position, my grandma was very sick. My grandma was my best friend growing up. She had cancer. When Wendy called, it was during my grandma's last days. The very first time she called for my very first official phone interview. It was a Saturday morning and I had driven from Philly to New York the night before to go see Grandma. Wendy and I were supposed to talk at 10 am. I got the call at 4 or 5 in the morning that Grandma had passed. I was with my family, and my whole family knew Wendy was going to call. The very first question Wendy asked was, "How's Grandma?" Of course. Because this is Coach Larry. I told her, and she was wonderful. We had such an incredible conversation that morning unrelated to basketball because Wendy always sees the bigger picture about life, and that's family and that's friends.

I didn't want to leave Old Dominion. I wanted to be with Coach until she retired. I was learning so much from her; she was learning from me. We were doing some phenomenal work as a staff.

From a basketball perspective, Wendy was at her best on the practice court. That was my favorite time. She was in her element teaching. ... I learned so much because I ran some practices at Old Dominion. I did a ton of coaching, and that's with a legend at the helm.

On replacing Wielgus, a fixture at Dartmouth

Being with Wendy when everything happened clearly taught me a lot. I was by Wendy's side when it all happened. It's a different situation here, and I don't know Chris half as well as I know Wendy. I remember talking to Chris after everything happened with Wendy. I have the utmost respect for her and what she's done. For me, coming into this role, it's an opportunity for me to be a part of that tradition. It's not about my coming in and taking over. I'm going to bring a new energy and a new culture and a change, but that's who I am.

I want to bring championships back to the Big Green. I want to be a part of that. It really is about adding to a culture. I have so much respect for Chris and the people and the players and the staffs who came before us.

Getting to know new W&M coach Ed Swanson

We know that Ed Swanson built Sacred Heart into a Northeast Conference power virtually from scratch, racked up more than 400 wins over 23 seasons and seems like a strong choice to get things turned around at William and Mary. But we wanted to know more. So, after a phone visit with Swanson and a chat with one of his former star players, Callan Taylor, here are 25 things to help get acquainted with the Tribe's new coach.

- Swanson's birthday was May 3 (He turned 47).

- His wife, Dr. Marion Swanson (a psychologist) also celebrated a birthday on May 3 (We didn't ask).

- Swanson accepted the William and Mary job on May 3.

- No doubt lots of other big things happened around the country on May 3, but we'll forgive the Swansons if they didn't notice.

- Coaches often encounter some awkward moments - and even some ill will - when they return to their old haunt after taking a different job. But Swanson said he's been blown away but how supportive and encouraging the Sacred Heart folks have been regarding his new adventure.

- It's yet another reason why he wants to make William and Mary a success. "I don't want to let anyone down," he said. "That's really motivating me."

- Naturally there will be a chair for Swanson on the William and Mary bench, but it doesn't sound as though he's really going to need it. "He's always moving up and down, stomping his feet, rubbing his hand through his hair....," Taylor said. "He rarely sits down."

- Come to think of it, Taylor didn't sit much either - the 2012 NEC Player of the Year scored more than 1,800 points for the Pioneers and is Sacred Heart's all-time leading rebounder. She spent the 2012-13 season playing professionally in Finland, a journey she artfully detailed in this personal blog.

- Swanson said his energetic style is by design. "I made a decision 23 years ago that I was going to coach every play," he said. "I think the players take a lead off their coach. So I bring a lot of energy, not just in games but on the practice court."

- Swanson expects similar intensity from his players. Must have said the word "effort" 10 times during our interview. Taylor said it, too, when asked what Swanson loves most in a player. "Hard work really goes a long way with him," she said.

- Clip 'n' save Swanson quote: "We might get beat every once in a while, but we're not going to lose because of effort."

- When he met with the players during the interview process, Swanson said he was struck by how motivated the group was about being at William and Mary. "When I asked why they chose William and Mary, they all perked up. Those kids love that school. There's a real hunger. They want to be part of William and Mary basketball."

- Before the players departed for the break, Swanson sent them off with the following advice: "When we get together again, be in the best possible shape you can be in."

- Actually, was that advice, or a warning?

- A Swanson pet peeve - negative facial expressions from his players when he's chewing them out, er, I mean correcting them in practice. "When he's talking to you, criticizing, even yelling at you - all coaches do that - he just hated facial expressions," Taylor said. "Some of the girls didn't even realize they were doing it. But he didn't like it. So if at all possible, when he's getting on you, keep a blank face and hold it in."

- This doesn't mean he's doesn't want to hear what his players have to say.

- In fact, he'll insist on it. "I tended to internalize everything, keep things to myself, and I could tell that bugged him a little bit because he really wanted to know what was on our minds. So I would say to the players if something's on your mind, don't be afraid to knock on his door, go in there and talk about it."

- But if Swanson delivers one of his vocal quirks, like pronouncing the "o" in sophomore, try not to giggle.

- Or make a facial expression.

Big Red

- Swanson's not afraid to have fun with this players, occasionally even at his own expense. Taylor remembers Swanson secretly dressing up as the school's mascot Big Red to the players and starring in a team promotional video. "Nobody knew until the end of the video when he took the head off," she said.

- So while we don't expect Swanson to be prancing around Zable Stadium like this:

- You never know.

- Finally, when we asked how someone so synonymous with one school will adjust to working at another, Swanson said he works best when he's nervous, uncomfortable.

- It wasn't the answer we were expecting from someone that's been at the same job for 23 years.

- So we pressed further. "I don't know if I have the best answer for you," he said. "Sometimes you just get something in the pit of your stomach that this is the right move for you. I'm sure there's going to be a time when I say, "What did I do?" But each day I get more and more excited."

Dispatch from Down Under: CNU's Schweers on her first game and missing Mom

LadySwish is thrilled to have former Christopher Newport University legend Chelsie Schweers blogging for us during her season in Australia. Schweers, who happens to be the leading scorer in Virginia women's basketball history, signed with the Toowoomba Mountaineers in April. Here is her second report from Down Under.

I played my first regular-season game with the Toowoomba Mountaineers this past Friday against the Brisbane Capitals. We led for the majority of the game, but unfortunately we were not able to pull out the win. A few costly mistakes at the end of the game put us down by eight, and the Capitals took the win. 

Overall, it was a good first game for us, and we learned a lot. We are now shifting our focus to getting the win this Friday night against the Mackay Meteors. Mackay won the league last year, so we are expecting a tough game, but I am always up for a challenge! Let's go Mountaineers!

I'm just shy of my 24th birthday and in that time 

I have gone from playing basketball at Hickory High School in Chesapeake (Virginia) to playing for the Lady Captains at Christopher Newport University to playing basketball in Australia. I have been playing basketball since I was 7 years old, and from a very early age, my dream has been to play professional basketball. I didn't know at the time that meant I would have the opportunity to play overseas, first in Greece (2012) and now for the Toowoomba Mountaineers in the land Down Under. 

In all that time, my mother has been my biggest supporter. She has been to more of my games than anyone else and has spent a lot of time on the road and in the sky, either taking me to games and tournaments or following me to a game. This past Mother's Day is the first that I have not spent with my mother, and that is the down side to being so far away. Fortunately, technology has created a wide variety of communication options, and on Mother's Day, thanks to Skype, I was able to spend time with my mom. I hope you were able to do the same and I hope all the moms who have sacrificed so much for their sons or daughters had a GREAT Mother's Day!

VCU lands point guard from Auburn

VCU has a new point guard, and her name is Chadarryl Clay (love that first name).

Clay spent her freshman year at Auburn -- part of a touted class ranked No. 30 in the country -- but Nell Fortner recruited that class before she stepped down from the Tiger program. Former Georgetown coach Terri Williams-Flournoy (Boo's sis) became coach last season.

Clay announced her decision on Twitter, noting Auburn wasn't a good fit.

Though Clay will have to sit out the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules, the news is great for a VCU team whose incoming class is touted as tops in the Atlantic 10 and 38th best in the nation. Comprising that group are Briana Dubose (Bishop McNamara, 1st Team All-WCAC), Monnazjea Finney-Smith (Wilson High, Eastern District Offensive Player of the Year), Ashlee Mitchell (back-to-back Region Player of the Year from Tennessee High), Keira Robinson (South Carolina 2A Player of the Year) and Isis Thorpe (consecutive Berks County Player of the Year from Reading, Pa).

Clay's resume is also loaded with accolades, too. The 5-7 guard from Chattanooga, Tenn., was Division-II AA Miss Basketball her junior and senior years at Girls Preparatory School. Her No. 5 jersey is retired, as Clay led the school to consecutive state titles and was tournament MVP her senior year. ESPN hoopgurlz ranked her No. 77 coming out of high school, the 12th best guard in the nation.

At Auburn, Clay played 32 of 34 games, averaging 3.7 points and had 55 assists for the Tigers, WNIT quarterfinalists who finished 19-15. What also must thrill VCU coach Marlene Stollings: Clay won the scholar athlete award as a freshman. The pre-pharmacy major carried a 3.7 GPA.

We'll be excited to see Clay -- and the others -- in Rams uniforms!

10-second rule gets two thumbs up from coaches

JMU's Kenny Brooks 

The news that the NCAA is closing on finally adopting the 10-second backcourt rule brings to mind the words of the great LeBron James after clinching the 2012 NBA title:

"It's about damn time."

Suffice to say we approve of this message. Having said that, we're not sure that, after an initial adjustment period, this rule will impact the women's game significantly. If a team needs more than 10 seconds to get the ball past halfcourt, that team is probably losing by 30 under any set of rules.

But so much for what we think. Head coaches from around the state are also bullish on the new rule, although Hampton's David Six expressed surprise that the 10-second backcourt rule wasn't accompanied by an increase in the shot clock from 30 seconds to 35.

A sampling of their thoughts (and thanks, coaches, for weighing in):

"Absolutely for the rule. Been lobbying for it for years. Will speed up the game and not let teams hold the ball in the backcourt. The game was like soccer almost. Teams didn't have the panic of the 10-second rule when going against presses. No 10-second rule voided athleticism. So happy. We may press more." - Kenny Brooks, JMU

"I'll be interested to see if they change the shot clock; I would think they would go to that. But certainly for some of the great defensive teams it will be an advantage. We should have a more athletic team this season, so it will be interesting to see what happens when we extend our defense." - David Six, Hampton

Wait, Hampton is going to be more athletic this season?

"I strongly believe the 10-second backcourt rule is needed in our game. To be honest, I'm not sure why our game has been hesitant to implement the rule. This rule change can only improve the pace and flow of the game. At the same time, it will make for more exciting finishes because teams will not be able to hold the ball in the backcourt. It will help with game strategy, decision-making, and the entertainment value of our game. There are too many positives and I am happy to hear our game is moving in this direction." - Mike McGuire, Radford

"Yes, we are in favor. (The) 10-second rule will speed up the game, help with overall tempo. Rewards pressing teams. (A) good move for the growth of our game (from a fan perspective. It improves our product." - Marlene Stollings, VCU

As a defensive coach, I really take pride in ball pressure and turning our opponent over. It will fit our defensive scheme and allow us more possessions. I think fans will enjoy a quicker pace. - Karen Barefoot, Old Dominion

"I think it's a great idea. It should really enhance the women's game by increasing the speed of play and making full-court pressure defenses more viable. It shouldn't affect us at all since we like to play at a very fast pace anyway." - Bill Reinson, Longwood

I am for it. Adds another element to create possessions if you are a good defensive team. Very much a plus for a good defensive team. - Nyla Milleson, George Mason

"I am all for the 10-second rule. I believe it will reward good defensive teams." - Ed Swanson, William and Mary

We'd love to hear from the rest of the coaches around the state. Email us at ladyswishing@hotmail.com and we'll add your response.

Down Under report from CNU's Chelsie Schweers, now a LadySwish blogger

LadySwish is thrilled to have former Christopher Newport University legend Chelsie Schweers blogging for us during her season in Australia. Schweers, who happens to be the leading scorer in Virginia women's basketball history, signed with the Toowoomba Mountaineers in April. Here is her first report from Down Under.

 Hey everybody! I got a lot of positive feedback from my blogs while I was playing basketball in Greece so I thought it would be fun to keep them going now that I am in Australia! I have been here just over two weeks and I am having a GREAT time.  When I first found out about an opportunity to play on a team in Australia, I was so excited! I have always wanted to visit Australia and to be given the opportunity to play basketball here is truly a blessing.  

Being on the other side of the world is definitely a new experience. We are 14 hours ahead of the East Coast in the United States, which has taken some getting used to when it comes to communicating back home. While there are so many things that are different, there are also many similarities. We drive on the other side of the road, the steering wheel is on the other side in the car, toilets flush the opposite direction, and although we all speak English, I have struggled with some of the Australian slang.  

The team I am playing for is called the Toowoomba Mountaineers.  We are located in a small town on top of a mountain in Southern Australia. The winter season is approaching and I’m expecting it to be pretty cold the next few months. Fortunately, we are only about an hour from the Gold Coast and Sun Coast, and it doesn't get too cold there, so definitely looking forward to making those trips. They have really nice beaches!

I have played in three scrimmage games since arriving and my team took the win in all three games! My first real game will be on Saturday, May 11 and I am very excited! The Toowoomba Basketball Association and the community have been extremely supportive. They go out of their way each and every day to make sure I am okay and having a great time – of course, how can you not have a great time in Australia!  My teammates are amazing, they are simply the best, and they make me feel so lucky to have landed this opportunity. The whole town has gone above and beyond to make me feel at home.  

I look forward to writing again soon! I appreciate all the love and support I am getting from everyone back home! Go Neers!

Chelsie 

Sacred Heart's Swanson to William and Mary?

This much we know for sure - William and Mary has hired its next women's basketball coach. The school has called a press conference for Tuesday morning to introduce the new leader.

Via Twitter, Bret McCormick of All Star Girls Report served up this nugget on who the new coach will be:

I have been told that Ed Swanson will be named Head Coach at William & Mary on Tuesday. Swanson has spent last 23 years at Sacred Heart.
— Bret McCormick (@ASGR1995) May 5, 2013

Later Sunday, the Connecticut Post also reported that Swanson is heading to Williamsburg, citing "multiple university administrative sources with knowledge of the situation."

Swanson, 46, has amassed a 406-264 record at Sacred Heart, which is located in Fairfield, Conn and plays in the Northeast Conference (NEC). In 14 years in the NEC, Swanson's Pioneers never finished below third place in the regular season standings and captured three conference tournament titles, The most recent one came in 2012, capping a season in which Swanson bagged his fourth NEC Coach of the Year award. The Pioneers followed that up with a 22-11 record in 2012-13 and a spot in the WNIT.

If the Swanson's the guy, he will be tasked with stabilizing a program that posted single-digit victory totals in two of the last three seasons for former coach Debbie Taylor - and just 10 in the other campaign - and hasn't finished with a winning record since 2006-07. Swanson's seen worse, though - the team he inherited at Sacred Heart years ago was coming off a 4-21 season.

Newest Lady Monarch was a cheerleader first

Once upon a time she was planning to be a cheerleader like her mom. Instead Keyana Brown is a basketball player like her dad, and she'll be taking her game to the next level at Old Dominion. The 5-11 forward from Williamsburg Christian Academy, who Boo Williams lauds as  "a true shooter," is part of the Lady Monarchs' 2014 signing class.

Brown has started every game since eighth grade at Williamsburg Christian. For the last four years, the Eagles have advanced to every state title game (winning in 2012), and although Brown is just finishing up her junior year, she's already surpassed 2,000 points (she's notched 2,001). Brown has also received first-team all-state honors each of the last four years and was the Virginia Independent Schools State Player of the Year in 2012. Check out some of her moves on this YouTube video.

As a ninth-grader, Brown even played in the state title game after breaking her right hand against Amelia Academy in the state semifinals. Unable to shoot or dribble that morning, she took some advice from a classmate on the boys team who played with a bad shoulder.

"He told me once your adrenalin starts going, you'll be all right," she says. "I finished with 12 points."

Brown considered Richmond, James Madison, Delaware, St. Bonaventure and Villanova, visiting a few of those schools, but picked ODU because it was the exact fit she was seeking.

"It's not very far from home; I love coach (Karen) Barefoot and the energy she gives off," said Brown, who plans to major in communication. "What really put them over the top was that family vibe that I got. I know that my dad felt that trust in the coaching staff, too. I got to meet the AD and other people who made me feel this is where I need to be. The campus is beautiful, and with the system and the coaches, I think that is the perfect place for me to be successful."

As for the cheerleader in her, Brown laughs recalling the memory.

"My mom was a cheerleader in high school, and every little girl looks up to their mom," she said.

At age 7, she was set for a cheerleading camp in her former home, Atlanta, when she told her dad never mind that camp, she wanted to join a basketball camp after watching one featuring the Georgia Tech players.

"We had already paid for the cheerleading camp. ..." he said.

Chris Brown coaches (today he is an assistant at Williamsburg Christian) and played at Norfolk State from 1984-88, and Keyana Brown credits him for much of her development.

"His teaching me means we have a relationship inside of another relationship that we share," she says.

As for those 1-on-1 games, that they play all the time?

"It's hard," Keyana says. "He knows my faults, and I'm still trying to figure out his."

Notes Chris, "She hasn't figured out that I don't have any."

Getting to know new George Mason coach Nyla Milleson

LadySwish welcomes Nyla Milleson to the fold. Milleson is the recently hired coach at George Mason coach who spent her six previous years as head coach of Missouri State.

Milleson led the Lady Bears to three WNIT appearances in her tenure. Two years after arriving at the Springfield, Mo., school in 2007, the Lady Bears put together three consecutive 20-win seasons. Prior to her time there, Milleson was the inaugural coach at Division II Drury, where she compiled a 185-36 mark over seven seasons.

She shared her thoughts with us about herself and the future of George Mason basketball.


Talk about the transition from the Midwest to the East Coast.

Professionally, basketball is basketball, and I've had success building programs and maintaining programs, so I don't think they'll be a whole lot of difference from the recruiting standpoint. I'll need to get accustomed to the area, but that's where I'm going to find the best staff possible and find the connections that can help us make the quickest transition possible. George Mason is a great place; it's got great academics. We've got to stick our nose in here and get busy.

Personally, on the other hand, there's going to be a couple of adjustments. I've learned the key words are "depends on traffic." You look at your GPS and if it tells you six minutes, you plan on 20 or 30. So, obviously, the traffic is a big adjustment for me. The sticker shock of real estate is much different than it is in the Midwest, too.

My family is not coming with me for a year. My oldest (Barrett) is getting ready to graduate from Missouri State, and he might move out here quicker than my husband and my other son (Caylor). My other son is going to be a senior in high school. He plays football, and it will be hard to be away from him and miss his senior year. But basketball has afforded us a lot of great opportunities, and this is another one. I'm really lucky and blessed that I was able to climb in this profession in a unique way. I went from a high school coach to Division II to Division I in the same community. I'm excited  about the new adventure.

How much did you know about George Mason prior to becoming coach?

That the men were in the 2006 Final Four! As far as the women's basketball program, I really didn't, but when the job came open, I did a lot of research, and I think there are a lot of exciting things that could happen here. I think moving into the A-10 is probably great timing for a new coach and a new staff to start fresh. You see the campus and the facilities and the dorms on the Internet, and they're even more special when you get here and see them up close. When it comes down to it, I'm really a people person, and the biggest thing I was sold on is there are such good people here. We're going to have to work at it, but I think you combine all those things, and we'll be able to get some real quality student-athletes here.

George Mason has struggled to win consistently. What needs to be done to be successful there?

It's going to take finding that couple of diamond-in-the-rough type of kids, possibly. I think we've got one here now in Taylor Brown (5-7 sophomore transfer from Georgetown). She's got a chance to be really, really special at Mason. Sandra Ngoie (6-1 forward), the transfer from Georgia Tech; she's got a chance to be really special. I think there are some pieces here. We're going to have to get out and sell George Mason. One of our biggest keys is if we can just get those kids to campus. We've got an abundance of talent here. We've got to try to reach out to those local kids and try to get them to stay right here at George Mason. There are some kids in our back yard we've got to try to find a way to keep home and then try to spread out. Our staff is going to have to try to do a good job cultivating those relationship starting right at home. I think it can be done, and I think the move to the A-10 is going to help bridge that gap a little bit.

What did you want the team to take away after its first meeting with you?

I pride myself on discipline and self discipline and accountability for what we want to get done on the court and accountability for each other. We hope to bring a level of passion and energy every day. I'm big on trying to do the right thing on and off the floor on a daily basis. I'm just a small part of these kids' lives. I try to make them good basketball players who win championships, but really at the end of the day, I want them to get a George Mason education and get jobs and be successful people.

Change is always hard, but they've been very receptive to me and my personality, and that's one of the big keys to getting off on the right foot.

What will the next few weeks be like for you?

It's been a whirlwind. Me and the one assistant (Christopher Lewis) I have were out last weekend. My first order of business was to make sure I took care of our current team, and I made contact with the three kids coming in, and they're all coming. My first priority was to our current team. I've met with every one of them individually. We've had individual workouts, and I've tried to build that relationship and build that trust. Secondly, I've tried to get the right staff hired, but I'm going to be patient and make sure we get the right fit, and hand in hand with that is recruiting. We've got some relationships -- although some of them are Midwest kids. We've got some new relationships already, and hopefully they will consider George Mason when we get a new staff hired.

Attendance has never been great at George Mason. Is increasing support a priority for you?

I've been blessed and spoiled at the same time, because I came from a very tradition rich area in Southwest Missouri. Playoff time we'd play in front of 2,000 people at the high school level. When I started the program at Drury, we were at the top five or six of Division II year in and year out. Missouri State was also a great place for attendance. I think we have to be realistic about what we can do here as far as attendance. It can certainly grow. I'm not dumb. I know winning takes care of a lot of things. Through our camps, our recruiting efforts, through our community service -- that's big to me -- reaching out to faculty and students, I think it can grow.

How much time had you spent in the D.C. area prior to taking the job?

I had only been to Washington, D.C. once. I came with Missouri State two years ago. We played Morgan (State) and Georgetown and Coppin State. We were here about a week. I got to do some things with our team; we went to Georgetown Cupcake. We saw some of the monuments. I have been but I haven't really been to D.C., so that is an area I'd like to spend some time personally. I haven't been to New York City, either, so I'm looking forward to visiting.

We can't resist. What was it like being captain of the rodeo team while you attended Kansas State?

I grew up in a small western Kansas town. My grandfather was just put into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. He really, truly was one of the cowboy types. That's what I grew up doing. I rodeoed at K-State. I haven't ridden a horse in years, and my boys are about as city as they come. It was one of those parts of my life where I met some incredible people and traveled across the country and got to ride my horses.

I can rope cattle. That was my best event. And don't laugh. It was called goat tying. It was a neat part of my life. I enjoyed it.

Touted JUCO All-American not JMU bound after all

An Aggie instead of a Duke

Texas A&M or James Madison?

Achiri Ade, the decorated junior college post player, signed with Texas A&M on Thursday.

The 6-1 Ade, whose hometown is Baltimore, initially signed with JMU, a great get for the Dukes at the time given she was rated a four-star prospect by ESPN.com as the No. 27 forward and No. 92 overall prospect of the 2011 class. But under CAA rules, she was a non-qualifier, sending the Seton Keough High graduate the junior college route.

Ade played the last two seasons at Midland College in Midland, Texas, where she led the Lady Chaps to the NJCAA Sweet 16 last season. An NJCAA All-American, Ade averaged 14.1 ppg and 12.4 rpg with 22 double-doubles. And what can we say? Despite the manageable drive from Harrisonburg to Baltimore, Ade opted to remain in the Lone Star state.

But this just in from Kenny Brooks via Twitter: @Ladyswish ...no room. Love the combination of @nikki_newnew @J_Fresh24 and @chicknballa3

It appears the stable is full at JMU, as Brooks notes the Dukes are in good shape with Nikki Newman returning along with Jazmon Gwathmey and Toia Giggetts.

We still think the Dukes boast the best youth in the CAA (remember, they have Precious Hall, too) and we'll be following Ade. We wish she were wearing purple in Harrisonburg rather than maroon in College Station, but we're liking the post game of the Dukes for the 2013-14 season.