Who's Recruiting Our Kids?

Lots of new faces out recruiting. LadySwish bids a fond hello to the newcomers and adieu to those who have moved on.

William and Mary

Say hello to....

Kelly Morrone

Kelly Morrone: A former Debbie Taylor recruit during the Tribe head coach's stint as an assistant at South Carolina, Morrone finished her playing career No. 3 on the Gamecocks all-time list in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage. She has since had assistant coaching stints at Buffalo (3 years), Davidson (2 years) and, most recently, Rhode Island (2 years). Remember, the Rams went 1-28 last season and ended the campaign on a 26-game losing streak. Now, we're not pinning this on Morrone, just pointing it out because, as Louis Freeh put it, the facts are the facts. Besides, there's not question Morrone knows what it's like to be part of a much more successful operation. Fun fact: In 1999, Morrone set the Cicero-North Syracuse High School record for career points (1,821). The former record-holder? ESPN's Beth Mowins. Morrone's record stood until last season, which it was broken - OK, obliterated - by Next Big Thing Breanna Stewart, the latest thoroughbred in the UConn stable.

Chris Koclanes: ODU alum joins Tribe as director of operations.

Even with the addition of Morrone, the Tribe is still in the market for coaches because....

Say goodbye to....

Meg Barber: After seven years with the Tribe, Barber is now an assistant at Temple.
Shavon Earp: Now an assistant to Terrell Robinson (the former VCU assistant) at North Carolina A&T.
Janell Crayton: Former Tribe director of basketball ops is now an assistant coach at UNC Asheville.

Tribe staff: Debbie Taylor (head coach), Will Ingersoll, Kelly Morrone, Chris Koclanes (DOBO)

Virginia

Ashley Earley

Say hello to....

Ashley Earley: Former star player at Vanderbilt, which according to us now makes her one of the 10 best players-turned-coaches in the ACC. Joins the Cavaliers after a two-year stint as an assistant at Marquette. Specializes in working with post players.

Say goodbye to....

Katie O'Connor: Former Virginia Tech player and assistant spent just one season with the Cavaliers. Virginia's release said O'Connor stepped down for "personal reasons related to her health," so we were scratching our heads a bit when she quickly resurfaced as a full-time assistant at Kansas. But if this means O'Connor's health is good enough to keep her in the game, we're certainly cool with that. Besides, we're sure she'll be comfortable reuniting with Jayhawks coach Bonnie Henrickson, a woman for whom she played for and has served as an assistant under for 10 seasons.

Cavaliers staff: Joanne Boyle (head coach), Kim and Cory McNeill, Earley, Sarah Holsinger (DOBO).

Longwood

Say hello to....

Sarah Williams: Former JMU standout and graduate assistant for the Dukes last season assumes her first full-fledged assistant's role. By the way, we were in the process of setting up an interview with Williams before real-life duties dragged us down another path. So Sarah, if you're reading this, hang in there - we're still coming for you!
Adria Crawford: Becomes an assistant within months of completing her playing career at Big East powerhouse Georgetown.

Say goodbye to....

Jenny Poff: Former player at Ohio University returns to her roots in the Buckeye State as an assistant at Kent State.
Lindsay Schrader: Ex-Notre Dame star now an assistant at Loyola University-Chicago after one season at Longwood.

Lancers staff: Bill Reinson (head coach), Wanisha Smith, Williams, Crawford.

VCU

Marlene Stollings

Say hello to....

Marlene Stollings (head coach): Not sure what sold the Rams administration on this coach, but she had us as soon as she began talking about how she wants to score, score, score. Her ability to transform Winthrop in just one season has us giddy about the possibilities for VCU.
Niki Dawkins: Stud high school and college (Ohio State) player and longtime ODU assistant re-teams with Stollings as lead assistant. Stollings was once an assistant to Dawkins at New Mexico State. Mother of 10-month-old twins. Relentlessly upbeat Tweeter.
Franqua Bedell: The new "Q" at VCU, Bell comes to the Rams after a four-year stint as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at Mississippi State. Another relentlessly upbeat Tweeter.
Eric Thibault: Comes to VCU after a five-year stint with the WNBA's Connecticut Sun and is the son of Sun head coach Mike Thibault. Eric Thibault spent five seasons as an assistant for player development and scouting with the Sun and was a graduate assistant at his alma mater, St. John's.

*Nate Bellman, who resigned his head coaching position at Ohio Dominican in June to be an assistant to Stollings, was unable to make the move to Virginia due to family medical issue.

Say goodbye to....

Beth Cunningham: Former Rams head coach now an assistant at Notre Dame
Terrell Robinson: Ex-Rams assistant now the head coach at North Carolina A&T
Darren Guensch: After two years as a VCU assistant, Guensch is now an assistant at UNC Greensboro
Carolyn Riley: Former director of basketball ops now an assistant coach at Georgia Southern.


Rams staff: Marlene Stollings (head coach), Niki Dawkins, Franqua Bedell, Eric Thibault

George Mason

Say hello to....

Tiffany Gwynn

Tiffany Gwynn: Former Liberty standout who also spent four seasons as an assistant at Hampton. Comes to Mason after a three-year stint at UNC Asheville. Joins the Patriots after three seasons at UNC Asheville. By the way, if Hampton thinks it got screwed when the NCAA tournament committee handed the Lady Pirates a No. 16 seed last season, consider what happened to Gwynn's 1998 Liberty team. That squad went 28-0 but was also seeded 16th. Furthermore, the Lady Flames were sent to Knoxville to face Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings and an undefeated Tennessee squad that was arguably the finest of Pat Summitt's legendary career. Final score: Tennessee 102, Liberty 58.

Say goodbye to....

Jim Lewis: Veteran coach now an assistant with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.
Antoya Miller: Former director of basketball operations, now an assistant at Eastern Illinois.

Patriots staff: Jeri Porter (head coach), Jana Ashley, Greg Pulliam, Gwynn.

Old Dominion

Say hello to....

Richard Fortune: Well-connected former Boo Williams AUU girls basketball assistant signs on with the Lady Monarchs after two years as an assistant at UCF.

Say goodbye to....

Sara Teachey: Former director of basketball ops. Ex-Lady Monarchs great Adrienne Goodson, an ODU assistant last season, will assume these duties.

Lady Monarchs staff: Karen Barefoot (head coach), Amaka Agugua, Tom McConnell, Fortune, Goodson (DOBO).

Radford

Say hello to....

Victoria Best: Owner of the best statistic on this page - a 4.0 grade-point average after four years at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Got into the coaching game in 2000 and had stops at Colgate and Siena on the road to Radford.
Danielle Dawson: We remember covering Dawson during her days as a MEAC star at Hampton, and folks, the young lady could ball. Returns to the Commonwealth after a six-year stint as an assistant at Delaware State.
Lindsay Walter: Miami graduate assistant joins Highlanders as director of ops.

Say goodbye to....

Katrina Williams: Former Roanoke College star assumes the head-coaching slot at Tusculum after two years as a Highlanders assistant.
Fran Recchia: Will join Williams as part of the new staff at Tusculum.

Highlanders staff: Tajama Abraham Ngongba (head coach), Felecia Burroughs, Best, Dawson, Lindsay Walter (DOBO)

Staying put

The following staffs are staying intact for the 2012-13 school year.

Norfolk State staff: Debra Clark (head coach), Lashondra Dixon-Gordon, Kenny Edwards, Corey Eaton.

Virginia Tech staff: Dennis Wolff (head coach), Billi Godsey, Chantelle Anderson, Tom Joyce, Bill Old (DOBO).

Liberty staff: Carey Green (head coach), Alexis Sherard, Heather Stephens, Andrea "Andy" Bloodworth, Sarah Boruta (DOBO).

Hampton staff: David Six (head coach), Barbara Burgess, Brian Davis, Ashlee Finley.

Richmond staff: Michael Shafer (head coach), Ginny Doyle, Ebony Tanner Moore, Mike McGuire, Nicki Williams (DOBO)