MBB: NESCAC

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Any word on the Amherst search?

I hear John Calipari really liked living there and is ready to come back to town.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

They hired the lacrosse coach recently. Can't remember the status on volleyball and others ... so I suspect basketball will be made in the order the jobs there opened.

[daddyhoops]

Its been very quiet..

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Its been very quiet..

I think by design. I can't remember what I have written on here and don't have time to search, but the total numbers I'm hearing on applications was lower than many expected BUT they still had some high-quality applicants.

I think Amherst is taking it's time because they have had other searches to prioritize and I am in now way surprised there aren't many leaks out of there. They aren't exactly wanting to advertise things from what I know over the years.

[SpringSt7]

Volleyball has been filled as well I believe.

The strangest thing about the Amherst search, and strange maybe isn't the right word, but with the Toomey element of having him as the interim, you would just think that if he was the successor in waiting, they would've hired him quickly. Now that is not to say that they are not exhausting all other options, and the other Amherst ties have been discussed at length, but it just feels like the longer this goes on, the less and less he feels like the favorite.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Volleyball has been filled as well I believe.

The strangest thing about the Amherst search, and strange maybe isn't the right word, but with the Toomey element of having him as the interim, you would just think that if he was the successor in waiting, they would've hired him quickly. Now that is not to say that they are not exhausting all other options, and the other Amherst ties have been discussed at length, but it just feels like the longer this goes on, the less and less he feels like the favorite.

I don't think the "interim" thing is a slam dunk for any search. F&M took it's time and did a thorough search as well before naming the interim the head coach. From what I am told, Nichay was told the search was going to be thorough and he was prepared for just that. Amherst is doing a thorough search - and they SHOULD do a thorough search. I don't think they should be just handing the job over to someone after the success and length of service Hixon had. Maybe they give Toomey the job, maybe they don't, but his being interim and when they hire isn't something that should be read into. I can think of only ONE interim that absolutely had the job locked down if he wanted it ... Matt Lewis at UW-Oshkosh. The fact he won the national title as interim probably made that a very easy decision (though, as a state school they still had to open the job and go through the process formally before they could give Lewis the gig officially).

[old_hooper]

Heard from good source they are down to final candidates, 3 alum and 3 from outside.  Will be interesting which way they go.

[JEFFFAN]

Heard from good source they are down to final candidates, 3 alum and 3 from outside.  Will be interesting which way they go.

The three coaches they just hired - men's lacrosse, women's volleyball, squash - are all African American.    That's neither here nor there, but will be interesting to see whether that trend continues.

[Pat Coleman]

It's also easy to keep things quiet when campus is shut down.

[ThumannsOwn]

Marlon Sears from Columbia - Associate Head Coach

[daddyhoops]

Outside the Amherst family..

[old_hooper]

Interesting choice.  He was chosen over some impressive candidates.  Has strong recruiting background.  With next years team, he has chance to make big impression.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Outside the Amherst family..

Honestly ... as expected.

[ThumannsOwn]

Expected in that the job is apparently going outside the Amherst coaching tree?

[nescac1]

Waiting on all the Amherst regulars to chime in!