Coaching Carousel

[Dubuquer]

Really sorry to hear about Rothert although hopefully the change is good for him and his family.

Loras was super-hot when I started paying attention around 2010/2011.  Tremendous success and almost like Tufts for a handful of years minus the final, final breakthrough (while noting that Loras played some monster squads in their Final Four losses and had a bit of bad luck like against Camden in 2013). 

Loved me some Kevin Cavers back in the day.

That Camden loss has to haunt those Loras players.  I just re-watched that final goal and was reminded how gut-wrenching that was.  How often does a 70 yard floating direct kick end up in the back of the net and end a team's season?

Cavers was a spectacular player, indeed.

[Flying Weasel]

Loras announced that Dan Rothert has stepped down as coach and assistant AD.  The stated reason was that Rothert wanted to spend more time with his family and that the stress of trying to replicate the success of a few seasons back wasn't good for him or his family.

Curious where you found this info on the reasons why he resigned.  The article on the Loras athletic website (https://duhawks.com/news/2020/1/21/loras-college-athletics-rothert-steps-down-as-head-mens-soccer-coach.aspx) makes no mention of these reasons. Rather, it says "he indicated a desire to pursue new opportunities."

[Dubuquer]

Quotes from the Dubuque Telegraph Herald newspaper today (subscription required so I'm pasting them here).

"My kids are getting to that sports age," he said. "I have a seventh-grader and he's getting into different school sports and their games are at 4 o'clock in the afternoon and guess what? That's when I'm seeing a high school kid play, or that's when I have practice and it's become challenging to do that. As I told my kids, the next 10 years is all I got left. Then they're gone and they're off in college doing their thing, and I don't want to miss those years."

"Trying to recapture that lightning in a bottle we had for 10 to 15 years became a strain on me personally and my family," Rothert said. "Although it's a surprise to a lot of people, it's something that's been nagging at me for quite a bit."

"I'll be Loras' biggest fan. I'm actually looking forward to that side of it, just to watch it and enjoy it and see it from a different perspective," he said. "I think that's going to be exciting."

Loras announced that Dan Rothert has stepped down as coach and assistant AD.  The stated reason was that Rothert wanted to spend more time with his family and that the stress of trying to replicate the success of a few seasons back wasn't good for him or his family.

Curious where you found this info on the reasons why he resigned.  The article on the Loras athletic website (https://duhawks.com/news/2020/1/21/loras-college-athletics-rothert-steps-down-as-head-mens-soccer-coach.aspx) makes no mention of these reasons. Rather, it says "he indicated a desire to pursue new opportunities."

[PaulNewman]

Just 6-8 weeks ago some of us thought that Serpone, along with Shapiro, would be in the mix for one of the Boston jobs (BC, BU, Harvard).  Since then, I haven't heard a word about Serpone.  Can we presume he is staying put, at least for now?

[Flying Weasel]

So does Matt Pucci (current Loras women's head coach and men's asst.) replace Rothert as the men's head coach and Loras looks for a new women's head coach?  Or does Pucci stay put with a new men's head coach being hired from outside? 

Have any other former Loras players gone into and remain in coaching?  Would any of them be candidates?

[Dubuquer]

There will be a national search for the Loras position, I'm sure.

Sam Koenig is the only former Loras player with a head coaching position that I'm aware of and he's currently 20 miles down the road leading UW-Platteville.

[futbol117]

Alums with head coaching Jobs also include Jimmy Conlon, head womens coach at Wash U, Brad Johnson, men's coach at the University of Dubuque, Jason Berna, Women's coach at the University of Dubuque, and Nick Rizzo head Women's coach at Monmouth College. There is a lot of them out there still in the game. Assuming I missed a few as well.

[Hopkins92]

Just a quick-hitter observation: Recruiting is, obviously, a thing to consider. So I don't know that swapping a men's/women's coach at a given school is necessarily a wise move. These coaches develop individual relationships with regional clubs and other pipelines that are very specific to one gender or the other.

[Flying Weasel]

Just a quick-hitter observation: Recruiting is, obviously, a thing to consider. So I don't know that swapping a men's/women's coach at a given school is necessarily a wise move. These coaches develop individual relationships with regional clubs and other pipelines that are very specific to one gender or the other.

Certainly something to consider.  However, also realize that until 4 years ago, Dan Rothert was head coach of both the men and the women and, as I understand it, somewhat ran it as one program with men's and women's teams.  Pucci came on as one of his assistants (for both men and women) in 2010, was elevated to associate head coach (for both men and women) in 2013 and then in 2016 Pucci became head coach for the women while remaining associate head coach for the men (Rothert remained head men's coach while also taking on the title "Director of Soccer"; he continued to be listed on the women's coaching staff). I have no idea how they divided up responsibilities such as recruiting, but Pucci has been Rothert's right-hand man for the men's team for the last seven years.  As a complete outsider without any inside info, I think that would make Pucci a leading candidate IF he wanted the job.

[PaulNewman]

As an East Coaster who knows that we sometimes can be rather myopic, I want to make sure Rothert gets his proper due.  IMO this is as big a deal as Shapiro leaving, or if Souders left Calvin, or Serpone leaving Amherst, or McCarthy leaving Messiah, or any of a few other big names.  Putting Messiah aside, one could argue that Rothert and Serpone were the two big names in coaching (not counting the legends like Martin, McGinlay, Coven, etc) for a nice run of years BEFORE Shapiro and Souders became such big deals.

[Flying Weasel]

As an East Coaster who knows that we sometimes can be rather myopic, I want to make sure Rothert gets his proper due.  IMO this is as big a deal as Shapiro leaving, or if Souders left Calvin, or Serpone leaving Amherst, or McCarthy leaving Messiah, or any of a few other big names.  Putting Messiah aside, one could argue that Rothert and Serpone were the two big names in coaching (not counting the legends like Martin, McGinlay, Coven, etc) for a nice run of years BEFORE Shapiro and Souders became such big deals.

You're right, it is a big deal.  You could make the argument that Loras was the second best program in the country from 2005 to 2015 despite no national titles.  They made five Final Fours over those 11 years, reaching the 2015 final and losing to the eventual champion in three of their other four trips to the semifinals.  They very well may have been the best team in the nation in their undefeated 2007 season when Middlebury eliminated them in a PK shootout and in 2012 they looked Messiah's equal in a 1-0 OT loss and in 2013 they were as good as anyone when they lost to Rutgers-Camden on a somewhat flukey goal in OT.  They should have made three straight Final Fours with Miguel Bonilla and Santiago Mejia, but somehow got tripped up by Dominican in the 2009 Sweet 16 after Final Four trips the previous two seasons.  Kevin Cavers was a special talent at the heart of their second pair of Final Fours in 2012 and 2013.  Oddly, they had their best NCAA Tournament finish in a year that didn't seem to stack up with those others, reaching the 2015 final when their style transitioned to less possession, faster pace, a high swarming press, and use of a much deeper bench.

[Medicated Pete]

Alums with head coaching Jobs also include Jimmy Conlon, head womens coach at Wash U, Brad Johnson, men's coach at the University of Dubuque, Jason Berna, Women's coach at the University of Dubuque, and Nick Rizzo head Women's coach at Monmouth College. There is a lot of them out there still in the game. Assuming I missed a few as well.

Let's not forget the talented Sean Elvert('14) making inroads  @ Bluffton University.

[Ommadawn]

Just 6-8 weeks ago some of us thought that Serpone, along with Shapiro, would be in the mix for one of the Boston jobs (BC, BU, Harvard).  Since then, I haven't heard a word about Serpone.  Can we presume he is staying put, at least for now?

In addition to Coach Shapiro's departure for Harvard, both coaches have their imprint on the other two positions.  Kevin Nylen (the BU hire) was an assistant at Amherst for Coach Serpone and Bob Thompson (the BC hire) was an assistant during Coach Shapiro's early years at Tufts.

[Mr.Right]

Just 6-8 weeks ago some of us thought that Serpone, along with Shapiro, would be in the mix for one of the Boston jobs (BC, BU, Harvard).  Since then, I haven't heard a word about Serpone.  Can we presume he is staying put, at least for now?

In addition to Coach Shapiro's departure for Harvard, both coaches have their imprint on the other two positions.  Kevin Nylen (the BU hire) was an assistant at Amherst for Coach Serpone and Bob Thompson (the BC hire) was an assistant during Coach Shapiro's early years at Tufts.

Yes Serpone was quoted on the BU guy. I'm sorry that is a BAD hire for BC...You want to elevate a program and take it to the next level in the best conference in the country and that is the hire you make? Yea he was at Tufts a couple years but make no mistake he is an Ed Kelly guy and for a program looking to move on from Kelly I do not see them doing it with this hire. Certainly there were some qualified "outside" candidates available? Some jobs need inside candidates and other jobs require a whole new culture...I think BC was in that latter category and this hire is uninspiring to say the least but hey maybe Thompson turns heads...Harvard at BC should be a good one next year

[OldNed]

Albertus Magnus College (New Haven) from the GNAC sees its head coach step down:

https://www.albertusfalcons.com/general/2019-20/releases/20200115mqcfuj