Search success is part O’lucky

Youngstown State University has begun the process of hiring a new women’s head basketball coach, but not with great urgency.

When Tisha Hill announced earlier this month that she would be resigning at the end of the season, the announcement was a little surprising. But at the same time, changes were expected in the program.

Hill’s hiring five years ago was the first major hiring by YSU Athletic Director Ron Strollo. It also was the first indication that Strollo learned that although a lot of people were interested in the job, the caliber of the applicants wasn’t what you would call top notch.

To Strollo’s credit, he probably went with the best available applicant for the job in Hill. She met all the requirements listed in the job description, but she never had any head coaching experience.

University’s expectations
must be realistic

This is not unusual for a school like Youngstown State, because, let’s face it, someone like a Pat Summitt isn’t about to give up big time job just to face a rebuilding process with the Penguins.

Hill falls into a category of hundreds of Division I and Division II assistant coaches whose goal is to coach at the top level. But without any real experience, it was nothing more than taking a chance on someone. In this case, it just didn’t work out.

In five seasons, Hill was a perfect head coach to work with from a media standpoint. She was always pleasant and informative about her team. The problem was that she just couldn’t produce a winner over those five seasons and the future outlook didn’t look much better.

Since the hiring of Hill, Strollo has had several other opportunities to hire coaches for the Penguins. His biggest was the hiring of men’s head basketball coach Jerry Slocum. He’s also hired a new soccer coach and a volleyball coach and most recently added a new head baseball coach.

Of course, the publicity around hiring soccer, volleyball and baseball coaches is nothing like it is for the major sports at YSU like football and basketball. Let’s face it, those sports are the only ones that generate any sort of income for the athletic program.

Attendance in decline
was big barometer

Which is another reason that Strollo was probably looking to let Hill go had she not resigned. Attendance at the YSU women’s games was hitting rock bottom.

The university is officially accepting applications for the job. According to the job openings list on the University’s web site, the university will be accepting them until April 4.

The minimum qualifications listed on the web site include a bachelor’s degree; 8 years of successful collegiate coaching and recruiting experience at a four-year institution with a minimum of five years at the NCAA Division I or II level.

It also includes demonstrated skill in training and instructing collegiate student-athletes; advance knowledge and experience in managing intercollegiate sport team that includes exercising independent discretion and judgment; knowledge of and proficiency in NCAA rules and regulations; ability to analyze situations and develop solutions; travel; and non-traditional hours.

And then the big one — a valid driver’s license.

What that means is that you won’t be getting any high school head coaches making Strollo’s final list.

Most prospects likely
to be assistants

And most of the Division I prospects will be assistant coaches much like Hill. You could get lucky and find a talented coach at the Division II level, such as Strollo was able to do in getting Slocum to the Penguins.

One thing is certain, Strollo is not going to rush into this decision. He definitely doesn’t want to make the same mistake twice.

No names have even been mentioned by Strollo since Hill’s resignation, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t popping up elsewhere around the area.

One name that keeps popping up is that of former YSU standout Caroline McCombs, who is currently in her third season as an assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh and spent six seasons prior to that at Valapariso.

McCombs, who played at YSU from 1994-98, is sixth on the school’s all-time scoring list and helped the Penguins to their only NCAA Tournament victory her senior year.

She’s also in charge of recruiting at Pitt and was partially responsible for the Panthers signing Canfield High’s Kate Popovec.

XPete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. Write him at mollica@vindy.com.