OT - MU Women's Team

[Phantom Warrior]

I know that some posters on this board follow the women's program fairly closely. I used to but haven't the past two or three years.

This morning I looked at the roster of this year's team, and I was astonished - maybe shocked is a better word.

Of the 12 players listed on scholarship, nine are freshmen! Of the remaining three, one is a juco transfer, and the other two are returnees who did pretty much a whole lot of very little last year.

I had read that most of last year's freshmen class ended up transferring, but I did not realize three fourths of the team would be frosh and that there is not a single player on the team who has been a starter in D-1.

My response? YIKES!

I know two of the local players (from Dominican and Riverside) who are coming in as frosh are well thought of, but they are still freshmen.

Is the women's team looking at an 0-18 conference record? How did the program fall this far in such a short time?

[MUAlphaBangura]

Have it from a very reliable source that this new group of players has the worst work ethic that this person has seen at the collegiate level. Not that they are not capable of learning and getting better, but apparently they didn't do much with the summer program of conditioning they were given. Now time will have to be spent on that instead of teaching and skill work. This source says there is plenty of raw talent but much work is necessary and for sure a new mindset for the players needs to be established.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Al always said teams are a reflection of their coach. That's not a rousing endorsement of Kieger.

[warriorfan4life]

It seemed to get stale at the end of Terri Mitchell's run and moving on was not a bad idea. However, it is a shame that there may need to be another change in a couple of years.

Edit: This sounds like the exact opposite of the men's program, where all of the newcomers have totally bought in and have rejuvenated things.

[MUfan12]

Al always said teams are a reflection of their coach. That's not a rousing endorsement of Kieger.

Last year's group had zero interest in playing defense, so I'm starting to wonder if it is coaching.

[MUAlphaBangura]

Last year's group had zero interest in playing defense, so I'm starting to wonder if it is coaching.

Think last year's team was a fish out of water with Carolyn's desired style of play. Too many slower players to excel in Carolyn"s desired uptempo style. So I guess I'd like to give her a pass until she has her own personnel in place(which has happened a lot sooner with a 9 person class). They are hopeful that now that everyone is on campus, they will buy into the conditioning program because workouts are much more structured and they really don't have too much of an option. But this will most certainly be a difficult coaching year with so many new, inexperienced albeit talented players. I actually really like Carolyn's enthusiasm, just not sure about her coaching talent yet.

[Mucrisco]

I know I have been close to the women's program before and people might be expecting me to respond. I have to keep myself out of these conversations though, given that I now have my own AAU program. I wish Coach Kieger the best. I hope they do well.