Nice story but I am afraid in 30 years they are going to be writing something like this about us....
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/column...t&lid=tab4pos2
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Nice story but I am afraid in 30 years they are going to be writing something like this about us....
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/column...t&lid=tab4pos2
Great article and fun to read.
We can't really be compared to Immaculata. They are DIII. We are in the highest division and it is just a matter of doing what we need to do now to get back on track. For them, it is very different. I don't know if we WILL do what we need to do, but it all is in our power - not so for them.
ODU has done a nice job of bouncing back to remain a player in WBB.Originally Posted by champion110
Re: The Road We Are On?
Amen!! ODU's position within WBB is my personal target for now. Then I'd like to ratchet it up to the next level but, IMHO, CL ain't the man who can get us there!!
MG
Amen to Mean Gene: We can and SHOULD be where ODU is. I just left that area, and there is nothing magical about the formula. We have the athletes within 100 miles of RUSTON to keep it on track....if the recruiters will just get the right kids. Texas A & M, TCU and Fresno have kids that SHOULD be ours.
We'll get back....just believe
That is the key. We have to pick up the pace in recruiting....
Just thought I'd point a few things out....
Until the upcoming 2008 season, Old Dominion has not had football. Women's basketball has been about ALL Old Dominion could hang its hat on. They are also a private school in a metropolitan area with over a million people (Norfolk/Virginia Beach/Newport News) whose only real competition for sports dollars is a Triple-A baseball team. Those are a few of the advantages ODU has over a situation like Tech is in right now.
It will be interesting to see in 5 years or so if ODU has been able to maintain their level of competitiveness in women's basketball once their football program is up and running.
ODU is a public school.
Re: The Road We Are On?
I think the problem is not that we're on the wrong road but rather our "driver" sucks!!
I think the problem is not that we're on the wrong road but rather our "driver" sucks!!
Don't forget about our Navigator....
Re: The Road We Are On?
Don't forget about our Navigator....
I've always been surprised at how successful ODU and La Tech have been in women's basketball considering the two schools are completely different.
ODU is a public school with about 22,000 students (3rd largest in VA behind Va Tech and George Mason). The Tidewater area has about 1.5 million people and ODU is located in a very urban area, right between downtown Norfolk and the Norfolk Naval Base. There are no pro teams in the area, but there is AAA baseball and AHL hockey. There's a lot of competition for the entertainment dollar, from shopping to movies (I swear there's a movieplex or indie movie theater on every corner) to golf (I swear there's a golf course on every corner too) to the beaches (Va Beach, Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean, even ODU has it's own beach on the Elizabeth River).
ODU currently has 16 varsity sports, but will add Division 1-AA (championship series or whatever stupid name the NCAA calls it now) football in 2009. To accomodate Title 9, ODU will also add women's volleyball, softball, and crew. Side note: I'm very proud that ODU is adding women's sports and not cutting men's sports like many other bigger schools do.
Women's basketball isn't the only sport ODU can hang their hat on at ODU. ODU men's basketball won the 1975 Division 2 national title and have made 10 NCAA appearances and 11 NIT appearances since moving to Division 1 in 1976. Just recently, ODU made the NCAA's in 2005 as CAA champs, the NIT Final Four in 2006, and the NCAA's in 2007 as an at large bid. The ODU men lead the CAA in attendance, averaging over 7000 fans (ODU's arena seats 8600).
Also ODU sailing has won 16 national titles. Field hockey is a very popular sport in southern VA and ODU has won 9 national titles with 16 Final Fours (ODU field hockey is like Tenn women's hoops). Men's soccer is always ranked in the top 25 and just advanced to the NCAA Elite 8. Wrestling is ranked in the top 25. Baseball is ranked in the top 25 and has had several high draft picks (Detriot star pitcher Justin Verlander was the #2 pick a couple years ago). Women's lacrosse is ranked in the top 25 (the ODU coach is also the US national team coach). ODU sports have the highest winning percentage among all athletic programs in the state of VA (including UVa and Va Tech).
I'm interested in seeing how the new football program will affect all other sports at ODU, especially women's hoops. ODU has already sold over 9000 season tickets so there is strong interest in the area. I'm hoping it will increase school spirit that will trickle down to all sports. The new football coach is a great guy and hypes up all ODU sports when he talks. He's a regular at ODU women's basketball games and very good friends with Wendy Larry (he called her weekly radio show once and said he wanted to be her when he grows up). I can see him being like Bruce Pearl, painting his face blue and going crazy in the student section during big games.
Does football help La Tech women's hoops at all? Is there a positive affect for recruiting? Do the Lady Techsters get lost in the shuffle? Do you think La Tech would be better with or without football?
Uh Oh.
Tech is D1a in football, but not bcs. The WAC has been very good for Tech in football with Hawaii and Boise both breaking into the bcs bowls. Hopefully, Tech will be able to do that soon, as well. WBB is not a money maker at Tech, although it was holding its own in comparison to other schools wbb programs, until the recently (when we took a downturn). Football and MBB are being invested in right now with the thought that they have the most potential to bring in the money. Hopefully, that will help the Techsters, as well. Except for the recent disastrous 2 years, we were still able to stay in the NCAA tournament and do ok. Our last NC title game was in 98, though. Since then, it was elite eights, S16's, and an occasional first round out.
Some believe we are rebuilding something and others believe that the program is done. Many want our coach fired right now. Some of us are hoping that help is on the way. Our spirits will be lifted if we get who we want to come in as assistant coaches. If who we want comes in, it will help tremendously with recruiting, as well.
Lets not forget that ODU has a continuous tried and true coach. Wendy Lowry has been there forever. Girls want to play for her. I think alot of recruits want to play for Louisiana Tech, just not necessarily Chris LOng. He was a bad hire. We need a woman with a name for herself in womens basketball and move on from there. We will have to suffer through another year of LONG but there can be a future if we get a Kelly Jolley or a Dawn Staley type coach.
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