WBB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Jester1390]

Hi Guys   I have been in the middle of the ocean on vacation and couldnt respond on line here.  I have brand new information. As i share this. There are no winners only destruction because admistrations closed their eyes due to winning championships.  These are my opinions and its information from non players that are close to the program. This will be extremly long so i may break it up into sections  incase any of you guys have a question.

First the new information  There was meeting last week and  announcement of that meeting will happen soon  I know Jon Personally and of course he recruited my daughter I even did some recruiting for him here in Minnesota.  I had heard some things from senior parents when my daughter came in and i did have a red flag as there was no one left from 2018 recruiting class. I am as guilty as any parent if it wasnt for the education she received I would really be mad at myself for seeing signs but looking the other way, . Rose had just come off of a tremendous 4 years as they had 2 sisters one in particular who was better then any other player in the conference.  They were graduating a whole team except one senior and another upperclassman that ended up quitting.  Parents of that group gave me a warning about how players were treated and that a chair had been thrown at a wall by a girl  and a investigation was started but nothing came about I dont know if that is a fact but was told to me by a older players parent but the player had not started in the past  and i just chalked it up to parents being mad their child hadnt played more.  in my daughters class there was one player who had d-1 offers and my daughter who had d-2 and naia full rides.  They would in the ensuing years get 3 more d-1 players who all quit the team .  As a parent i was happy my kid would play alot as a freshman they only have 4 years left so that is enticing.  The gym was terrific the girls coming in with her high caliber.  The most important and the reason she passed up full rides was because of the education which to Rose-Hulman and my daughters credit has paid off with a six figure offer after she graduates.    Freshman year growing pains but some girls said they wouldn't be back as they didn't enjoy playing for the coach. my daughter had issues but it was more related to game play at that time as he was a heavy believer in post and would get mad at players for taking 3 pointers.  he is  a defensive coach and in the case of my kid she was an excellent defender which was getting her a lot of playing time.  Get to junior season more girls have quit more are un happy the d-1 transfer after a month told him she wouldn't come back and play for him.  In the case of my kid and others they felt they were being attacked for off court matters.  7 upper classmen quit.  to be continued

[Jester1390]

My daughter went to the  administration along with others and told her opinion on the matter. Her big concern wasn't her but kids coming in after her she didnt want them to go through what some of the things her and other teammates were experiencing.  They nodded along and said oh you know i want to a advocate for you and the others. She left that meeting and never heard another word from the administration. She did end up having a one on one with the coach to his credit apologized and asked if she would come back and she said no that the relationship had been harmed to much.  The others made the same decision. So they go into the season with 7 girls 2 get hurt early.  my daughter felt terrible for her friends she did what's best for her but didn't want them to lose their season she said she would consider playing for a interim coach and she thought the others would also.  I shared that with the administration and they never even asked the players. in the game against Transylvania they had more players that quit in the stands then on the bench.  They never asked the student body if there were other athletes that would come out.  Season cancelled no one wins.  I am going to go on with life and not vent and then i get a email from the administration which i will share. The smugness and condescension was to much so I wrote the President. here are the emails

 

[Jester1390]

Good evening Mr. Jester,

Thank you for expressing your concern. We know the decision was not favorable by everyone, however; it was the best decision for the team. The team was very understanding, and we will continue to do what’s best for this program.

I look forward to better things to come. I hope Kahlan is doing better, and I hope she knows that she still has an advocate in me.

Please let her know she is more welcome to come see me and chat.

Have a good evening.

[Jester1390]

Hi Ms. Tweedy and Mr. Coons

I wanted to respond to your email and just want you to know I don’t find anything the university has done recently on the case of  my daughter or in the  past for others has shown  any advocacy for them.  Seven upperclassmen came to you with issues and were simply ignored. I run companies if I had all my upper management people resigning because of my general manager I would be taking  a hard look why. 
Here is a list of players over just the last few years that all quit playing because of the program.   The success of the 2 sisters must have blinded the administration to what was going on.  It’s to late for my daughter and for her family she will never have the senior moments she earned and deserved and to be frank they were taken away by your inaction. As I stated before I will always be grateful to rose for the education my daughter has received and has a great job lined up after graduation but there was no reason that it had to be just on the education side.  Here is the list

[Jester1390]

So, grand total…26 kids
Erin Davie
Heather Finnell
Addie Johnson
Hayley Gilliam
Olivia Ottone
Kristen Belyea
Jamie Loving
Jordan Hagood
Shelby Julian
Mandy Routon
Chiarra Franklin
Brianna Glieseman
Sophie Brooks
Stacy Fox
Cassie Utley
Abby Holloway
Caitlin Young
Desirae Webster
Jordan Barlow
Kahlan Jester
Lindsey Thomas
Jenna Myers
Ashley Black
Manuella Shomba
Rowan Hein
Nosa Igehon
Plus the whole recruiting class of 2018

[Jester1390]

What can a coach can take advantage of what Rose has to offer.  A spectacular gym and campus. One of the best educations.  Engine I would disagree some on the money. My daughter got pretty good rewards for her grades but it was about 40k a year it got cheaper once she moved off campus.  Rose does get more d-1 and d-2 girls to look at them because of their education. Every player i know has a job lined up already and is anywhere from 75 k to 125k. The university needs to spend money on coaching it was a joke their was only one assistant coach compared to other teams.   They need multiple recruiters because the standards are tough at Rose.  My kid is the first from Minnesota to play for them. That is ridiculous we are a stem state and we have no schools except d-1 that have engineering programs. We are loaded with talent in this state.   I mentioned in a prior message i was asked if i was mad my daughter went to rose.  The answer was no because in the end basketball wa sover in 4 years and the real life begins. Thsi school has set her up do be financially secure her entire life and for that I'm grateful. However if im being honest with myself what would have happened if i ha d known about Hope and we had visited I have no ideal how she might have played or how much but to play in front of full arena to have a coach  nurture and propel her is something i think of.  I have no ideal if a engineering degree carries the weight of one from Rose but if rose is a standard bearer for the degree. Hope is on the basketball side.

The kid has 2 years left due to covid i have one fantasy left of her going  to go play for Coach Kelly who recruited her at Gustavus and supported her more during her time in college then her current team staff but as she says dad we have had our time and now its time for the next challenges in life. 

Wish everyone a merry christmas or  the holiday you celebrate.   Iwu i told you when rose played IWU that huber was a special talent

[Enginerd]

So, grand total…26 kids
Erin Davie
Heather Finnell
Addie Johnson
Hayley Gilliam
Olivia Ottone
Kristen Belyea
Jamie Loving
Jordan Hagood
Shelby Julian
Mandy Routon
Chiarra Franklin
Brianna Glieseman
Sophie Brooks
Stacy Fox
Cassie Utley
Abby Holloway
Caitlin Young
Desirae Webster
Jordan Barlow
Kahlan Jester
Lindsey Thomas
Jenna Myers
Ashley Black
Manuella Shomba
Rowan Hein
Nosa Igehon
Plus the whole recruiting class of 2018

Hey Jester - Wondering if you know anything about a rumor that's circling around locals, particularly alums? I was told that the AD would not allow any efforts to try to find a way to finish the season even thought the players wanted to keep playing.

How crazy is that - to not act on first-hand information (and probably much more) TEN MONTHS ago, then wait until the season has begun and rip it away from the kids in order to be able to use low numbers to get rid of the coach? That's like amputating your leg to get rid of athlete's foot! If this is true, I cannot fathom why they would have waited and allowed it to reach this point. Suffice to say that it sounds like RHIT has an athletic department in deep turmoil based on this and other issues relating to other sports and their coaches.

How can a department implode like this in such a short period of time? I have friends/classmates that remain involved with the institute in different capacities, and athletics are a huge topic of conversation. 

I can see why you're upset, Jester. Had this been properly handled, your daughter would still be playing basketball, the kids who did try to play this year would have a season, and the school and athletic department would not have to suffer the humiliation of having to cancel it's most visible women's sport for an entire year.

[Jester1390]

I knew this but was asked not to disclose to official . A ending that just didnt need to be. Engine the rumors you heard is what i have been told. The new AD came in and has pretty much destroyed the department alot of upset coaches.  A lot having exited remember how there was  never any comment on mens basketball coach leaving. Ran off the golf  coach who had the best program at Rose. I have heard football coaches are looking to leave amongst others.   I heard she wanted Prevo gone but instead of doing it straight up she used the players and pretext of mental health and numbers to cancel the season to force him out.   I was told today that there were 3 soccer players willing to come play and the administration said no.  The girls who had quit said they would play under a interim coach and she knew that and didn't care.  i wont get into the politics and wokeness of all this. All I know anyone who has run a business would have had this solved 10 months ago and they would be a game coming up Saturday. I appreciate book smarts as much as the next guy but a lot of people in academia are just clueless in real world business

https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/news/2022/12/15/womens-basketball-jon-prevo-retires-after-17-years-as-womens-basketball-head-coach-12-15-22.aspx

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Sometimes I think schools look too much to outside figures to fill high positions. At Franklin the former president who had been there about 4 years got in criminal trouble at the start of 2020 so we needed an interim president and they went with Kerry Prather who was the long time WBB coach and then AD and has been with the school for decades. He was originally only supposed to be there for a short period while they looked for a new president but then they extended it to at least 2024 because he's doing a great job. I'd love for him to stick around as long as he wants.

Hiring from within the school means you have important figures who care about the school and community because they've invested so much already. They know the culture of the school and can take over without too much change. Picking someone who's experience is running a business on the other side of the country means they'll come in and try to run it like a business and forget to keep the students or faculty in mind.

RHIT is full of smart kids, hopefully those in charge can manage to use some smarts of their own to get things in order.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Since we're at the holiday break, here's how the conference stands. Transy is holding up well back to #2 in the poll, and have a couple good games next week hosting Wisconsin Lutheran and Berea. Most of the conference is sitting around .500 for the season while Earlham is bringing up the rear.

Massey ranking, team, overall record, conference record

11 Transylvania        10-0 (4-0)
102 Hanover               6-4 (3-0)
139 Bluffton               6-3 (1-3)
183 Franklin               5-5 (2-1)
203 Anderson             5-5 (2-2)
233 Mount St. Joseph 3-5 (1-1)
243 Defiance              5-5 (0-3)
256 Manchester          5-4 (2-2)
336 Earlham               1-8 (0-2)

197 Rose-Hulman       2-3 (0-1)

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Big matchup between the top 2 in the conference tonight and Transylvania keeps on rolling beating Hanover 69-44. The #2 ranked Pioneers are now 17-0 and one of four remaining unbeatens.
Transylvania is 48-1 in their last 49 games dating back to Feb 2021.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Transylvania just can't seem to get to #1.
Started at #2 behind Hope, then fell to 3rd after NYU moved ahead in week 1, then back to #2 when Hope lost in week 4, only to immediately get passed by Trinity (TX) in week 5, NYU fell in week 7 to get Transy once again back to #2, then week 10 Trinity loses but Chris Newport passes and they stay at #2. Pioneers do have over half the 1st place votes though.
So I expect that CNU will lose and Scranton will jump to #1 sometime soon.

Come on, just let them have one week at the top.


Going into this season, all the top 25 appearances
Transylvania: 49 weeks (2014-15, 18-19, 19-20, 21-22); highest 3rd
Franklin: 14 weeks (2011-12); highest 13th
Rose-Hulman: 3 weeks (2017-18); highest 20th
Bluffton: 3 weeks (2015-16); highest 21st
Defiance: 1 week (2000-01); highest 23rd
Hanover: 1 week (2010-11); highest 25th
Anderson: 0
Earlham: 0
Manchester: 0
Mount St Joseph: 0

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Quarterfinal 1: #5 Bluffton @ #4 Anderson Feb 21 7:30 PM
Quarterfinal 2: #6 Manchester @ #3 Mt St Joseph Feb 21 7:30 PM
 
Semifinal 1: Winner of Q1 @ #1 Transylvania Feb 24 5 PM
Semifinal 2: Winner of Q2 vs. #2 Hanover in Lexington Feb 24 7 PM
 
Final: Winner of S1 vs. S2 Feb 25 6 PM in Lexington

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Transylvania continues their run with an 82-55 win over Bluffton. Hanover defeated MSJ 72-52 to set up the title game.
Transy have won the two meetings this year 69-44 at home and 73-56 at Hanover.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Transylvania hosts Rhodes in the 1st round. Win that and they'll face the winner of Emory-Millikin