MBB: NESCAC

[ImTold]

Also hearing from a few New England hoops gurus that another NESCAC HC job might be available as early as next week.

I'm Told this has a lot of traction

[ThumannsOwn]

Also hearing from a few New England hoops gurus that another NESCAC HC job might be available as early as next week.

I'm Told this has a lot of traction

More than a lot of traction - https://x.com/NCAA_HoopsGuru/status/1920917207258689978 - supposedly a done deal now that Strahorn has apparently been let go.

[nescac1]

Wow not sure what the deal is with Strahorn but I think he'd been doing a very good job.  Central Maine is not an easy place to recruit to for hoops even with the great facilities, and NESCAC has been crazy competitive over the past five years led by Trinity but also Wesleyan, Williams, Tufts and Hamilton making a lot of noise nationally.  And yet over the past five years he's had two Nescac title game appearances, two ROTYs, and won an NCAA game.  That's a better resume than half the coaches in the league at least.   And his last two recruiting classes have played very well so the future seems bright there.  Very weird, unless something behind the scenes is going on.

[Maine Hoops]

Very surprised if Colby lets Strahorn go.  That came out of the blue. 

[D3BBALL]

Heard the wanted more wins out of him, maybe that is an excuse.

D3 now becoming D1-D2 going to be all about winning. I think they had shot to be top 4 in the league next year.

[WUPHF]

D3 now becoming D1-D2 going to be all about winning. I think they had shot to be top 4 in the league next year.

This could be indicative of the change you describe, but anytime this happens at a school with a new athletic director (in this case, new as of September 2024), my first thought is that this is about the career growth of the AD more than anything else.  Though, I know nothing of Colby basketball so this may be unfair to the AD.

[D3BBALL]

D3 now becoming D1-D2 going to be all about winning. I think they had shot to be top 4 in the league next year.

This could be indicative of the change you describe, but anytime this happens at a school with a new athletic director (in this case, new as of September 2024), my first thought is that this is about the career growth of the AD more than anything else.  Though, I know nothing of Colby basketball so this may be unfair to the AD.

Could be about AD, but like stated above tough to recruit kids to go to Maine and the team has not been bad,  and has had recent success. If you are correct, are there other coaches getting let go as well in other sports.
Not sure if accurate but hearing some players not happy.
And why wait till May to get rid of him certainly not fair to him, which could mean there was an issue none of us now about.

[Bucket]

A lot of rumblings going on at Colby regarding the lacrosse program, as well. Talk of of new coach cutting up to 20 current players to make room for an exceedingly large recruiting class.

[names jaismith]

I have seen Colby play many times over the last six years.  They were always competitive, sometimes very good and competitive.  Given that no one actually knows why this change was made, and why it was made now maybe a little time for the dust to settle is what we need.  As a long time D3 coach myself, I will say this much.  Typically, when the administration feels a change is in order, it happens pretty soon after the season.  Waiting this long means that the incoming class of recruits is probably as much surprised as anyone else.  It might be difficult for them to find another opportunity that they like.  Sure, high academic recruits want to go to a good school, but they also want to play for a coach with whom they have built a relationship that sometimes goes back to their junior year in high school or even earlier.  A cynic might say that the AD waited until he/she felt most of the new class would remain intact.  But, let's see what really happened.

[D3BBALL]

I have seen Colby play many times over the last six years.  They were always competitive, sometimes very good and competitive.  Given that no one actually knows why this change was made, and why it was made now maybe a little time for the dust to settle is what we need.  As a long time D3 coach myself, I will say this much.  Typically, when the administration feels a change is in order, it happens pretty soon after the season.  Waiting this long means that the incoming class of recruits are probably as much surprised as anyone else.  It might be difficult for them to find another opportunity that they like.  Sure, high academic recruits want to go to a good school, but they also want to play for a coach with whom they have built a relationship that sometimes goes back to their junior year in high school or even earlier.  A cynic might say that the AD waited until he/she felt most of the new class would remain intact.  But, let's see what really happened.

Very good points and if the AD is cleaning house and the school admin is ok with it, then so be it. We might not like it but it's the way college sports are headed, sadly.
I don't know enough about there other  sports to know how well overall the school does, but not every school can be elite all the time unless that is going to be a priority. For NESCAC schools always seemed that even for the student athletes, academics came first. Maybe that is now changing and winning is moving way up the priority list.

[WUPHF]

But, let's see what really happened.

I think we were all already there, waiting to see what happened.

[Maine Hoops]

Is it like it is at D! schools were big funders alumnis call the shots?  Hope not.  Pretty sure most of the alums who follow the program did not want Strahorn gone

[SpringSt7]

This reeks to me of overly ambitious and frankly, dumb AD/administration. Unless Strahorn did something wrong off the court - and to this point we have no indication that he did, but it is worth covering the bases - it's May 12th! If it was on court related, it could've been done two months ago, a month ago at the latest. Now to run a search at D3 speed, they will be lucky to have a coach in charge by July 1st and will be late into the recruiting cycle.

Not to mention, this now allows players to enter the portal for 30 days following a coaching change. If I'm Max Poulton and Dan Civello, my name is going in 1000%, if this was a guy they liked and respected and now you feel like the school has turned their back on you.

In short, assuming again that this has nothing to do with off court conduct, there is really no justification for doing this in the second week of May. Are the students even still on campus?

[SpringSt7]

Also - the Colby AD was the AD at TCNJ and worked with Matt Goldsmith for 8 years. To make this move the same week he is hired at Middlebury is just a cherry on top. Maybe he could've been your first call...two months ago?

[D3BBALL]

IMO there is way too much player movement. Go back to the old ways and if you transfer you sit for a year.
Doubt Max Poulton leaves, for 1 year not worth it. But you never know especially if they are going to announce 5 years for everyone. Civello now that is another story.