MBB: NESCAC

[booyakasha]

1. Uh-oh, sounds like Rutigliano is, indeed, gone.  What a disaster for Colby:

https://x.com/samurai_hoops/status/2036827713667801392

https://hoopdirt.com/d3-dirt-colby-opens-rutigliano-taking-d1-assistant-job/

Civello in the portal, a second head coaching search in two years, and you have to wonder given the timing if a few of the very much in demand Colby recruits will try to find an alternative option (might be difficult if they have not applied to any other schools, of course).

The best thing Colby could do right now is deliver an incredibly introspective apology and offer a raise to bring back Strahorn. Just an absolute tragedy what the new AD, President, and a few donors have done to the program.

[Colby Hoops]

I would imagine David McLaughlin (former Dartmouth coach and Colby alum) would be the top candidate for the Colby job if he wants it.

Moving on from Strahorn was very surprising, and the timing of it was unfair to him. To do it for what turns out to be a 1-year coach is particularly brutal. And I think the new AD (coming from outside the Nescac) didn't understand the alumni connection to a guy who is an alum, former player and all around good guy.

I do think Rutigliano did a solid job in his 1 year and seemed to be recruiting well. His former boss at Belmont got the K State job and I don't really blame him for taking an assistant job that is probably 3-5x a Nescac coaching salary. Still, that's the risk with going with someone with no D3 or Nescac connection.

This leaves Colby in a rough spot, and Civello is very likely gone. But, with the new facilities, and a commitment to athletics I think Colby will bounce back within a couple of years.

[nescac1]

Man, if Colby lucked into McLaughlin falling into their lap, no one will be crying any tears for Rutigliano leaving.  And he (or any other coach) really would inherit a good situation with a lot of talent on the roster as well as (presumably still) incoming, plus the elite facilities and institutional commitment that Colby Hoops mentioned.  If I'm a 50 year old guy, with a chance to move my family from one idyllic New England college town to another, who is pretty much to be able to finish up my coaching career with limited pressure at my alma mater after a decade in the D1 grind, that has to be pretty darn appealing.   

[SpringSt7]

Anybody other than McLaughlin for Colby, from an optics standpoint, is a really bad look. Once/if they win all will be forgiven like it always is, but on paper the whole thing is just really ugly.

And I'm not really sure McLaughlin is some slam dunk game changer either. He did a lot of really nice things in a really hard league at Stonehill 15 years ago. Dartmouth is a hard job but the Ivy really weakened during his tenure there and they never really made anything happen. I don't think he would just come in and start coaching laps around Cosgrove, Reilly, Linton, etc

[D3BALL13]

I think Tyler Ackley is someone who deserves consideration for the Colby job. He's done an impressive job rebuilding Saint Joseph's College of Maine into a consistent contender (back to back championships) in the GNAC while also changing the entire culture of the program in just a couple of years. He was also part of a top-5 team at Colby College, contributing to that program's success alongside Damian Strahorn. He has carried the experience and basketball expertise he gained from legendary Nebraska Wesleyan coach, Dale Wellman wherever he has gone and showed that he can make a difference, whether it is in one year as an assistant at Colby or what he has done the past five years at SJC. I know he isn't the "D1" guy but he is most definitely capable of bringing Colby to the next level.

[Stickthe3]

It goes without saying that this is a huge hire for Colby and the direction of the program.  They've already messed up bigtime with the Strahorn situation that completely fractured the (formerly) very tight alumni base in exchange for hiring a coach to what amounted to ~8 months.  I think everyone knew Rutigliano wasn't the answer for the long haul, though even I didn't anticipate it ending THIS quickly.  Here's hoping they get someone who either has Colby ties, and/or at least a connection to the Maine/New England region, as well as the NESCAC, and lead this team and program for the next decade plus.

[Colby Hoops]

I think Tyler Ackley is someone who deserves consideration for the Colby job. He's done an impressive job rebuilding Saint Joseph's College of Maine into a consistent contender (back to back championships) in the GNAC while also changing the entire culture of the program in just a couple of years. He was also part of a top-5 team at Colby College, contributing to that program's success alongside Damian Strahorn. He has carried the experience and basketball expertise he gained from legendary Nebraska Wesleyan coach, Dale Wellman wherever he has gone and showed that he can make a difference, whether it is in one year as an assistant at Colby or what he has done the past five years at SJC. I know he isn't the "D1" guy but he is most definitely capable of bringing Colby to the next level.

Agree on this. Maybe wouldn't win the "press conference" the way Mclaughlin might, but he's clearly a very good coach.