Need fresh blood at head coach?

[Montana Bison]

Seems like a lot of the posts here refer to recruits who got away, or posts about recruits Amy didn't want that have excelled. Maybe it's time to get a new coach with a fresh view of the program. Amy's teams have not had much success for a while. What do you all think?

[onbison09]

God this is painfull b/c Amy is Bison women's bball. Adminsitration should know what they're doing. I definitely don't think we should make a change before the end of the year. Maybe someone that knows more than me would be better than me to comment. But it's one game let's not abandon ship yet.

[Montana Bison]

I wouldn't replace her mid year. It's more than win-loss, it's the recruiting. We seem to lose alot of good player to out of state schools. Some amy recruited some she didn't, for what reason only she knows.

[NDSUstudent]

Guys, its been one game and I doubt NAU is an easy trip. Also last year Amy's team had an RPI of 141 and many transition schools would love to have that kind of success.

[Montana Bison]

Don't get me wrong, i don't want fire Amy. I just see alot of posts about recruits getting away or not recruited. I just wanted to stir the pot and see what everybody thought out there.

[NDSUstudent]

Don't get me wrong, i don't want fire Amy. I just see alot of posts about recruits getting away or not recruited. I just wanted to stir the pot and see what everybody thought out there.

I was under the impression that her last recruiting class was pretty good but maybe I was wrong. I guess time will tell.

[gobison1]

I guess I don't agree with hammering on a head coach after just one game but how long does she get to get the program to the next level? It seems that she continues to bring in average recruits. In every other athletic program coaches live on a "what have you done for me lately" lifestyle. I appreciate what Amy has done for this program and University just as much as the next person but its time for her to step down and get some fresh blood in the program. Seems to me that she is on cruise control and is not taking us to the next level. How long does she get to stay just because back in the day she had great teams? Just my opinion.

[02Bison]

Were any of you students when the BSA would be full for the women's game and clear out for the Men's game in the days of the NCC double headers or non conference double headers? The competition has gotten better. Amy knows how to coach. Give it time and trust in Amy! She will bring the Bison back to a high level again! The playoff ban during the transition probably hurt recruiting a bit, but with conference titles and NCAA tournament berths to play for, the women will get better!

[bisonpride2k]

Were any of you students when the BSA would be full for the women's game and clear out for the Men's game in the days of the NCC double headers or non conference double headers? The competition has gotten better. Amy knows how to coach. Give it time and trust in Amy! She will bring the Bison back to a high level again! The playoff ban during the transition probably hurt recruiting a bit, but with conference titles and NCAA tournament berths to play for, the women will get better!

That was TEN years ago already. The last time we had a decent team that could compete at a national level in DII was in 2000. We have been virtually one and done in the post season when we were still eligible every year after. We finished no higher then 4th in the NCC the last couple of years. That was already over 5 years ago. The competition hasnt gotten better. We lost to both Bemidji State and MSUM in exhibition games last year! One of them, ok its exhibition it happens, but BOTH! This team will be lucky to go .500 again despite having virtually every resource available and fully funded for scholarships. How long does she get? This program started a down hill climb already back in the NCC days. We were getting out recruited and out coached by UND, USD, SDSU, and St Cloud. We even lost to Northern State in the first round of a regional. This years team wouldnt even compete with the teams we had back then. We dont have any Jane Even, Amanda Gherke, or even Jamie Berry type of players on this team at all. Katie Lorenz single handedly carried this team for 4 years. Could you imagine how bad they would have been without her? The top 100 DI level of womens basketball is not that much better then the higher level of DII. We are no where close right now.

[UTH]

Were any of you students when the BSA would be full for the women's game and clear out for the Men's game in the days of the NCC double headers or non conference double headers? The competition has gotten better. Amy knows how to coach. Give it time and trust in Amy! She will bring the Bison back to a high level again! The playoff ban during the transition probably hurt recruiting a bit, but with conference titles and NCAA tournament berths to play for, the women will get better!

If I ever post about anything concerning basketball, it is a big sign to watch out for anything else that may foreshadow the coming of the apocalypse. Having said that, I absolutely agree with 02Bison here. I was a student at NDSU in the mid-90s and I remember hearing about this happening a lot. Amy Ruley has earned and deserves every bit of support available. If she can't do it, then it can't be done at this point in time. Give Amy the chance.

[NDSUstudent]

That was TEN years ago already. The last time we had a decent team that could compete at a national level in DII was in 2000. We have been virtually one and done in the post season when we were still eligible every year after. We finished no higher then 4th in the NCC the last couple of years. That was already over 5 years ago. The competition hasnt gotten better. We lost to both Bemidji State and MSUM in exhibition games last year! One of them, ok its exhibition it happens, but BOTH! This team will be lucky to go .500 again despite having virtually every resource available and fully funded for scholarships. How long does she get? This program started a down hill climb already back in the NCC days. We were getting out recruited and out coached by UND, USD, SDSU, and St Cloud. We even lost to Northern State in the first round of a regional. This years team wouldnt even compete with the teams we had back then. We dont have any Jane Even, Amanda Gherke, or even Jamie Berry type of players on this team at all. Katie Lorenz single handedly carried this team for 4 years. Could you imagine how bad they would have been without her? The top 100 DI level of womens basketball is not that much better then the higher level of DII. We are no where close right now.

The last time we had a decent team was 2004-2005. They lost only one game, swept SDSU, and beat some highly ranked DII teams. NDSU was also pretty good the year before that, the team actually won the NCC that year and ended up losing by 1 point to UND in the regional semi-finals.

Ruley has really only had one bad season, I'd give her at least one more year after this one. The transition to DI isn't as easy as the football and mens basketball team have made it look.

[gobison1]

This thread gets old. Every season it comes up that Amy needs to go. SHE NEEDS TO GO. How long does a coach get to bring a program to a new level? I am not sure but I think that a 7 year down hill slide is long enough. Lets bring in a new coach and stop beating a dead horse!

[BlueKeyAlum]

This thread gets old. Every season it comes up that Amy needs to go. SHE NEEDS TO GO. How long does a coach get to bring a program to a new level? I am not sure but I think that a 7 year down hill slide is long enough. Lets bring in a new coach and stop beating a dead horse!

A seven year slide? How to you reckon? Because that's the last year we made it to the National Championship Game? That doesn't really seem a fair marker as we've moved up an entire level of competition and we haven't been elgible for any type of post season play for the past 4 years.

In part I think Amy's curse is that she did so well prior to the move and is struggling now where the Bison men's team sucked previously but is enjoying moderate success at this next level.

[gobison1]

A seven year slide? How to you reckon? Because that's the last year we made it to the National Championship Game? That doesn't really seem a fair marker as we've moved up an entire level of competition and we haven't been elgible for any type of post season play for the past 4 years.

In part I think Amy's curse is that she did so well prior to the move and is struggling now where the Bison men's team sucked previously but is enjoying moderate success at this next level.


You are correct about 7 years. It has been so long since the women have seen success it seems more like 15. I guess I would need your definition of "moderate". I would say beating teams like Wisconsin, Marquette and almost beating K-State (got screwed on a call) would put the men's level of recent success above the category of "moderate". Not to mention the recruits that they have brought in. Yes their bench has been weak lately but when you have 4-5 guys like they have starting its hard to get those other guys minutes. I am not even sure who is better on the women's team...the starters or the bench players...I have said in recent posts...Amy has had awhile to get it going again and we are losing out in recruiting to other schools...it is NOTHING PERSONAL against Amy Ruley...she is known as one of the best ever...but its time!

[NDSUstudent]

So Amy has 20+ great seasons at NDSU and then has one bad one and then one mediocore one and its time to send her packing?

I do agree the men's team has had success way beyond moderate, it is on par with what SDSU's womens team is doing.

[onbison09]

In part I think Amy's curse is that she did so well prior to the move and is struggling now where the Bison men's team sucked previously but is enjoying moderate success at this next level.
Totally agree with you there. Let's give her some time. What the men's team and football team is not great but unheard-of in the transition. Give her some time. :ranting:

[jimmyjack]

I think Ruley's a fine coach. But I will say that last year in particular, I was unimpressed with the athleticism of Bison players when compared to the Jacks. I don't know why that might be. Is it players or system or coach? I am no expert. But the Bison didn't look like they had the quickness to stay with the Jacks, and even though Vogel left, we got more athletic and deeper this year.

We've had a lot of the same discussions about Scott Nagy.

However, I still think the Bison women will finish strong in the Summit this year.

[Ivy]

I think that the main problem with the WBB team is the recruiting. In the Division II days, there was much success and recruiting was not needed. The program recruited for itself and great players from the area wanted to come to NDSU. Now, the team is not very successful, so the recruiting is difficult. It seems like Amy and Co are not able to seal the deal on the big-time recruits with the building the program pep talk.

[02Bison]

That was TEN years ago already. The last time we had a decent team that could compete at a national level in DII was in 2000. We have been virtually one and done in the post season when we were still eligible every year after. We finished no higher then 4th in the NCC the last couple of years. That was already over 5 years ago. The competition hasnt gotten better. We lost to both Bemidji State and MSUM in exhibition games last year! One of them, ok its exhibition it happens, but BOTH! This team will be lucky to go .500 again despite having virtually every resource available and fully funded for scholarships. How long does she get? This program started a down hill climb already back in the NCC days. We were getting out recruited and out coached by UND, USD, SDSU, and St Cloud. We even lost to Northern State in the first round of a regional. This years team wouldnt even compete with the teams we had back then. We dont have any Jane Even, Amanda Gherke, or even Jamie Berry type of players on this team at all. Katie Lorenz single handedly carried this team for 4 years. Could you imagine how bad they would have been without her? The top 100 DI level of womens basketball is not that much better then the higher level of DII. We are no where close right now.

I think you are deeply discounting the fact how hard it is to get recruits during a transition phase. Especially considering there aren't as many "top tier" recruits in Women's basketball. I'm all for winning "now", but sometimes the "win" now attitude leads to unrealistic expectations. If NDSU finds itself mired in mediocrity the coming seasons, then revisit this. But until then, I think your calling for Amy to go is a bit premature.

[jimmyjack]

Let me just offer an analogy. Tim Miles, by all accounts, was a charismatic guy who related very well with recruits and student athletes. He recruited very, very well. Scott Nagy is a task master who, by all accounts, doesn't necessarily relate well with recruits and student athletes. Certainly Nagy didn't do well in head-to-head recruiting with Miles.

Aaron Johnston, by all accounts, is a charismatic guy who relates very well with recruits and student athletes. He has gotten great players to come to SDSU.

I don't know a thing about Amy Ruley's personality. Maybe you guys can fill in the rest. Does the men's bball analogy work for women's bball, comparing recruiting between NDSU and SDSU?

[bisonpride2k]

A few major factors.

#1- Our womens basketball budget DWARFED the other schools in the 90's. If one school offers you a full ride and the other offers you $1,000 where are you going to go. Your ability to verbaly recruit someone is a mute point when your school is paid for. When the money became a non factor as other schools stepped up the other factors became relevant and notice the decline in athletes.

#2- There is an image of the program out there among former players, players who left the program for specific reasons (and not because of playing time) and that word spreads. I will leave it at that.

The NCC in the late 90's would have ranked as one of if not the best DI-Mid Major conference in the country. Our schools would have easily ranked in the 100-150 range if not much higher for RPI. We would have been pushing for a sweet 16 spot in the mid 90's. Womens basketball in the mediocore to lower levels of DI is below what we used to be even in our non title years. So to think that we are in rebuilding mode because we are in DI now is not a good assessment of the level of competition we have been witnessing come in to the BSA. Seriously Alabama when they came in to the BSA was HORRIBLE! Reference has been made to not compare womens basketball to football and mens basketball. Ok, I wont. I will then compare them to Soccer, and Volleyball, and Softball. All three of those certainly dont seem to have the same problems that womens basketball is having.

[JackJD]

From my outsider's perspective, although one who knows more than a little about women's basketball at NDSU, I think any conversation about changing coaches is at least a year premature for the Bison. Let's see what happens this year.

Meanwhile, on the SDSU forefront, SDSU is presently starting to take apart the Missouri Tigers in Frost Arena. If we continue and notch the win, the Jacks will be 4-0 for the season. The Jackrabbit team is scarey. They are better than last year's team. They've figured out how to get Megan Vogel's intensity in liquid form and its been infused in at least two freshman (Rotert...18 pts against the Oregon Ducks on Thursday) and Michelson. And the interesting thing, two of SDSU's top players (Warkenthein and Nielsen) haven't suited up due to injuries and a third player (Oistad), scored 22 points in the 93-90 double-overtime win against UC-Riverside, is out due to a foot injury so she missed the Oregon game and is missing the MIssouri game today.

[TheDoctor]

The Jacks do look tough. Good luck to them as well! ;)