Hello WBCA Member!

I am here with yet another edition of Net.News - the bi-monthly account of my travels and activities as your CEO of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

It's been nearly two months since I last shared with you my life as it revolves around the game of women's basketball. I do not get the honor of attending my own professional organization's meetings every year because it often conflicts with the August in-person WBCA Board of Directors' meeting. However, this year I had the privilege of attending the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) meeting in Nashville, Tenn., what I like to affectionately call the boot camp for non-profit executives. Personally, this meeting inspires, broadens and challenges my perspective, very much like the WBCA National Convention does for you (hopefully!).

Having a free night from ASAE, I took a trip down the road to Murfreesboro to visit Rick Insell and his wife Deb. As we talked about in the last issue of CWB, I wanted to check on Rick and see how his transition from a premiere high school coach in nearby Shelbyville to reaching mid-majorhood as NCAA Division I head coach at Middle Tennessee State University. I was surprised to learn that MTSU actually has the largest school enrollment in Tennessee.

I had another break and was able to scoot off and visit with Tracee Jones, head coach at Tennessee State, and her assistant Alysiah Bond. I was also able to check out Tennessee State's campus. I was so impressed with the staff and their facilities and loved having the chance to walk where Wilma Rudolph and the very legacy of the Memphis Tiger Belles stood.

Next, Seana Peck, Manager of Marketing, Sales and Activation, and I went up to meet with Donna Orender, WNBA President, and her staff in the New York office to discuss ways that we can jointly lead the sport of women's basketball. As the NCAA celebrates their 25th and the WBCA celebrates our 25th, the WNBA is celebrating their 10th, so we must figure out together how we can celebrate 60 years of prosperity in women's basketball.

( L to R): Senior Vice President Renee Brown,
WNBA President Donna Orender, Beth Bass,
Seana Peck and Director of Player Personnel
Angela Taylor.

Also, while we were in New York City we were able to have lunch with Rob Temple, Senior Director of College Sports and ESPNU, who has been instrumental in upgrading the media components of our sponsorship packages.

During my travels, I found myself in Kansas City and was able to play in Bonnie Henrickson's golf outing while in the area. I was also able to see some of her very impactful and saavy administrators, Larry Keating (UK Senior Associate Athletics Director and former Director of Athletics at Seton Hall) and Jim Marchiony (UK Associate Athletic Director and former media coordinator for the NCAA) and spent some time with members of her staff.

( L to R): Beth Bass, Dennis Bender, Patty Dick and
Kansas Head Coach Bonnie Henrickson.

I also enjoyed seeing Patty Dick who is now with the Arthritis Foundation, formerly head coach at Washburn. You never know where your travels will bump you into some wonderful people and rekindle those relationships founded on the game of women's basketball.

Betty's birthday was September 1, but we have been celebrating it for almost a month now. I was able to have a little surprise outing for Betty and we took her to see Menopause the Musical. The mystery guest of the evening was Lin Dunn of the Indiana Fever. It's very hard to embarrass me, but when Lin Dunn walked into the restaurant, I had a flashback to my teenage years as Betty and Lin let out a high-pitched shriek, letting everyone in the restaurant know how glad they were to see each other. Following their loud and vivacious reunion, we were immediately escorted to a corner table in the back of the restaurant.

( L to R): Northeastern Head Coach Willmette
White and Beth Bass.

Then I was off to an impromptu Converse, Inc. reunion in Dallas, Texas. I'm certainly guilty of always talking about those glory days. They were so significant, impactful and taught me so much, as I was the youngest and only female of the Sports Marketing group of about 20. We had a great turnout including everyone's spouses along with "my date" Mimi Griffin, former ESPN Sports Analyst and now President at MSG Promotions, who also has Converse roots. A good time was had by all as we laughed and told the same old stories.

Very appropriately, Boston, Mass. was next on the agenda where I attended the New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) meeting with my staff at Babson College. I was so thankful that Cathy Inglese, head coach at Boston College, and Kathy Delaney-Smith, Harvard head coach, gave up their Sunday afternoon to come and speak between their hectic schedules past the USA Basketball World University games and campus visits. I was also able to track down Andy Yosinoff (Emmanuel College) and Willette White (Northeastern University) as a part of my own home visits. Thanks again to NEWBA for this opportunity and we look forward to a long relationship!

( L to R): Beth Bass and Andy
Yosinoff.

On my way to State Farm, I met with WBCA President Doug Bruno at the Chicago Chophouse and was able to check off another one of the top 10 steakhouses in the U.S. (I aspire to eat at all 10.) The next morning I headed over to State Farm in Bloomington, Ill. to speak for a fascinating group at the Athena Awards dinner. I got to see Jill Hutchison, three-time president of the WBCA, Jack North, Bobby Wilkinson and Lloyd Grams from State Farm. I was also able to meet Robin Pingeton and her staff along with the entire team from Illinois State. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.

WBCA CEO Beth Bass and the Illinois State women's
basketball team.

Jack North, Linda Herman, former Illinios
State Athletics Director, and Beth
Bass.

Next, I was able to hook up with Donna Noonan, formerly with the NCAA and now with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. It is so good to stay in touch with those that have been in the trenches with you. It is nice to see how friendships outlive any position or title that you might have.

Every now and then I am able to sit down and discuss women's basketball with what I call my informal "happy hour" group in Atlanta. This month the group consisted of Beth Schapiro (Research Analyst), Kevin Rew (Contractual Attorney for the WBCA), Charles Huddleston (WBCA and state of Georgia labor attorney), Seana and Stephen Peck, Dorinda Schremmer (WBCA Director of Membership and Convention Services), Angie Standard (Promotional Partners) and Janet McKinley (Bell South executive).

My most recent debate was over the next biggest player that will impact women's basketball. It is still too early to tell, but Charles Huddleston felt that Maya Moore of Collins Hill High School would be the next big franchise player but I'm leaning toward the 10th grader out of Delaware, Elena DelleDonne.

After speaking with Janet McKinley, I learned that she has spent the past few weeks at the training area for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. It makes you realize that life is fragile as so many lives have changed from one Net.News to the next. I'm sure that I speak for the entire staff and membership at the WBCA in saying that we are here to help our members and coaches that have been affected by Hurricane Katrina and Rita in any way possible and to get back to normalcy with their women's basketball programs. With Katrina hitting New Orleans on August 29th, it was definitely one of the most catastrophic events in U.S. history as well as the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. History.

We immediately tried to establish where our WBCA members and coaches were that were based out of the affected areas and to meet any needs that we could or point them in the right direction. There are still a few schools that we have not been able to reach. Please visit www.wbca.org for the list of membership that we have not been able to contact and let us know if you have any updated information.

Good luck as you begin practice in the next few weeks. Keep up the hard work and we will see you in Boston!

Until next time...

Your CEO,

Beth Bass

Don't forget to make your hotel reservations for the 2006 WBCA National Convention in Boston, Mass… rooms are selling out quickly!

Applications for the 2006 Nike's So You Want To Be A Coach program are now available at WBCA.org. Deadline for submission is December 14!

The WBCA is looking for qualified individuals for the Betty F. Jaynes Internship Program. For more details go to WBCA.org.

All Coaches Care

A number of women's basketball coaches have gotten involved with the "Coaches Care" program including Wendy Larry, WBCA Past President and head coach at Old Dominion University.

The website AllCoachesCare.com is a joint effort from coaches at all levels and in all areas to team up to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. A major online sports auction will highlight the effort, with one hundred percent of the proceeds going directly to Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization that builds homes for low-income families.

If you have any questions or would like to submit an item for the auction, please visit AllCoachesCare.com. Deadline for auction items is October 31, 2005. Thank you to all of our membership for your continual support in these efforts!

Auriemma Staying at Connecticut
Geno Auriemma will continue to coach the UConn women's basketball team. While his name surfaced in September as a candidate for the Phoenix Mercury head coaching job, Auriemma said he is staying with the Huskies. While the Mercury said they were interested in talking to Auriemma about its opening, communication about the job opening has ceased.

Prairie View A&M Names Head Coach
Cynthia Cooper, former head coach of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player, was named the head women's basketball coach at Prairie View A&M University during the summer, according to athletics director Charles McClelland. A native of Los Angeles, Calif., Cooper has won on every level of basketball.

Clemson's Maddox to Sit Out the Year
Clemson's top scorer from last year, point guard Reggie Maddox, will sit out the women's basketball season to concentrate on academics, first-year coach Christy McKinney. Maddox, a senior, averaged 9.5 points and 5 rebounds a game last season for Clemson. After completing her redshirt season, the junior college transfer will have one year of eligibility remaining.

Sue Gunter Inducted into Hall of Fame
Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun, two of college basketball's top head coaches, highlighted the class of 2005 inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Sept. 9. In addition, former NBA head coach Hubie Brown and Brazilian legend Hortencia Marcari were also inducted along with former LSU women's head coach Sue Gunter, who passed away in August following a bout with emphysema.

Santa Clara Coach to Be Reinstated
Two months after it tried to fire Michelle Bento-Jackson, Santa Clara announced Monday that she will continue as women's basketball coach. Athletic Director Dan Coonan informed the team Monday of Bento-Jackson's return. Bento-Jackson, who has a 46-45 record in three years with the Broncos, is under contract through the 2007-08 season, according to her attorney, James Wagstaffe.

Arizona Player Dies
Arizona center Shawntinice Polk, a three-time all-Pac-10 selection and two-time honorable mention All-American selection, collapsed at McKale Center on Sept. 26 and later died. The 22-year-old player's death was caused by a pulmonary blood clot, a rare fatal occurrence for a healthy woman of her age, Dr. Eric Peters, Pima County's deputy chief medical examiner, told The Arizona Daily Star.

Idaho State Forward Leaves Team
Molly Hays, a junior forward from Missoula, Montana, has announced in September that she has left the Idaho State University women's basketball program. Hays averaged 15.0 points and 7.9 rebounds for Idaho State last season, earning her Big Sky All-Conference First Team honors. As a freshman, Hays also helped Idaho State to a first-ever trip to the Women's National Invitational Tournament in Ames, Iowa.

Army Names New Coach
Maggie Dixon, who has served as an assistant coach at DePaul University for the past five years, was introduced by Army Director of Athletics Kevin Anderson as the Black Knights' seventh women's basketball head coach during a press conference at Randall Hall. One of the nation's most highly regarded young coaches, Dixon most recently served as head coach Doug Bruno's top assistant and recruiting coordinator, playing a large role in the Blue Demons' recent string of successes. Former coach Sherri Abbey-Nowatzki asked to be released on Oct. 4.

GCU Hires Coach
Grand Canyon University has hired University of Missouri assistant coach Craig Wiginton as its women's basketball coach. Wiginton replaces Kip Drown, who was hired in June as the coach at Colorado State Pueblo. Before serving the past two years at Missouri, Wiginton coached seven years at Southern Nazarene University, where the team had reached at least the NAIA semifinals every year and won two national championships and was runner-up twice.

Lenoir Rhyne Names Starkey Head Coach
Neill McGeachy, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Lenoir-Rhyne College, has named Todd Starkey as the new women's basketball coach. Starkey, who has served as acting head coach for the past month, becomes the 10th head coach in the program's history.

SWOSU Player Killed in Traffic Accident
A member of the Southwestern Oklahoma State University women's basketball team was killed in a one-car accident on a rural Oklahoma highway over the Labor Day Holiday. Kayla Watson, 21, died after being ejected from the cab of the pickup truck she was riding in. Watson was a passenger in a truck driven by Thomas Wilson, 17, of Atoka.

Brian Donoghue to Coach at King's
Brian Donoghue was introduced Aug. 30, as head women's coach at King's. Donoghue, who served the past three seasons as the lead assistant at Division II East Stroudsburg, succeeds Bryan Whitten, who resigned after 12 seasons to become an assistant at Division I Virginia Commonwealth. Donoghue, 33, takes over a program that has made four trips to the Division III NCAA Tournament since 2000.

Limestone Player Dies After Run
A 22-year-old Limestone basketball player has died in September after collapsing during a conditioning run on campus, the school says. Molly Williams was running when she collapsed. She died a short time later at the hospital, Limestone athletic spokesman Josh Lacy said.

NAIA and CSTV Online Launch New NAIA.org
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and CSTV Online, a division of CSTV Networks, Inc., have teamed up to launch an all-new NAIA.org (http://www.naia.org/), the official Web site of the NAIA. The site contains features and applications that provide the latest information on the NAIA and its sports. NAIA.org serves as a hub for all national ratings as well as the primary resource for NAIA Championship information and results.

Jorgensen to Coach Cumberland CC
Todd Jorgensen figured it was time to be a head coach again. After spending the last five seasons as an assistant basketball coach, Jorgensen is jumping back into the top chair. Jorgensen was approved by the Cumberland County College Board of Trustees on Wednesday to become the next coach of the women's basketball team. He is taking over the program from Steve Kaneshiki, who accepted a graduate assistant position with the women's team at Washington College, Md., after spending three seasons with the Dukes.

Staley to Retire After 2006
Former Charlotte Sting guard Dawn Staley, traded Aug. 1 to the Houston Comets, said she'll retire after next season. Staley, who played 6.5 seasons with Charlotte, returned last summer hoping to win her first WNBA championship. The struggling Sting traded her in a three-player, two-draft pick deal and notified her about 90 minutes before the deadline.

Swoopes Named WNBA Most Valuable Player
Comets forward Sheryl Swoopes has won the 2005 WNBA Most Valuable Player Award, the WNBA announced on September 18. In the closest MVP tally in WNBA history, Swoopes edged Seattle Storm forward Lauren Jackson for the league's most prestigious award by two points, 327 to 325.

Graf Assumes Coaching Post in Australia
After two seasons as the Mercury's head coach and four as an assistant, Graf and the organization parted ways Thursday night, Phoenix General Manager Seth Sulka confirmed Friday. Graf reportedly already was on a plane bound for her native Australia early Friday morning. She has accepted a job to coach Canberra in the women's professional league there, and Lauren Jackson already has confirmed she will play for Graf's team in the WNBA off-season.

Nov. 9-16, 2005
NLI Early Signing Period

Nov. 11-12, 2005
WBCA Classic, presented by BTI
(Arizona State University)

Nov. 14, 2005
WBCA High School All-America Nomination
Forms go online

Nov. 30, 2005
Early Bird Registration Deadline!

Dec. 14 , 2005
Nike's So You Want To Be A Coach
Application Deadline