USC finally decided on a Women’s Basketball Coach and it’s the WNBA LA Sparks Head Coach Michael Cooper. Wait, not yet, for now it is former Rhode Island Associate Head Coach Ervin Monier. Confused? Imagine how fans of Women’s Basketball must be.
Mark Trakh finally was forced to resign as the USC Coach six weeks after the season ended. Trakh’s five seasons as the Head Coach were certainly up and down, with great recruiting, a number of serious injuries to key players, and losses to teams that baffle the mind. However many felt that because of the injuries, Trakh deserved a couple more seasons to right the ship, as it were.
I think the deciding factor may have been the lack of Trojan fans in the new and beautiful Galen Center. USC averaged only 1,300 a game. It’s one thing not to live up to their promise, it’s another than so few care.
So enter Mr Cooper, Michael, who is entered his 8th season as Head Coach of the Sparks. He was also for a short time in 2005 the interim Head Coach of the NBA Denver Nuggets. So he has the coaching pedigree but can he relate to teens? Can he recruit? And can he even be involved?
Here we are 5 ½ weeks after the hiring of Cooper and what do we know? The May 1st Press Release stated that Cooper was hiring a great staff. Thus far USC has only Monier. Top recruit Monique Oliver (# 6 in the country) asked early for her release and with only Monier on the job, it was granted. Oliver then signed with Rutgers. Wing Kendall Hackney (# 55 in the country) asked for her release more recently, and it has not been granted. The clock is ticking on Hackney’s LOI as USC must respond yay or nay soon.
Thus far the other two recruits of USC’s once outstanding class seem set on attending USC. Wing Christina Marinacci (# 35 in the country) and PG Vicky Tagalicod (# 21 PG, not top 100) have not asked for their release.
However High School Jr Cassie Harberts (# 6 Center and # 48 overall in the country) committed to the Mark Trakh Trojans then decommitted from the Cooper/Monier Trojans. USC has no other commits from the 2010 class.
USC lost to graduation three starters, PG Camille LeNoir, Wing Brynn Cameron and Post Nadia Parker. Now they have lost top recruit Oliver and in danger of losing another highly rated recruit in Hackney. Probable offsets are the return from injury of Jackie Gemelos and Stefanie Gilbreath.
So we have the savior in Gemelos, trying to come back after missing three seasons, one Associate Head Coach, no Head Coach and no Assistants. I’m not sure all this will increase attendance or make USC a better team.
