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Post by WorcesterGray on Jun 25, 2019 13:11:31 GMT -5
Thought I'd share a little statistical and other detail on three potential coaching candidates who are currently heading D3 programs. Averaging percentages and rankings separately yielded a couple statistical anomalies, but notwithstanding that, believe this might give us some insight into their coaching DNAs.
KEVIN APP - Williams College (NESCAC)
Age. 34
Played at High Academic D1? Yes (Cornell)
Coached at High Academic D1? Yes (assistant at Army, Cornell)
3-Year Averages. Category, % (Rank, among 400+ D3s).
FG%. 47.6 (75th). Excellent
DFG%. 39.4 (35th). Excellent
Rebound +/-. +3.0 (128th). Good
TO +/-. -0.1 (211th). Average.
Free Throw Rate. 36.9%
3FG Rate. 41.4%
Other. Has led Williams to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including one Elite Eight, and one Final Four. D3 Hoops ranks the NESCAC as the #2 conference (of 45) in the country. Teams have usually forced few turnovers, and have been below average rebounding at the offensive end.
KEVIN BETTENCOURT - Endicott (Commonwealth Coast)
Age. 35
Played at High Academic D!? Yes (Bucknell)
Coached at High Academic D1? No.
3-Year Averages. Category, % (Rank, among 400+ D3s)
FG%. 45.2 (155th). Good
DFG%. 40.9 (51st). Excellent.
Rebound +/-. -0.6 (237th). Fair
TO +/-. +2.2 (78th). Excellent.
Free Throw Rate. 26.5%
3FG Rate. 44.3%
Other. Has led Endicott to three NCAA appearances, one in last three years. CCC ranked #25 among 45 D3 conferences. Has ranked among the top ten teams in the country in 3FGA and 3FGM each of the last three seasons. Below average offensive rebounding clubs.
LANDRY KOSMALSKI - Swarthmore (Centennial)
Age. 41
Played at High Academic D1? Yes (Davidson)
Coached at High Academic D1? Yes (assistant, Davidson)
3-Year Averages. Category, % (Rank, among 400+ D3s)
FG%. 47.0 (72nd). Excellent
DFG%. 38.8 (10th). Excellent
Rebound +/-. +9.8 (7th). Excellent
TO +/-. -2.7 (327th). Poor.
Free Throw Rate. 31.8%
3FG Rate. 38.8%
Other. Has led Swarthmore to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including one Elite Eight, and one Final Four. Centennial Conference ranked #19 among 45 D3 conferences. Team led the country in rebound margin in 2016-17, and has led the country in blocks each of the last two years. Above average offensive rebounding (35-37%). Above-average number of turnovers, force few turnovers, commit an above-average number of personal fouls.
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Post by WorcesterGray on Jun 25, 2019 13:41:32 GMT -5
Some interesting observations from App during the Williams basketball show in February
Brief interview with Bettencourt from a couple years back.
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Post by CHC8485 on Jun 25, 2019 13:42:26 GMT -5
Underline. All caps. Bold.
POTENTIAL candidates. These names have been thrown out by us and 1 twitter account that sometimes throws stuff out there to see what sticks.
We we have no idea if they are interested and if HC is as well.
That said, of the three above, but me on the Landry Kosmalski band wagon. Hope he’s interested and we have talked with him.
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Post by hchoops on Jun 25, 2019 13:47:38 GMT -5
Will (not should) a very new AD hire a D 3 or even D2 coach for his new school’s premier sport ?
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Jun 25, 2019 13:59:55 GMT -5
Will (not should) a very new AD hire a D 3 or even D2 coach for his new school’s premier sport ? Doubt there is many current D1 head coaches chomping at the bit for a move to the PL and Worcester. |
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Post by possum on Jun 25, 2019 14:06:07 GMT -5
I for one certainly hope he does, the usual suspect route has been a disaster for us. Time to take a new approach with someone who has built a winning culture even if it's at a D-2 or 3 program.
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Post by bigfan on Jun 25, 2019 14:08:45 GMT -5
Without naming names will we find out how many people have applied for the position of head coach?
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Post by hchoops on Jun 25, 2019 14:19:35 GMT -5
Will (not should) a very new AD hire a D 3 or even D2 coach for his new school’s premier sport ? Doubt there is many current D1 head coaches chomping at the bit for a move to the PL and Worcester. There may not be many but there surely are some. D1 assistants, former head coaches ? |
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Post by rickii on Jun 25, 2019 14:25:38 GMT -5
Will (not should) a very new AD hire a D 3 or even D2 coach for his new school’s premier sport ? Doubt there is many current D1 head coaches chomping at the bit for a move to the PL and Worcester. The pickins have to be thin if only that it's already late June. |
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Post by Ray on Jun 25, 2019 14:29:42 GMT -5
Doubt there is many current D1 head coaches chomping at the bit for a move to the PL and Worcester. There may not be many but there surely are some. D1 assistants, former head coaches ? I disagree with the notion that D1 assts/former head coaches are the preferable candidates over D2/3 head coaches. As has been posted elsewhere, plenty of successful hires at our level (some in our league) have come from the D2/3 path. Heck, HC just went that route with their most recent high-profile hire.
This is supposed to be a national search. It shouldn't have any artificial filters. If the best candidate comes from Timbuk Two Tech, hire him. Win the damn games, not the press conference.
History <cough>Milan Brown<cough> suggests that these searches get in trouble when artificial constraints get put on these searches. Don't make the same mistakes again.
I'll bet that Blossom is on board with the above. Point being, I don't even think it's a consideration.
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Post by hchoops on Jun 25, 2019 14:35:59 GMT -5
Basically agree, but D3 successes can also fail
See Maker at Marist
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Post by bison137 on Jun 25, 2019 14:49:40 GMT -5
Basically agree, but D3 successes can also fail See Maker at Marist Or Bob Walsh. Won 81% of his conference games in nine years at Rhode Island College. Then at Maine - admittedly a tough job - he won about 18% of games in America East league play during his four years, and his teams showed no improvement in the four years. Much worse than the performance that ultimately got Ted Woodward fired by Maine. |
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jun 25, 2019 15:06:55 GMT -5
Great work, WooGray. Another thing we might take a look at is how well the programs were doing before the coach in question got there. I think that was a bit of analysis that helped show hog good a job Bob Chesney did at his stops
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jun 25, 2019 15:14:49 GMT -5
Great work, WooGray. Another thing we might take a look at is how well the programs were doing before the coach in question got there. I think that was a bit of analysis that helped show hog good a job Bob Chesney did at his stops Okay--Bettencourt first: Endicott College record for 5 years before he arrived: 76-58= .567= a solid program Kevin Bettencourt first 5 seasons 102-42= .708 significant improvement in the program, no doubt |
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Jun 25, 2019 15:21:19 GMT -5
Doubt there is many current D1 head coaches chomping at the bit for a move to the PL and Worcester. There may not be many but there surely are some. D1 assistants, former head coaches ? How did the three most recent coaches - each who fell into one of these boxes work out? |
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Jun 25, 2019 15:27:32 GMT -5
Basically agree, but D3 successes can also fail See Maker at Marist All coaching hires regardless of where the coach comes from can fail. This is an inexact science and trying to say that there is one path that is better than others just isn't true. |
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Post by hchoops on Jun 25, 2019 15:28:35 GMT -5
I am advocating no one or any specific background.
Just speculating
D1 experience can’t eliminate anyone
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jun 25, 2019 15:29:39 GMT -5
Okay-- Next is Landry Kosmalski at Swarthmore. As has been noted in previous posts about him, he has led an extraordinary turnaround at the school.
Five years before Coach Kosmalski
Swarthmore= 25-99 = .202 truly a disaster as a basketball program
Swarthmore under Coach Kosmalski
1st 3 years= 26-49= .347 strong improvement, but still a really weak program. Perhaps comparable to Columbia football going from 2-9 to 4-7
Last 4 years= 99-20= .832 this is a new program, dominating the conference
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Post by southernsader on Jun 25, 2019 17:17:52 GMT -5
Will (not should) a very new AD hire a D 3 or even D2 coach for his new school’s premier sport ? He might if it is Bain. |
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jun 25, 2019 17:27:13 GMT -5
Let’s just end the drama and get Kosmalski on board
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Post by Ray on Jun 25, 2019 17:57:31 GMT -5
Basically agree, but D3 successes can also fail See Maker at Marist Obviously. Anyone can fail. No guarantees in this process. |
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Post by jkh67 on Jun 25, 2019 20:04:48 GMT -5
There may not be many but there surely are some. D1 assistants, former head coaches ? I disagree with the notion that D1 assts/former head coaches are the preferable candidates over D2/3 head coaches. As has been posted elsewhere, plenty of successful hires at our level (some in our league) have come from the D2/3 path. Heck, HC just went that route with their most recent high-profile hire.
This is supposed to be a national search. It shouldn't have any artificial filters. If the best candidate comes from Timbuk Two Tech, hire him. Win the damn games, not the press conference.
History <cough>Milan Brown<cough> suggests that these searches get in trouble when artificial constraints get put on these searches. Don't make the same mistakes again.
I'll bet that Blossom is on board with the above. Point being, I don't even think it's a considera |
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Post by jkh67 on Jun 25, 2019 20:16:27 GMT -5
It is absolutely essential to the future of HC basketball that we get the right guy this go-round. That may take time and the College should not force feed the process with a short term focus...especially given that a new AD is just coming on board. That may mean some pain for sure over the next year or two if we can't find the right guy in the next few weeks. But the long term is the far more important consideration. We've had three successive head coach misfires. We can't afford a fourth.
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Post by ndgradbuthcfan on Jun 26, 2019 6:39:58 GMT -5
If D3 coaches are under consideration, what about WPI's Chris Bartley. His teams are perennially among the best in New England. Great recruiter at a school with high academic standards. Has a 73% winning average. And he's local like another guy who's currently a HC head coach.
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Post by alum on Jun 26, 2019 6:56:32 GMT -5
It is absolutely essential to the future of HC basketball that we get the right guy this go-round. That may take time and the College should not force feed the process with a short term focus...especially given that a new AD is just coming on board. That may mean some pain for sure over the next year or two if we can't find the right guy in the next few weeks. But the long term is the far more important consideration. We've had three successive head coach misfires. We can't afford a fourth. I get what you are saying, but I wouldn't tell the current players that you are willing to lose during their time on the team so that better things can happen down the road.  |
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