Women's Hockey

[82SiouxGuy]

I think it's great when we can hire people from UND or North Dakota. But that can't be the only criteria. To compete nationally and globally we need to hire the best people possible. If that person has North Dakota connections that is even better. If 2 candidates are close, then picking the one with North Dakota connections is great because it probably is an advantage for them. If the outside candidate is better, then hire them because it improves the product and the University. And some outside blood on occasion is good for the organization, it prevents the problems that inbreeding can bring.

I don't know anything about most of the candidates for the coaching position. I do know about Steve Johnson's qualifications, and he should be a strong candidate. His weakness is not having experience with the women's game. Everything I know about the candidates that have been brought in is what I have read from links here and in the Herald. They seem to have some great qualifications also and are from the women's game. I think we need to trust the people in place to do the job they are given. Remember, we have had some great people come in from the outside to do a good job for UND also.

[dagies]

The AD seems to have done a good job with the men's BB coach.

[Goon]

On an unrelated note: Watched the USA and Sweden game last night. Now I see why Gigi Marvin was so heavily recruited.

She would have looked real nice in a Green Uniform. The kid can flat out play.

[fightingsiouxfan57]

On an unrelated note: Watched the USA and Sweden game last night. Now I see why Gigi Marvin was so heavily recruited.

She would have looked real nice in a Green Uniform. The kid can flat out play.

Quote from the GFH

"Training in Grand Forks and playing Sunday in Warroad is special to Marvin. Her grandfather, Cal, was one of the founders who started UND's program in the late 1940s. A couple of her uncles and cousins played hockey for the Sioux as well. "

[Goon]

Quote from the GFH

"Training in Grand Forks and playing Sunday in Warroad is special to Marvin. Her grandfather, Cal, was one of the founders who started UND's program in the late 1940s. A couple of her uncles and cousins played hockey for the Sioux as well. "

[HockeyMom]

She was pretty impressive last night. Seemed like she had a pretty good following of Warroad peeps. I couldn't help but think how fast the puck moved compared to some other women's teams I've seen play in there, and how far behind our program might be compared to the likes of Minnesota.

They need to let women start checking.

[The Walrus]

I wonder how hard we tried to get her. The kid is good and a force.

Hmmmmmm........ I wonder if a "Coach" with UND ties woud have helped......?

[Goon]

Hmmmmmm........ I wonder if a "Coach" with UND ties woud have helped......?

A winning program would have helped. I really doubt if there is not enough history for UND hockey to have a UND grown Head Women's Hockey Coach. The program is a fledging program and has only been around 5-6 years right? I am not sure it's realistic. Look at Shanon Miller in Duluth. Her record speaks for itself.

[The Walrus]

A winning program would have helped. I really doubt if there is not enough history for UND hockey to have a UND grown Head Women's Hockey Coach. The program is a fledging program and has only been around 5-6 years right? I am not sure it's realistic. Look at Shanon Miller in Duluth. Her record speaks for itself.

So are you discounting what Gino, Dean and Dave have done....?

I would think that Mark Jonson at Wisconsin could be a Poster Boy.....

Hockey is Hockey...

[Goon]

So are you discounting what Gino, Dean and Dave have done....?

I would think that Mark Jonson at Wisconsin could be a Poster Boy.....

Hockey is Hockey...

Where are you coming from? Not every coach has to have UND roots, nor is is realistic to think this. Especially when most of your graduates of said Women's programs aren't very numberous. Either that or I would assume your plugging Steve Johnson?

[The Walrus]

I really doubt if there is not enough history for UND hockey to have a UND grown Head Women's Hockey Coach.

I do not want to get in a arguement, I just disagree with the above statement. I believe we have plenty of history in UND Hockey, it doesn't need to be womens. My feeling if we would have looked in House 5 years ago, we would not be where we are today, More sucess, More local Kids, and Tradition. Yes, Steve Johnson, Scott Koberinski, both would do a outstanding job in my opinion, But looks like they may not make interview list.

Mark Johnson (Former Badger) from Womens(2 time) National Champion Wisconsin.....his 1st Womens Head Coaching job..

http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/whky/b...tml?staffid=149

[legend334]

Hmmmmmm........ I wonder if a "Coach" with UND ties woud have helped......?

There you go using logic again...why would you want to reward someone who went to school at UND, knows the instructors, area, kids, employees, area high school coaches?? Stop using logic!!

As far as the MBB coach, lets not declare the season this year a success!!!

[legend334]

Where are you coming from? Not every coach has to have UND roots, nor is is realistic to think this. Especially when most of your graduates of said Women's programs aren't very numberous. Either that or I would assume your plugging Steve Johnson?

This is what happens when outsiders are left to run a locally run university. You have no idea what UND history is, was or should be in the future. You may sit and talk about UND history, but realisticly what do they know about UND athletics. What they have read? That is not bleeding green, IMHO.

[iramurphy]

If Steve Johnson isn't granted an interview, I would be very surprised and disappointed. Nothing against any of the other candidates, but either I have been hearing inaccurate info or something has changed recently. It seems hard to believe Johnson would have even applied (considering the big pay cut he'd be taking) if he hadn't been encouraged to do so.

Agree. There is nothing about the other three that jumps out at you. None of them have a playing career that is better than Johnson's. He has had great success as a head coach. Stacy Wilson was an asst. at Duluth but she left the program. Why and what has she been doing lately? The others are Asst. Coaches for St. Cloud (not a power, and Harvard they are a power). If Steve Johnson is interested and not given an interview, that would not be a good reflection on Bunning. I hope someone can convince him otherwise. I guess it could be that no one else is all that interested.

I hope Bunning understands the quality of candidates he can get with UND ties. After all, it seems to have worked for the mens hockey team. Were I the AD, I would have done enough research to have had one or two candidates in mind and recruited them to apply at UND. Until we start believing we will be a Womens Hockey Power deserving of the best coaching and expect the best players to come here, no one else is going to either.

[Goon]

I do not want to get in a arguement, I just disagree with the above statement. I believe we have plenty of history in UND Hockey, it doesn't need to be womens. My feeling if we would have looked in House 5 years ago, we would not be where we are today, More sucess, More local Kids, and Tradition. Yes, Steve Johnson, Scott Koberinski, both would do a outstanding job in my opinion, But looks like they may not make interview list.

Mark Johnson (Former Badger) from Womens(2 time) National Champion Wisconsin.....his 1st Womens Head Coaching job..

http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/whky/b...tml?staffid=149

Mind you I am talking about Women Hockey, everyone knows that UND hockey is one of the Bench Marks of College hockey.

[Goon]

Agree. There is nothing about the other three that jumps out at you. None of them have a playing career that is better than Johnson's. He has had great success as a head coach. Stacy Wilson was an asst. at Duluth but she left the program. Why and what has she been doing lately? The others are Asst. Coaches for St. Cloud (not a power, and Harvard they are a power). If Steve Johnson is interested and not given an interview, that would not be a good reflection on Bunning. I hope someone can convince him otherwise. I guess it could be that no one else is all that interested.

I hope Bunning understands the quality of candidates he can get with UND ties. After all, it seems to have worked for the mens hockey team. Were I the AD, I would have done enough research to have had one or two candidates in mind and recruited them to apply at UND. Until we start believing we will be a Womens Hockey Power deserving of the best coaching and expect the best players to come here, no one else is going to either.

There might be some politics behind the scenes that we don't know about for Johnson not getting a sniff. I know some were upset with Hak for not hiring Johnson but Jackson has seem to pan out well for UND and he did go to school for 4 years.

[UND92,96]

The rumor I heard a couple of weeks ago was that Johnson was strongly urged to apply, and told he had a very good chance of getting the job. Urged by whom? I don't know, but common sense would seem to suggest that it would have had to have been somebody in a position of authority or considerable influence. Johnson's current job is simply too lucrative for him to apply for a job unless he's encouraged to do so by somebody in a position to know that he is a strong candidate. Granted, the process isn't over yet, but if he isn't even granted an interview, I'd certainly like to know what transpired behind the scenes, because I have to think there were some influential people with strong UND hockey ties lobbying hard for him.

EDIT: From what I've heard today, don't count out Johnson yet. I still think he's going to get the job.

[legend334]

I had heard that he said he was not going to apply again after the last coaching hire. If they wanted to interview him, he told them to call him. Another happy alum. How many will it take??

[choyt3]

I had heard that he said he was not going to apply again after the last coaching hire. If they wanted to interview him, he told them to call him. Another happy alum. How many will it take??

You do understand that Dane Jackson is a UND grad, right?

[Goon]

You do understand that Dane Jackson is a UND grad, right?

I think people forget that Dane went to UND... Besides it up to the Head Coach to hire the assistants that he is most confortable. Of course there is a group of people that unless Steve Johnson is hired none of them are ever going to be happy.

[The Sicatoka]

If we should only look at UND grads the following should have never been hired, or even been interviewed:

Roger Thomas - Augustana

Rich Glas - Bemidji State

Dave Gunther - Iowa

Gene Roebuck - Mayville State

and can you believe they hired a Gopher to run the Sioux program

Dean Blais - Minnesota

And one more for perspective: Rob Bollinger - Dickinson State.

I'm most concerned about these arbitrary "five years of ..." or "demonstrated history of ..." hurdles put into job descriptions. If someone only has a "demonstrated history of" whatever for four years that disqualifies them?

Hire the most qualified candidate.

Based on my knowledge of who has applied (admittedly only from the Herald) I still say Gordie Stafford or Steve Johnson have the best track record of program building. And that's what UND needs right now.

[legend334]

I believe the point that was given was UND and or local ties within the tri state area, Minnesota/North Dakota/ or even South Dakota, which all of those people definitely fit into that criteria!!! But thatnks for making Walrus's point again for him...

[The Sicatoka]

No, actually, I more made the point "82" made:

I think it's great when we can hire people from UND or North Dakota. But that can't be the only criteria. To compete nationally and globally we need to hire the best people possible. If that person has North Dakota connections that is even better. If 2 candidates are close, then picking the one with North Dakota connections is great because it probably is an advantage for them. If the outside candidate is better, then hire them because it improves the product and the University. And some outside blood on occasion is good for the organization, it prevents the problems that inbreeding can bring.

[SIOUXYOU]

If we should only look at UND grads the following should have never been hired, or even been interviewed:

Roger Thomas - Augustana

Rich Glas - Bemidji State

Dave Gunther - Iowa

Gene Roebuck - Mayville State

and can you believe they hired a Gopher to run the Sioux program

Dean Blais - Minnesota

And one more for perspective: Rob Bollinger - Dickinson State.

I'm most concerned about these arbitrary "five years of ..." or "demonstrated history of ..." hurdles put into job descriptions. If someone only has a "demonstrated history of" whatever for four years that disqualifies them?

Hire the most qualified candidate.

Based on my knowledge of who has applied (admittedly only from the Herald) I still say Gordie Stafford or Steve Johnson have the best track record of program building. And that's what UND needs right now.

How can you say that Gordie Stafford has the best track record, because he coaches a high school hockey team or because he has a son in the NHL? He has no experience coaching Division 1 hockey.. High School Hockey and Division 1 hockey is at two different levels, if you ever get a chance to watch a female high school hockey game you would be bored out of your mind the hockey is terrible, especially in the states... anyone could coach that level... I am dissapointed the administration did not work harder to attrack some top name Divsion 1 coaches that have head coaching experience and would be able to step in a work, not find their footing over a year and then take pace... there are a lot of top coaches out there that could have been looked at over 3 candidates that are clueless, and one has been out of female hockey for 3 years with no clue what recruits are at the top of the game..... that would put the program behind further...I am just dissapointed

[The Sicatoka]

How can you say that Gordie Stafford has the best track record, because he coaches a high school hockey team or because he has a son in the NHL? He has no experience coaching Division 1 hockey.

Please read full quote.

" ... track record of program building."

Johnson has built Lincoln into a USHL power.

Stafford has been running the girls program at Shattuck (and all of their summer camps).

Neither has Division I experience but in my mind I'll trade that for someone who has a history of building a strong program.

To your point (namely "top name Divsion 1 coaches that have head coaching experience"), Badger Bob's two-time champion son could apply here and some folks wouldn't want him because he doesn't have UND ties.

Get me the best qualified for the job, and, to me right now at least, I think that's a proven record as a program builder as much as a coach.