She "saw the writing on the wall"? Or maybe, like Brenda before her, she found that this is not an easy place to recruit outside talent to. Some of our fans tend to always assume we can do better when it comes to coaches. That is a dangerous position to take when recruiting the better players is at least a four year process. They start to get offers at ninth grade or sooner. I hope we don't have to start that process over now. "I had heard" there were quite a few leaving? What does that even mean? How many and which ones? We have four players returning who averaged more than 15 minutes per game this year. If none of these players leave then we are fine.
First off, we have more outstate than instate players that have come in under Stollings, so your just wrong in your statement. Yes we had a couple transfer back, but they left first. We continue to lose MN kids that have the ability to play here that Stollings didn't want or was unable to land. Backes, Hoiby, Lee, Czinano, Mershon are all going to high majors (4 of which are in B10) and several other players like Walstad could play here. Stapleton from the 2019 class has already committed to Wisconsin.
As far as thinking we can do better in terms of Stollings. I was critical of her for half the season at least. Then the team really came together and it seemed like her vision was starting to produce, and even defensively we seemed to improve. However, short of a great second half from Bell, we we're in a lot of trouble with Green Bay and the Oregon game was as bad a defensive effort as you could have(but they are a really really really good team). So I don't think it's wrong for anyone to want our program to perform at a high level. Obviously this takes time. But a failure to secure the borders shouldn't and it does make one question why. This doesn't mean I don't like her outstate recruits. Pitts and Hubbard have been great additions and these are Stollings recruits.
As far as the transfers. I said I heard players were "considering". I stand by that, as I did. I have not said they were leaving, just that I heard there was consideration. I'm not going to out the person that told me this as I don't have their permission for that. But it was more than a few players, and I will leave it at that. I cannot exclude all of your four important players from what I was told. I will say, that the more I think about it, that if that part was true, maybe it would play a role in Stollings interviewing elsewhere?
So honestly, at seasons end, I personally found myself conflicted with Stollings, like I'm sure a lot of people did. I was more able to see her vision of what she wanted from her guard game. But defensively we still need a lot of work. She also really needs to get a handle on the Post position, she's had plenty of time for this, and I can't tell if she doesn't have a clue on it or just doesn't find it an important position in her system. But she's had time to get her own Post players so I have trouble releasing her from responsibility. I came around to being ok with Stollings coming back, and who wouldn't since we ended up with a decent record and made the tournament. I also really wanted to see what this recruiting class brought as she had to fully know what we were graduating in Wagner, Edwards, and Fernstrom, so any deficiencies would all be on her and her recruiting of players. Stollings style was more entertaining than Borton's for sure. But I can't help but feel we somewhat came up short team wise with the careers of Banham and Wagner. So in the end, I am conflicted on Stollings, wanted to give her another year to see more, but in no way am I or should others, be willing to accept season after season of nothing more than mediocrity. To me that's like always looking for moral victories from losses. I think we have to aim higher, even if that means taking the chance of going backwards.
And Shades, I hear ya. Interviewing elsewhere and then not leaving, that would make it even tougher to sell the program. Of course she could always say that she was trying to leverage her good season into a contract extension and salary increase.
