Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

[NorCalJack]

Here is the link.

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/ind...0&section=news

The Bison message board has been buzzing about her for some time. They lost 3 women this year because they quit the team. Kind a shock to me though. I wish her luck.

Go State!!!
Go Jacks!!!

[jackmd]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

Here is the link.

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/ind...0&section=news

The Bison message board has been buzzing about her for some time. They lost 3 women this year because they quit the team. Kind a shock to me though. I wish her luck.

Go State!!!
Go Jacks!!!

A casualty of the transition. Leaves one of the best legacies of any DII women's coach in history. I guess the admin felt she wasn't getting the job done at a level to meet their expectations. I wonder if they already have a replacement in mind.

[22jack]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

The article does not say that she was asked to step down. I am not sure it was a casualty of the transition. If they win tonight they could finish tied for second place. Maybe she just felt it was time.

[tcbison]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

A casualty of the transition. Leaves one of the best legacies of any DII women's coach in history. I guess the admin felt she wasn't getting the job done at a level to meet their expectations. I wonder if they already have a replacement in mind.

She is taking a position at NDSU to help with fundraising. She is resigning not getting fired. Big difference. Keep in mind she did have cancer not too long ago.

Let's see she is already in the Hall of Fame, 5 national championships, 9 final fours, 657 wins and a .778 winning percentage. Very nice career.

[Jack4Life]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

Don't blame her a bit. I wish her the best in her new job...

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

She is taking a position at NDSU to help with fundraising. She is resigning not getting fired. Big difference. Keep in mind she did have cancer not too long ago.

Let's see she is already in the Hall of Fame, 5 national championships, 9 final fours, 657 wins and a .778 winning percentage. Very nice career.

Yes, I hope that like the USD women's coach, that she's looked at her career, and said....

"It's been a good coaching career, but I'm feeling that I've done my part, and time to savior a less stressful role."

Bison fans - Good luck in finding a great replacement for a good, solid, bleed-green-&-gold coach.

Finish off Centenary tonite Bison, and have the Jacks/Bison 1 & 2 in our new conference to finsh a very good career.

[jackmd]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

She is taking a position at NDSU to help with fundraising. She is resigning not getting fired. Big difference. Keep in mind she did have cancer not too long ago.

Let's see she is already in the Hall of Fame, 5 national championships, 9 final fours, 657 wins and a .778 winning percentage. Very nice career.

Thanks for the clarification and yes her career was impressive. She will remain a great asset for NDSU and I'm glad she has chosen to stick around.

[JimmyJack]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

She was a great coach. I hope this was her idea. Anybody with that kind of record and longevity deserves to hang it up on her own terms.

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

Based on reading the Bisonville track on this, it appears to be mainly her choice to transition out of coaching at this time.

[Nidaros]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

Based on reading the Bisonville track on this, it appears to be mainly her choice to transition out of coaching at this time.

I would tend to agree this is correct. I just listened to News and Views on Fargo radio KFGO which can be heard in the Brookings area, and Ed Schultz former voice of the Bison interviewed Irv Inninger and Amy, both former bb coaches. Amy had been thinking about this for some time so she said. Irv has been an athletic development fund raiser for a number of years and seems to have a lot of class as a person and has done very well in doing his job at NDSU. They had this opening since last fall and with each candiate Inninger said it would be a training phase and he would have spent a lot having to introducing this person to potential donors, and with a well known coach, they dont have to do that. Certain people like Gene Taylor AD, were lobbying Irv for Amy, so you can read whatever you want into those actions

Amy seems to be a very charming person so she will do well. You have to remember she was a very young person when she came to Fargo in 1979, and now she has to be towards the mid 50's so this would be a great way to reach retirement without looking for another coaching job.

I think NDSU has found an excellent time to make a coaching change. She mentioned the next coach will be able to play in the Summit conference tourney etc, so even with a number of graduating seniors, there are some players left to build a new program on, including Ms. Plunkett, from SD.

Also retaining coaches and putting them in Athletic Development will work with the right kind of people who are like Amy and Irv. I not saying SDSU should do the same thing unless they have those personalities that could adjust to the tasks of fund raising. Being well known is an advantage if the image as a coach has been positive. That applies in Amy's case and maybe Irv Inninger too, who I remember as having several 19-9 seasons, and not making the playoffs.

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

There is no doubt that Ruley has had an incredible career at NDSU. I hope it was her decision and that she wasn't forced out. She deserves better than that!

Her NDSU teams were the envy of SDSU fans for many years at the D2 level. If we hadn't been in a region with them, there is no telling how many times SDSU would have gone to the Elite 8. There were a lot of years when NDSU, UND, and SDSU were all ranked in the top 10 but only one made it to through. It did make for some great battles in the old NCC!

It has been fun to "even the score" a little over the last few years but I do wish Ruley the best in her new role!

SUPERBUNNY

[Nidaros]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

After listening to the interview, I think this step was a mutual decision. I am sure NDSU does not like losing to SDSU several years in a row women's bb, but making coaching changes often involve more things than wins and loses.

Amy mentioned that the advantage of being a coach this many years is that you never grow old and kind of stay in the 18-22 age range. You learn about text messages and all the other gadgets in use now days etc. So she sounded very upbeat and sounded excited about her new job.

[Hammersmith]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

Just thought I'd update this since it looks like we'll be naming Amy's replacement on Friday. Carolyn DeHoff arrived in Fargo today for a campus visit, and it's expected she'll be offered the job and accept it.


Carolyn DeHoff:
Associate head coach at Utah for the last five years. Responsibilities included recruiting, point guard development, organization and planning of the schedule, coordination of academic affairs and directing summer camps. During her time at Utah, the Utes made three NCAA tournament appearances; advancing to the Elite Eight once before falling in OT to the eventual national champions. They also had one appearance in the WNIT during this time.

Prior to her time at Utah, she spent five years at Weber State as recruiting coordinator and had game management duties. While she was there, the Wildcats went from a sub-.500 team to a back-to-back NCAA tournament participant. WSU won consecutive Big Sky titles, achieved its highest RPI ever and had back-to-back 20-win seasons.

Before that, DeHoff was the top assistant at Wyoming for seven years. Recruting was a major part of her duties there as well. Her first job was as an assistant coach at Coronado High School in Scottsdale, Ariz., where she helped lead the Dons to back-to-back state championships.

She was a team captain during her playing career at Arizona State, and she also played on a Pac-10 All-Star team that toured Hungary.


Two things jump out at you: almost all of her positions included recruiting, and she has a history of winning. She's also "very, very, very, very" interested in the job. (Reporters jumped her when she landed in Fargo; she has a commanding use of the word "very".) I'm very pleased that she appears to be our first choice. Our SWA, Lynn Dorn, has had since November to look at possible candidates. Lynn has a history of great coaching hires, and if this was her first choice, I'm thrilled that it looks like we'll get her.

[Jack4Life]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

Two things jump out at you: almost all of her positions included recruiting, and she has a history of winning. She's also "very, very, very, very" interested in the job. (Reporters jumped her when she landed in Fargo; she has a commanding use of the word "very".) I'm very pleased that she appears to be our first choice. Our SWA, Lynn Dorn, has had since November to look at possible candidates. Lynn has a history of great coaching hires, and if this was her first choice, I'm thrilled that it looks like we'll get her.

If she likes using a phrase over and over, this coach might be a "whale of a hire".

[EQguy]

Re: Amy Ruley Stepping Down at NDSU

Sounds like the Bison got a very good one there. Sounds like she is a very solid recruiter and has some very good experience on her very lengthy resume. I think the Bison fans have someone they can be very happy with there. Hopefully she gives a whale of an interview so she can get started on her job very soon.

There was little doubt in my mind that the Bison would do what it took to find a top flight coach.