New assistant position

[Nidaros]

Re: New assistant position

I wonder if Laurie's position is funded (in part or whole) by the NCAA academic money, or if it's a new position funded internally. My guess is it's the first one.

Whatever it is, there's no doubt she's a great choice and will do a terrific job.

I believe this is very likely a NCAA funded position. I attended a certification open forum a couple of years back, and I specifically recall Fred telling about the grants being available at the D1 level for this position and the intentions were to apply for the grant. I assume a grant was applied for and received. These grants are not availabe for D2 and D3 members.

No doubt Laurie will be missed in the coaching part, but a person has to have a knack to keep people motivated academically especially since practice and road trips take so much of the time of student athletes. I can see where a number of people can get discouraged and just plain tired out with this busy grind. I agree she is qualified and would not be surprised that she wanted this job.

[Jacks-02]

Re: New assistant position

Does Melum have kids? Maybe this was a way for her to stay with the athletic program while providing more time to be at home with them. Just a guess, I have no idea if she does or not.

[Nidaros]

Re: New assistant position

Does Melum have kids? Maybe this was a way for her to stay with the athletic program while providing more time to be at home with them. Just a guess, I have no idea if she does or not.

No Laurie I believe she is single and I am not aware of any children adopted or otherwise.

[Jacks-02]

Re: New assistant position

No Laurie I believe she is single and I am not aware of any children adopted or otherwise.

Well, so much for that theory then

[CatchEmAll]

Re: New assistant position

Two thoughts
1. The grind of coaching could be taking it's toll on her. This keeps her involved in athletics and with student-athletes without being on the road most of the year.
2. Pay raise possibly??

[EQguy]

Re: New assistant position

Two thoughts
1. The grind of coaching could be taking it's toll on her. This keeps her involved in athletics and with student-athletes without being on the road most of the year.
2. Pay raise possibly??

Makes tbe most sense to me. Based on what we saw from the football coaching salaries she may be up for a 25-50% payraise.

[JimmyJack]

Re: New assistant position

Melum made $51,631 in her coaching position. The current assistant ADs are all below that:

Here are the ones I could find in the open.sd.gov database:

Jason Hove, Assistant AD for Sports Info, $46,119
Jenna Friedrich, Assistant AD for Finance, $36,716
Christi Williams, Assistant AD for Tickets, $36,341

I doubt that Melum would be looking at a pay cut as an assistant AD, but she's not going to get a 25 percent or 50 percent pay raise. Basically, the overall message here is that state employee salaries in South Dakota are very low and that athletics is no exception.

Whatever her reasoning, she's going to be great at that job.

[tattoo]

Re: New assistant position

It's one position.

I'd bet $100 (not really, I'm a professor and it's summer, thus no income) that Megan Vogel gets the job.

This is what ithink about Megan Vogel being the new assistant:

1: Great jackrabbit!

2: Solid D-1 program, which lots of coaches would love to be a part of.

3. Most important: Megan Vogel has no experience!


Let me be the first to say that Megan will not be the next Asst. Coach!

We are D-1 now and nobody will just get something handed to them!

[22jack]

Re: New assistant position

You are right, Emilee Gusso will be the next assistant coach. Megan might be next after that. You have to start somewhere.

[tattoo]

Re: New assistant position

You are right, Emilee Gusso will be the next assistant coach. Megan might be next after that. You have to start somewhere.

I agree with you 100% and that is not a knock on Megan, she will get a chance, but now is not the time IMO!

[JamesJacks]

Re: New assistant position

Is there one more assistant to be hired? When is this going to happen?

[JimmyJack]

Re: New assistant position

I agree with you 100% and that is not a knock on Megan, she will get a chance, but now is not the time IMO!

Keep in mind that our head coach had never been a women's basketball coach of any kind at any level before he joined this program. And when he was hired to assist on the women's team, he had one year as a GA and one year as an assistant at the North Dakota State College of Science, both coaching men. Seems like he's turned out to be a pretty darned good women's basketball coach, despite all of that.

Plus, AJ will make the decision. Doesn't really matter what any of us think. I've heard Megan is likely to get the nod. And I'm very happy about that. She's a quality person who knows how AJ does things firsthand both as a player and GA in this program.

[zooropa]

Re: New assistant position

She's a quality person who knows how AJ does things firsthand both as a player and GA in this program.

She certainly won't get the top assistant job, but she would probably be a most effective recruiter.

Since they are filling two slots they have the luxury of bringing in a solid ambassador for the program as well as a fresh outside perspective.

[JimmyJack]

Re: New assistant position

She certainly won't get the top assistant job, but she would probably be a most effective recruiter.

Since they are filling two slots they have the luxury of bringing in a solid ambassador for the program as well as a fresh outside perspective.

Exactly. The really good news here is that the program is adding an additional assistant and will be fully staffed for the first time.

[JamesJacks]

Re: New assistant position

The really good news here is that the program is adding an additional assistant and will be fully staffed for the first time.

Agree 100%! This is very exciting.