With the departure of Coach Lipsitz I got to thinking about who the best coaches are that have coached here. In my time I think it’s pretty much been Lipsitz and Green.
This is my fifth year as a Niner and I didn’t pay any attention to any of our sports before coming here. So what do you old timers think?
Good thread. I nominate Ed Baldwin :lmao: Also the vb coach in the 90s- forget his name Jim… he only recruited playboy level talent.
Seriously- its hard to evaluate. Lee Rose did the most with the least in 1977. Coach Kohlenstein had us in the top 10 cocsistently in soccer in the 90s- in a joke facility. Personally I loved Melvins teams the most- but the rumor inside always was Lutz did all the gameplanning in that era. Hibbs has built a young dynasty via MLB guys, new stadium, and multiple NCAA bids. And you gotta put our golf coach up there Jamie Green, their success is as good as any Niner sport in history…
Since I’ve been here for ever men’s hoops coach since we went D-I, I’d rank 'em this way:
1 - Lee Rose - can’t argue an NIT Final and an NCAA Final Four
2 - Bill Foster - laid the foundation
3 - Jeff Mullins - resurrected the program
4 - Bobby Lutz - Mr. Longevity…
5 - Melvin Watkins - 2 NCAAs, 2 2nd round games
6 - Mike Pratt - a winning record - just barely
7 - He who shall remain nameless!
Seriously- its hard to evaluate. Lee Rose did the most with the least in 1977.
Actually, he had a very strong starting 5. So strong, that some coaches thought we were as good as any starting 5 in the country.
That team had more than just Maxwell.
I think you have to put Foster and Rose on that list. And I agree, golf coach Jamie Green needs to be on there too along with Mullins, Hibbs, and the Final 4 soccer coach (Tart?).
[QUOTE=Over40NINER;371564]Actually, he had a very strong starting 5. So strong, that some coaches thought we were as good as any starting 5 in the country.
That team had more than just Maxwell.
I think you have to put Foster and Rose on that list. And I agree, golf coach Jamie Green needs to be on there too along with Mullins, Hibbs, and the Final 4 soccer coach (Tart?).[/QUOTE]
I think metro might’ve been referring to resources.
Actually, he had a very strong starting 5. So strong, that some coaches thought we were as good as any starting 5 in the country.
I meant with Rose, he somehow managed to get those 5 players to our then rinky dink school, he had little to recruit with, how do sign that talent when you play at the Shaft? We had only been D1 since 1974- I think. Amazing story.