In its search for a new head women's basketball coach, Ball State University needs to make sure it doesn't forget who's right under its nose.
Tom Collins, director of Intercollegiate Athletics, is in the process of replacing Tracy Roller, who resigned April 2. Interviews for the position begin Tuesday, and Collins said there's been a "good response" after advertising the position for two weeks.
Not many people know what lies in that candidate pool. But we do know what interim head coach Lisa McDonald can do. McDonald coached the women's basketball team most of last season, leading them to an 11-5 record. This isn't exactly what was expected of the team going into the season, but McDonald held her own with a group of players who'd only played under Roller's coaching while at Ball State.
McDonald offers consistency and familiarity. Three returning seniors have backed McDonald as Roller's replacement.
Collins has had the tendency to hire outside the university when replacing head coaches. Most recently, Collins overlooked Abby Richter when she applied to take Michelle Salmon's place as soccer head coach. Richter had assisted the soccer team to two Mid-American Conference championships under Salmon's leadership, but Collins decided to hire Michael Lovett, an assistant coach at Virginia Tech, instead.
Hiring an outsider has its benefits because the person comes in under Collins' reign and will likely be loyal to him. However, Collins has had a regrettable basketball hire in his tenure and women's volleyball coach David Boos hasn't yet proved to be a great replacement.
Collins should think twice before hiring outside the department this time around.
McDonald might not be the best choice - we don't yet know who she's up against. But she deserves to be considered. She worked for seven years as Roller's assistant coach and took the helm last season when Roller wasn't healthy enough to coach.
When new head coaches step in, players have to learn a new system and create a rapport with the coach. This isn't a worry with McDonald. She has almost a full season as a MAC head coach under her belt and the players are familiar with her style.
When sifting through the pile of applicants, don't take McDonald's experience lightly.
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