When Lisa McDonald was promoted as the interim head coach of Ball State University's women's basketball team, she filled the vacancy without a trace of selfishness, but rather with the team's interest in mind.
Despite the disappointing blow of being told she would not continue as the program's head coach following former coach Tracy Roller's resignation on April 2, McDonald's team mindset didn't waiver Monday.
"I've been really focused on the team this spring and doing the job I'm supposed to do," McDonald said. "I understand the administration has to do what's right for our team. Right now, what's right for our team is for me to back Kelly, so that's what I'm going to do."
McDonald, who resided over the Cardinals' program until the end of the Spring Semester, said she spoke with Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Collins two or three times regarding the coaching vacancy. She and Collins were out of town on separate affairs all last week, and the last time they had discussed the job vacancy was in early May.
Collins said McDonald was one of his four primary candidates for the job, but he informed McDonald at 9:30 a.m. Monday that he would hire Kelly Packard as the new coach.
"I was a little bit in shock," McDonald said. "I didn't feel like it was a sure thing. I knew it could go either way. I just needed some time to let it sink in. I felt a lot of confidence in our talks, but I never fully expected to get the job."
McDonald wasn't the only person surprised with the news. The three seniors on next year's team - captains Kiley Jarrett and Porchia Green and reserve forward Dana Moorman - had all advocated that Tom Collins hire McDonald to replace Roller.
Following Monday's press conference to announce Packard as the new coach, point guard Kiley Jarrett, who will be a senior on next year's squad, said she was impressed with Packard. However, Jarrett said she wasn't expecting the news.
"It's definitely surprising because we were left in the dark a lot - but that's administration," Jarrett said.
Even though Jarrett said the players would give Packard the same respect they showed Roller and McDonald, she added that McDonald would be dearly missed if she decided to leave the program.
"It's just one of those things that happens in coaching," Jarrett said. "And if Coach Mac decides to stay and be an assistant coach or if she leaves, she was a great coach here, and I think that all of us players really respected her. But we have to move on, and we have to buy into what Coach Packard's plan is for us."
Packard spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Colorado State University, where she said she experienced a coaching change. After meeting the new coach, Packard decided to stay with the program.
Packard said she would keep that experience in mind when deciding whether to try to keep McDonald on her staff.
"I appreciated when I was in that position someone who would give me enough time to assess my skills versus their philosophy, and my personality versus their personality," Packard said. "There's no easy way of going about finding a good fit. So I will say I've been there, and because I've been there I will be sensitive and approach it with an open mind. But I'm going to do what's best for the foundation of our program, and I can't tell you today what that is."
McDonald said it would take some time for her to sort out what she'd do next. McDonald said Collins discussed the possibility of remaining with the program, but that the decision was ultimately up to Packard.
If McDonald does decide to leave the program, she said, it won't be because of a dislike for Packard. Even though she hadn't met Packard as of Monday afternoon, the freshly demoted coach had nothing but positives to say about the new caretaker of the Cardinals' program.
"Tom's getting somebody in Kelly who has a lot of experience," McDonald said. "That's the biggest thing. I'm very encouraged about everything I've heard from Kelly. It's Kelly's program now, and I think she's going to do a terrific job at Ball State."
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