🏀 🏀 Bama's new Women's Basketball Coach is former assistant Pauline Love

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Seems odd the news would break before Byrne announced it, but... I'd imagine OU leaked it.





Here's her UA bio from 2024-2025

Pauline Love - Women's Basketball Coach - Alabama Athletics

Personal Information Hometown: Luxora, Ark. Education: Southern Mississippi, 2010 Birthday: April 5 Coaching Experience 2024-present: Alabama, Assistant Coac...

rolltide.com

 

[TerryP]

It looks like they are getting their news from Skim Milkey.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

 

[alabama mike]

Hopefully, AD GB will also let loose of some
Money in the revenue sharing to advance the ladies program.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Here's the link for her opening press conference tomorrow (Thurs) at 10 am....

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Hopefully, AD GB will also let loose of some
Money in the revenue sharing to advance the ladies program.

It's highly unlikely that the WBB program is going to get a much of a bump, if any, in revenue share. But, what they can do is push for more actual NIL and direct donations from donors/boosters. Supposedly Coach Love is not only a elite recruiter (more on that in second), but she has an outgoing personality and contagious energy. Word is, she embraces the marketing side of coaching, which at UA for WBB, is an absolute must if they want sustained success. It's that energy and personality that will help generate some player NIL and booster donations, especially if she can win at a level that keeps UA in the NCAA tournament most years. She can also sell the amenities that UA will offer, which few others can... the stuff athletes get from the nicer practice facility, to the best medical/training care, to the food, to the better travel options, to the free Nike gear, etc. is something many underestimate. Not many other schools enjoy such, not at UA's level.

On the recruiting, IMO, it's a really good sign that she's been at UA recently. She's already recruited under the handcuffed ($) circumstances that she will again be under (compared to the LSU's, South Carolina's, and UT's of the conference). But she still brought in some really good talent, and that was as an assistant. Now as the head coach? I expect her recruiting abilities to stretch even further. I'm looking forward to what she says tomorrow and the staff she puts together.

 

[rick4bama]

Welcome back to the greatest place to play ball at!

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

FWIW, the press conference just ended. It's linked above if anyone is interested...

 

[Justneedme81]

who was the other finalists for the job?

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

who was the other finalists for the job?

No idea. With how Byrne works, knowing this change was coming, I'd be sorta surprised if there was another finalist.

 

[Bammerboy321]

Langley at Washington.

who was the other finalists for the job?

 

[alabama mike]

Wishing her the very best!

 

[bamanc50]

Hopefully, AD GB will also let loose of some
Money in the revenue sharing to advance the ladies program.

I don’t see that happening. He has never put money into the program. Not to say that I blame him. CKC is a good person but if you can’t get a team at least to the SEC championship and to the elite 8 in the NCAA’s in 13 years you have peaked out. Love is a good hire and even better recruiter and coach. IMO, for Love, this is good HC experience to lock down an even better basketball job in 3-4 years. RTR

 

[TerryP]

I don’t see that happening. He has never put money into the program.

This week Byrne said they had 170%+ increase in the funds designated for women's basketball over the last five years. 170% of "not a lot" is still ... not a lot.