Tennessee's search for a new women's basketball assistant coach is featuring a very popular and successful former Lady Vols coach.
Mickie DeMoss appears to have emerged as a leading candidate for the opening created by Stephanie Glance becoming the coach at Illinois State last month. A decision could be finalized as early as later this week.
UT officials wouldn't comment on the matter Tuesday.
DeMoss, who has been an assistant coach at Texas the past three seasons, was in Knoxville last weekend and was planning to participate in UT coach Pat Summitt's golf tournament on Monday. The event was postponed by rain and rescheduled for June 28.
With UT assistant coach Daedra Charles-Furlow dealing with health issues, Glance was activated as an assistant coach in December. Glance, the former interim head coach at North Carolina State, was coaching on the court and had assumed Charles-Furlow's duties as a recruiting coordinator up until the time she left Tennessee.
DeMoss left UT in 2003 after 18 years as an assistant to become coach at Kentucky. DeMoss served as Tennessee's recruiting coordinator and was the associate head coach for three years. During her UT tenure, the team went to 12 NCAA Final Fours, won six national championships and compiled an overall record of 554-77.
DeMoss resigned after four seasons at Kentucky, where her teams were 71-56.
She coached the team to consecutive 20-victory seasons for the first time in 16 years. The Wildcats made the NCAA tournament in 2006.
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Comments » 18
DeerPark12 writes:
Daedra has elected to keep all information about her health private and has not allowed UT to release anything. I know that cards and letters are always welcome at the Lady Vol Basketball office.
nola_vol writes:
Ahhh... THIS would answer the question posed after Glance left:
"...my uninformed impression is that in this era of NCAA women's basketball, it's difficult to improve our program at the assistant level. Glance became available to us under sad and unusual circumstances--not likely repeated.
Maybe there are some mature, recruiting specialists who don't yet want the responsibility of the head job; but how many of those could there be who have experience recruiting nationwide (heck, world-wide)?"
allvolinatlanta writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
utvolz#637682 writes:
Come back home Mickie!
Hulie writes:
This would be AWESOME!! Please Mickie come back!!
ladyvolsfan1 writes:
Well, this has got to be the best news in forever. I would love to see Mickie come back....ASAP! She is a great person, great coach and one of the very best recruiters....ever. Pat is going after some great players in the 2011 class and if Mickie comes back, we can reel them in. We already have Cierra Burdick. Would LOVE to get Elizabeth Williams and Kiah Stokes. Come back Mickie! We love you!!
vol4gzus writes:
Curious how Coach Warlick would read this. Coach Demoss heir to Coach Summitt? Does Coach Warlick want to control that huddle one day? I also would welcome Coach Demoss back to the fold.
CrankE writes:
If Summitt, Warlick, and DeMoss can still work well together, then this is a coup-a fantastic hire/re-hire.
ladyvolsfan1 writes:
They are all friends. I just don't think it would ever be an issue. I believe (just my opinion) that Nikki Caldwell will be the next head coach. Hopefully that will be a long time from now. For now though, lets just get these coaches back together. We need Mickie's recruiting skills back.
Volfan51 writes:
Would be great to see Mickie back on the sideline with Pat and the other coaches. Know she can help with future recruits as well.
richvol writes:
Mickie was an integral part of the LadyVol's best years. If she comes back we may be able to regain recruiting supremacy against UCONN,Stanford and Baylor. They have been getting the best athletes and that has to stop in order for us to reclaim our rightful place as the premiere program in women's basketball.
ladyvolsfan1 writes:
I completely agree with you richvol. Great post!
gbeejr#1354500 writes:
Maybe a coincidence, maybe not, but Pat's best teams was when Mickie was on the staff. Let's bring her back! But I don't believe Mickie will be Pat's eventual replacement - won't be anyone on the current staff I'm guessing. Someone younger, someone already mentioned Caldwell and if she is very successful at UCLA then I would expect her to get the call. I really like Dean Lockwood but I can't see a man replacing Pat - but I think he could do it but I think Pat would prefer a female giving her approach to the evolving of women's basketball.
jrichas#214845 writes:
Mickie would be a great addition indeed!! Also don't forget the incredible contributions of Al Brown in our 3 Peat days!!
LdyVolFaninKS writes:
This is definitely the best thing to happen in a while. Mickie was always an asset when she was with UT and I remember being really disappointed when she left for UK. Good things will come from this!
DaddyVol writes:
Is Mickie still married?
rockytopron writes:
Great news that she has returned (www.utladyvols.com) to the Lady Vols staff. She is a great recruiter and will work with our post players as well.
dvsvol writes:
Doesn't matter - if she's not, I'll be applying for that position... I always had a "thang" for her myself, and I don't fight fair, daddy!
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