I agree with you that Vic needs to make the new hires at a faster pace. The transfer portal is heating up and our top recruiting targets for 2023 will likely want to know who their position coach will be (Maul, Cunningham and Wagner, even though she's already announced her commitment). I understand that the HC means the most to players and recruits but I think it's understandable that assistant coaches are also very important. Additionally, TxWBB just sent out an announcement for summer camps so planning for camps is underway.
@Moooooo had mentioned Chelsea Newton in a previous post. Newton was an assistant coach for Joni Taylor at Georgia for the past 7 years and prior to Georgia, she coached under Vivian Stringer at Rutgers. The logic is that she will follow Joni Taylor to A&M. However, I hope that Newton is under consideration for Jackson-Durrett's position as she coaches guards and was also the recruiting coordinator. Newton can hit the ground running as she already has connections and relationships with many of the recruits that are on Texas' radar.
According to Newton's bio, "she has coached an impressive list of 14 WNBA players and 18 All-Conference selections in just 13 seasons at Rutgers and Georgia. Under her guidance, former Scarlet Knight standouts Kahleah Copper and Betnijah Laney were selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft. Newton also helped sign the No. 1 point guard in the country, Tyler Scaife, in 2013. She then helped develop Scaife into the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2013-14."
Additionally, "as the team’s recruiting coordinator, she has helped Georgia sign three highly-rated rated classes in the last four years. This comes after Rutgers hauled in a pair of top-3 classes. In all, Newton has helped sign 13 top-100 prospects and six top-20 recruits during her career."
It may be worth noting, that during Vic's tenure as a head coach, whenever he had openings on his staff, he always hired women as replacements. That may be meaningless but it is a pattern after 10 years.
