Matt Bollant Fired
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Jeremy WernerVerified account @JWernerScout 1m1 minute ago
Jeremy Werner Retweeted Illini W Basketball
Whitman fires #illini women's coach Matt Bollant. The first three Mike Thomas hires are all gone within 5 years.
Whitman going to be working overtime.
Jeremy Werner Retweeted Illini W Basketball
Whitman fires #illini women's coach Matt Bollant. The first three Mike Thomas hires are all gone within 5 years.
Whitman going to be working overtime.
Kelly Bond-White
TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
Wow. Mike Thomas... worst hire in Illinois sports history?
mattcoldagelli
- The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
Good lord, Bollant was 40 under .500? Wasn't he hailed as a really good hire at the time?
Jkat00
- Champaign, IL
He did a good job fundraising.. but lost a s*** ton of donors at the same time. He was toxic.
Yeah, I think most people thought he was the best of the Mike Thomas hires originally. He was 148-19 (85-5 in conference) at Green Bay with 4 straight trips to the NCAA tournament coming in.
Jkat00
- Champaign, IL
He was. Thomas should've fired him 2 years ago after all the transfers and racism issues.
Yep. He was 282-55 in ten years as a head coach before taking the Illinois job. Career winning percentage over .800. Turned UW Green Bay into a borderline national power. Hiring him was like what hiring Gregg Marshall would be now. Cautionary tale?
I have to say Bollant's complete failure here has to be a shock to everyone. That resume seemed pretty bulletproof at the time of the hiring.
Also, I the timing is interesting. I had heard he was staying. Either a) something came to light b) Whitman has his guy on the men's side and won't have to focus on 2 searches at once.
I do think Whitman has his guy on the men's side.
Also, I the timing is interesting. I had heard he was staying. Either a) something came to light b) Whitman has his guy on the men's side and won't have to focus on 2 searches at once.
I do think Whitman has his guy on the men's side.
Mike
C-U Townie
Another nice guy who couldn't win.
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Jkat00
- Champaign, IL
Pretty sure his hires at the Olympic sports were generally solid.
But yeah, he whiffed big time on the big three.
mattcoldagelli
- The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
Will we be able to afford both Geno and Gregg?
Psh, Geno is too obvious. Who is the WBB Lovie hire?
Illinithad
- Northeast Missouri
I don't follow women's basketball so I'm just asking...what about J.D. Gravina at Western Illinois? He has had success there and made the tournament (I think) this year.
Again, I have no idea if he would be considered qualified or not...I'm out of the loop with women's basketball. Gravina's wife is from my little town of 2,000 people and his mother-in-law was my English teacher years ago.
Again, I have no idea if he would be considered qualified or not...I'm out of the loop with women's basketball. Gravina's wife is from my little town of 2,000 people and his mother-in-law was my English teacher years ago.
Calipari...wants a new challenge
Sleepy Floyd
Kicking it with Fat Lever
- Champaign
Paul Westhead because he wants 3 different titles.
Pure speculation, but I have to think Whitman wouldn't even bother with the women's side of things unless he already has his men's hire sealed and delivered. For women's coach: Bill Laimbeer
TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
Will be interesting to see if a search firm is used in the women's hire. I would speculate that the possible candidates for that job are less well known to JW and co.
TheDukeUIUC
- Twin Cities, MN
As a Michigan native, Bill Laimbeer would be an excellent pure basketball hire, but a nightmare for Josh Whitman. Bill is a known tool, it's fine when he's winning and coaching professionals getting paid, but I'm not sure how he would translate into a college female locker room.
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