Lady Topper Hoops: Michelle Clark-Heard To Take UC Job, Greg Collins Promoted
Last night, reports began to spread that Lady Toppers head coach Michelle Clark-Heard was interviewing for a couple of openings around the country. On Tuesday morning, the Bowling Green Daily News’ Eliott Pratt reported that MCH was, indeed, leaving the Hill to take the head coaching vacancy at Cincinnati.
In heading to Cincy, MCH takes over for Jamelle Elliott, who went 113–162 in nine years with the Bearcats, never taking them to the NCAA tournament, and whose best finish came this year, when they finished fourth in the AAC.
Knowing that the Ole Miss job was on the table, it’s a bit puzzling to me to see MCH leave for the Cincy positoin. Sure, there’s more money involved (and Elliott reported that budget cuts at WKU concerned MCH), but also you’re playing second-fiddle to all-worldy power in UConn, and at best, it’s a latteral move. But, if UC is wanting to turn their program around, it’s hard not to have wanted MCH to come after what she did at WKU, and maybe she thinks she can repeat the success.
Clark-Heard also has some history with the Bearcats program. She was an assistant coach with UC under Elliott from 2002–05, where she was a part of 74 wins (but was apart of teams that went 15–16 and 9–19 in her final two years).
As for who is stepping up to replace MCH, it’s assistant Greg Collins, who has been on the Hill since the 2012/13 campaign. Before being on the Hill, Collins has served as a professional scout with the WNBA’s New York Liberty and was an assistant coach at Arkansas and Louisville.
In talking with our writing staff during all the reports surfacing last night, our Matt McCay said that Collins would have been his first choice to replace MCH, were she to leave, and that he has a great X’s and O’s mind, and is someone the players have credited a lot. If Matt is to be believed, the Lady Tops are in very capable hands.
It’s natural to look at MCH leaving and think the high point for the Lady Toppers is over, but I’d pump the brakes on that. If Collins can retain all of the current players, and ensure none of the high profile recruits switch and decide to follow MCH (arguably most notably are early signees Akira Levy and Kallie Search), the I don’t see any reason the Lady Tops aren’t still the top dog in Conference USA at the start of the season.
But, if players start to leave, that’s when I’d get nervous.
Anyway, The Towel Rack wishes MCH and the UC program the best of luck, and thanks to MCH for what she has done for the Lady Topper program.
