|
Post by knvb141 on Feb 9, 2010 14:54:09 GMT -5
|
|
ru1985
2 star recruit
Posts: 34
|
Post by ru1985 on Feb 9, 2010 15:28:01 GMT -5
Doesn't seem odd to me. I'm guessing he'll be paid more, will have longer than a one-year contract, will have a full allotment of scholarships and have better facilities. He will have a larger area from which to draw kids to his camps, and I'm sure there are other contractual perks that Radford does not provide. I wish him all the luck in the world. Radford loses another good one.
|
|
|
Post by vabigpoppa on Feb 9, 2010 16:43:19 GMT -5
After 15 years with only 1 big south title and 2 NCAA tourney appearances, I think change may actually be a positive in this situation. Could this force RU's hand to have a full allotment of schollies and full time asst coaches? It seems as if when the basketball and baseball coaches were hired they had similar caveats or assurances.
|
|
|
Post by RUathletics on Feb 9, 2010 17:36:21 GMT -5
I am in total agreement with ruhoops83. No one was more fond of Lew Kent than I was, but it was time for him and I see the same here. I think that Spencer was not going to get a new contract and he sought out the best position for he and his family. Again, that's my opinion. By the way, this is already on the Big South website with Spencer and his Winthrop gear.
The biggest problem I had with him was that he didn't keep up with the older soccer alums and use them to help the program like many thought he should. I'm not a soccer alum but know quite a few who had that to say. The program was definitely stagnant and I hope they do a good job getting an energetic coach to inject enthusiasm into the program. We should dominate the Big South with our facilities and hopefully a fully funded program.
|
|
ru1985
2 star recruit
Posts: 34
|
Post by ru1985 on Feb 9, 2010 22:47:15 GMT -5
I think Spencer WAS getting a new contract, but was being told he needed to win with what little he had or else.
I have a problem with coaches being given ultimatums, withholding the tools they need to be successful, effectively forcing them out and then giving the keys to the candy store to their successors. Without full funding, its difficult to recruit against Big South schools, let alone with the other programs in the state of Virginia who have more money and better facilities. If the program was stagnant, THAT was the reason why.
And with respect to Kent, his successor has been given a full allotment of scholarships, a full-time staff, a new indoor facility, and on-going field improvements. You call that a level playing field? Please. But it was time for Kent to go? Guys like Kent and Smith worked here so long under the restraints they had because they loved Radford. And then were basically forced out because they didn't win enough. I don't have a problem with that if you're given all the tools. If you're not - and Kent and Smith never were - then you can't justify that to me by saying "it was time."
|
|
|
Post by RUathletics on Feb 10, 2010 9:38:48 GMT -5
I hear you and agree with a lot of what you say, but as for Lew and the baseball program, I was/am very close with baseball and know what resulted with Joe Raccuia being hired and all the money that was being infused into the program. There were other things involved that I don't feel should be posted here, but I do know that a change was needed. Again, Lew is a great guy and a good coach, but he made it very difficult to move forward with him at the helm.
As for Spencer, you may know more about that, but I do know that he did not do much to stay in touch with the older soccer alums and that was something that made many of the alums very unhappy and unsupportive of the program. That was a common complaint I heard from my soccer alum friends. I am not aware of the amount of scholarships they had compared with the rest of the Big South or rival programs in the region. I will try to get more info on that.
|
|
|
Post by vabigpoppa on Mar 23, 2010 8:18:30 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by RUathletics on Mar 25, 2010 19:13:18 GMT -5
Good article...It looks like we have a good thing going with the St John's/Brad Greenburg connection. From what I hear from my soccer guys, this is a coup!!! (from the VA Teque...er R-noke Times) READ ON...
RU looks to build with new coach
College soccer aficionados may have viewed Radford's hiring of ex-St. John's assistant Marc Reeves as something of a coup.
"I think it is," said Highlanders' athletic director Robert Lineburg, who gives much of the credit to a selection committee headed by executive associate athletic director Randy Butt. "The overall reaction I've gotten has been, 'Wow, what a hire!' "
It was apparent that the Radford men's program was stagnating even before it was announced Feb. 9 that 16-year head coach Spencer Smith had resigned to become the head women's coach at Winthrop.
The Highlanders were 5-9-3 this past season, giving Smith an overall mark of 136-139-30; still, an impressive list of candidates would indicate the program has the potential to do better.
Finalists included a current Division I head coach, two Big East Conference assistants, an ACC assistant and Highlanders assistant Chris Barrett, who is credited by Reeves with holding the program together during a six-week search.
Reeves, 35, wasn't your ordinary Division I assistant. St. John's is one of college soccer's elite programs, having won an NCAA championship in 1996. Highlights during Reeves' 11 seasons as an assistant included a No. 1 ranking in 2002 and a spot in the 2003 title game.
Reeves, who also played soccer at St. John's, grew up 100 miles southwest of London in Gillingham, Dorset, and compares Montgomery County to the British countryside of his youth.
"I've been in the mix for two or three opportunities over the years," said Reeves, widely known as "Reevo." I was never looking to get out of St. John's, but I'm married now and have two young kids and I've got other considerations now. Radford seemed like a great fit career-wise and family-wise."
Reeves was influenced by the feedback he got from another New Yorker, Radford men's basketball coach Brad Greenberg. A mutual friend had gotten them in touch with each other.
Reeves described Virginia as "the bloodline of our program," but he also has a wealth of international contacts, as does Greenberg, whose top player, Art Parakhouski, is from Belarus.
"I'm keen to speak to them and I've also got some contacts to offer the other way," Reeves said. "I've been to Serbia, Brazil, Norway, Sweden and England, obviously. I'm hopeful we can build on Dante Washington, the No. 1 soccer alum from Radford, and get some more like him."
|
|
|
Post by vabigpoppa on Oct 4, 2010 12:18:32 GMT -5
looks like mens soccer is doing well.....i love the way they honored dante washington last week at halfime. its awesome that they are getting him back involved w/ the program.
|
|
|
Post by frontrow on Nov 14, 2010 21:24:16 GMT -5
RU men obviously put in a solid effort in 1-0 loss to High Point in 2010 semifinals. RU had about 6 straight shots on goal, trying to tie up, at the end of the game. Good effort, team.
Also, on Dante Washington... I live in Radford. NO Advertising in town. With two high school state finalists teams, Blacksburg with state champion boy and outstanding girl team, soccer has support in the NRV. Possibly the most successful athlete to come out of the Big South and noone in town is told to come out. RU needs to figure out this stuff. How to clue them in? The RU women's team did better in contacting the youth soccer about the Big South women's tournament.
|
|
|
Post by knvb141 on Oct 26, 2011 9:51:59 GMT -5
RU beat and outplayed va tech last night in front of 2,000 plus fans at home, 2-1. Way to go Highs!
|
|
|
Post by RUathletics on Oct 12, 2015 16:22:00 GMT -5
RU Soccer is ranked 25th in the latest poll! Keep it up, guys!! www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-national-rankings/men1. Creighton Creighton Big East 12-0-0 3-0-0 2. North Carolina North Carolina Atlantic Coast 10-0-1 5-0-0 3. Stanford Stanford Pacific 12 9-1-1 2-0-1 4. Wake Forest Wake Forest Atlantic Coast 9-1-2 3-0-2 5. Clemson Clemson Atlantic Coast 10-1-2 3-1-1 6. Akron Akron Mid-American 9-2-1 1-0-0 7. Georgetown Georgetown Big East 7-2-2 3-0-0 8. Notre Dame Notre Dame Atlantic Coast 8-2-3 3-1-1 9. Denver Denver Summit League 10-0-2 2-0-1 10. South Florida SoFlorida American Athlet 9-3-0 4-0-0 11. Virginia Virginia Atlantic Coast 7-2-2 2-2-1 12. Coastal CarolinaCoastal CarolinaBig South 7-1-1 2-1-0 13. Syracuse Syracuse Atlantic Coast 8-3-1 2-2-1 14. Seattle Seattle Western Athletic10-3-0 3-1-0 15. UC Santa BarbaraUC Santa BarbaraBig West 10-3-1 4-0-0 16. Old Dominion Old Dominion Conference USA 7-1-1 3-0-1 17. Hofstra Hofstra Colonial Athletic Association 9-3-0 4-0-0 18. South Carolina South Carolina Conference USA 7-3-1 4-0-0 19. Boston College Boston College Atlantic Coast 8-3-1 3-2-0 20. NC State NC State Atlantic Coast 6-2-3 1-1-3 21. Elon Elon CAA 10-2-0 3-1-0 22. Florida Glf Cst Florida Glf Cst Atlantic Sun 4-2-2 2-0-1 23. Cal Poly Cal Poly Big West 7-2-3 2-0-2 24. Washington Washington Pacific 12 5-2-5 1-1-2 25. RADFORD RADFORD BIG SOUTH 9-1-1 4-0-0
|
|
|
Post by claidheamhmor on Nov 19, 2015 20:53:38 GMT -5
We're playing right now in the NCAA tournament. Only the second at-large bid in any sport in school history. We drew UNCC, and you can watch it live! Link is available at ruhighlanders.com. It's 1-1 with 30 minutes left in the second.
|
|