Coaching Changes, Portal Chaos and More WAC News

SFA and Seattle U Women, Utah Valley and Southern Utah Men all looking for new head coaches plus more names in the portal

With UConn’s win on Monday night, the 2022-23 college basketball season has officially come to an end.

And with that end, comes coaching changes, portal chaos, and so much more around a league that was really good in 2022-23.

Here are the jobs that are open right now in the WAC.

SFA Women’s Basketball

Long time head coach Mark Kellogg needs to learn Country Roads rather quickly. Kellogg departs SFA after eight seasons in Nacogdoches to take over at West Virginia.

Kellogg won 195 games at SFA, recording at least 18 wins each season and at least 23 wins in the last seven seasons. The Ladyjacks have two regular season conference titles and two trips to the NCAA Tournament.

SFA finished 27-7 overall and 15-3 in WAC play in 2022-23. The Ladyjacks earned an at-large berth to the WNIT where they lost in the second round at Arkansas.

The Mountaineers finished 19-12 overall and 10-8 in the Big 12 in 2022-23. West Virginia earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament, losing to Arizona in the first round.

Athletic Director Ryan Ivey said there will be a national search to replace Mark Kellogg.

Seattle U Women’s Basketball

After seven seasons in the Pacific Northwest, Suzy Barcomb was not retained for an eighth season.

The Redhawks finished 6-24 overall and 5-13 in WAC play. Seattle U knocked off UT Arlington in the first round of the WAC Tournament.

Barcomb finishes her time at Seattle U with a 77-133 record. However, Barcomb also led the Redhawks to a WNIT berth in 2016-17 and the program’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2017-18.

"After thorough evaluation, I have decided that a change in leadership is needed in order to meet our high standards of competitive excellence for the women's basketball program," said Director of Athletics Shaney Fink.”

Utah Valley guard Le’Tre Darthard is one of six Wolverines in the transfer portal. Courtesy Western Athletic Conference.

Utah Valley Men’s Basketball

Well, the regular season champions may be back to square one with the departure of Mark Madsen to Cal.

Back-to-back 20-win seasons, a program-record 28 wins and a trip to the NIT Final Four.

Now, the majority of Utah Valley’s roster is in the transfer portal including Le’Tre Darthard and Justin Harmon.

And, it is unknown at this point who will take over. Associate head coach Todd Phillips is in the mix. But, Barret Peery and Chris Burgess have also been linked to the job.

The one potential bright spot is whoever takes over may have the luxury of the WAC Defensive Player of the Year, Aziz Bandaogo.

Southern Utah Men’s Basketball

After three 20-win seasons, a Big Sky regular season title and a run to the WAC title game in 2022-23, Todd Simon left for Bowling Green. It makes sense. Simon is from Michigan so he is closer to home.

With that being said, new athletic director Doug Knuth has to find a way to replace Simon and the recent success the T-Birds have experienced.

SUU is as unique as you can get as a Division I program. Travel is difficult as coaches have to go to Las Vegas to fly out and recruit players. There is the small budget SUU is dealing with. And so much more.

It will take a coach with the right relationships to keep the SUU program from falling backward to where it was before Simon took over.

There hasn’t been much news on the interview front for the SUU job.

Transfer Portal Chaos

It’s that time of year again where the portal starts becoming the main interest among college basketball media pundits and fans.

With that being said, let’s look at how many transfers are in the portal right now from each WAC team.

• ACU - 1

• CBU - 3

  • Juhlawnei Stone was in the portal but committed to SFA.

• GCU - 4

• Seattle U - 3

• SFA - 2

• SUU - 3

• Tarleton - 10

  • GianFranco Grafals was in the portal but committed to Southern Miss.

• UT Arlington - 2

• Utah Tech - 5

  • Frank Staine was in the portal but committed to SFA.

• Utah Valley - 6

• UTRGV - 4

Total - 39 players.

GCU guard Chance McMillian is in the transfer portal after having a big 2022-23 for the Lopes. Courtesy Western Athletic Conference.

Here are some of the key names in the transfer portal.

• Taran Armstrong - CBU

• Chance McMillian - GCU

• Drake Allen, Jason Spurgin - SUU

• Freddy Hicks, Shamir Bogues - Tarleton

• Isaiah Pope - Utah Tech

• Justin Harmon, Le’Tre Darthard - Utah Valley

• Adante’ Holiman, Will Johnston - UTRGV