Or maybe she just hasn’t done anything notable enough for us to know her name the same way we know Mike for winning 6 out of the last 7 NCAA’s or Sean for producing the greatest collection of high school runners ever over the course of 5ish years. There might be some sexism in the sport but this isn’t the example you make it out to be. People use Maurica Powell or Shalane’s name all the time
BlooDevil - I think Angela Reckart is an excellent and encouraging coach, just what a place like Duke needs. I was impressed when I visited with the team at the ACC's - parents (who are more involved as fans they were in my day) were nothing but positive. Both men's and womens teams have awesome average GPA's (3.6 plus). That alone makes me so proud as someone has done quite a bit of hiring from schools, and like to see it when it is not necessary to put a thumb on the scale for athletes. Yes, the students deserve the credit, but so does Coach Reckert for establishing the right kind of balance. Duke's AD Nina King is very competent as well, and seems to have in general hired and administered matters effectively (the hire every one gets measured on, football, as worked out better than anyone could have guessed). I would think she counts Angela Reckert as an absolute solid hire, and alumni and parent feedback confirms this.
I am from the Midwest and found Duke a very difficult adjustment for the reasons I state above. There will invariably be transfers. Not a way to measure the coach.
Surviving the place as a relatively dumb runner really changed my life. Again, I did not care for any of the social and cultural attributes of the school, and never really cracked the code with the athletic department, and I can easily understand why people leave. But simplistic conclusions don't fit well with the school, and for most, unless from an Eastern prep school, the school demands a lot of adjustment.
By the way UCLA is a really excellent school and certainly provides a lot of opportunity. Choices are a matter of fit.
What if more prodigies better than Frias transfer to UCLA for a better coach?
I was just going to ask, where are all the current ucla team members going to transfer to now that ucla is getting all of these transfers? Or maybe they don't have a limit on numbers at ucla...
These ladies are not going to UCLA just for the coach. It's a combination of being at home in LA, best academics near LA, running program, and money.
When they came out of high school, UCLA offered them no money, had not much of a distance program, and given how competitive admissions are at top CA schools, they might not even have been admitted.
So why Alabama, Duke and UVA?
Duke and UVA - best academic schools to offer them a full ride. Great campus visits. Vin.
Alabama - they were 1 runner short of a championship! Football weekend campus visit. Tyynismaa.
Why come home now? Now there is a running program, they have guaranteed admittance, and there are now distance scholarships.
Current runners transferring out? The whole team was walk-ons, kids who just want to run who go to UCLA. Like NC state, this 'bench strength' won't transfer out. They are happy in state kids with no scholarship. The team will get better with new talent and they will all work toward new prs.
Brosnan - sure it helps that he is a known coach and probably even knew each of these ladies via NP, but that's just 1 element of the mix.
I was just going to ask, where are all the current ucla team members going to transfer to now that ucla is getting all of these transfers? Or maybe they don't have a limit on numbers at ucla...
These ladies are not going to UCLA just for the coach. It's a combination of being at home in LA, best academics near LA, running program, and money.
When they came out of high school, UCLA offered them no money, had not much of a distance program, and given how competitive admissions are at top CA schools, they might not even have been admitted.
So why Alabama, Duke and UVA?
Duke and UVA - best academic schools to offer them a full ride. Great campus visits. Vin.
Alabama - they were 1 runner short of a championship! Football weekend campus visit. Tyynismaa.
Why come home now? Now there is a running program, they have guaranteed admittance, and there are now distance scholarships.
Current runners transferring out? The whole team was walk-ons, kids who just want to run who go to UCLA. Like NC state, this 'bench strength' won't transfer out. They are happy in state kids with no scholarship. The team will get better with new talent and they will all work toward new prs.
Brosnan - sure it helps that he is a known coach and probably even knew each of these ladies via NP, but that's just 1 element of the mix.
So, none of the current SAs are getting any money? All walk-ons?
I was just going to ask, where are all the current ucla team members going to transfer to now that ucla is getting all of these transfers? Or maybe they don't have a limit on numbers at ucla...
When they came out of high school, UCLA offered them no money, had not much of a distance program, and given how competitive admissions are at top CA schools, they might not even have been admitted.
Sam McDonnell, Mia Barnett, and Dalia Frias were 3 of the best high school runners in the country and you think they couldn't have gotten into UCLA?
Why come home now? Now there is a running program, they have guaranteed admittance, and there are now distance scholarships.
Current runners transferring out? The whole team was walk-ons, kids who just want to run who go to UCLA. Like NC state, this 'bench strength' won't transfer out. They are happy in state kids with no scholarship. The team will get better with new talent and they will all work toward new prs.
So, none of the current SAs are getting any money? All walk-ons?
You sure about that one?
I know a female college distance runner who graduated from another school in May 2021, and she had one year of eligibility remaining. She decided to go for a Masters and run one more year. UCLA offered her a scholarship.
So this whole idea that UCLA didn't offer distance scholarships before Sean Brosnan arrived is false.
Then why are only people from LA transferring to UCLA? Why can't Brosnan land transfers that are initially from Massachusetts?
If they aren't on a full ride for track/xc then whatever remaining tuition they would have to pay is lower because they are California residents.
Also, all runners who have graduated from a California high school in the past year or two are familiar with Sean Brosnan and the success he's had with the Youngs and the Sahlmans at Newbury Park. So they don't feel like they are starting out with an unknown commodity.
In fact, they probably know more about Sean Brosnan than they know about any other college coach. So there is some familiarity there.
When they came out of high school, UCLA offered them no money, had not much of a distance program, and given how competitive admissions are at top CA schools, they might not even have been admitted.
Sam McDonnell, Mia Barnett, and Dalia Frias were 3 of the best high school runners in the country and you think they couldn't have gotten into UCLA?
Give me a break!
You miss my point. I'm not belittling these ladies academically at all. The problem in CA is that kids with 1600/4.0 can't get into UCLA/Cal in the general admission process anymore.
As a coach's recruit, you get guaranteed admission, bypassing the general pool and perhaps some athletic scholarship. All 3 of these ladies could have gone to an ivy (but no scholarship), or other top academic schools with coach's assistance. They picked Duke, UVA and 'bama for admittance and a full ride.
A side note on 'bama. Often the butt of jokes for the 750 sat lineman, or this month the gun toting hoops star, AL has been pouring their football money into academics - buildings, faculty and academic scholarships. They now aggressively recruit non athletes in the northeast with generous merit aid. The pitch is simple, warm winter + big time sec sports atmosphere + nice campus + investment in improving academics = a fun place to go to college. The merit aid makes it affordable, even for middle class families. Penn State wasn't much of a school in 1950, but now only 73 yrs later, it's in the big10. It may take time, but Alabama is doing the right things with all that football money.
Then why are only people from LA transferring to UCLA? Why can't Brosnan land transfers that are initially from Massachusetts?
If they aren't on a full ride for track/xc then whatever remaining tuition they would have to pay is lower because they are California residents.
Also, all runners who have graduated from a California high school in the past year or two are familiar with Sean Brosnan and the success he's had with the Youngs and the Sahlmans at Newbury Park. So they don't feel like they are starting out with an unknown commodity.
In fact, they probably know more about Sean Brosnan than they know about any other college coach. So there is some familiarity there.
My guess would be that McDonnell is more than a little familiar with Brosnan's coaching.
Super interesting Frias is not loving Duke. Always great insight when a Latina goes to a predominantly white school and wants out. She’s obviously running well, so it’s not the training, but probably what people are saying in regards to culture, weather, family, food are reasons to reconsider. All great data points for the next generation of talent.