Anyone know who landed the FSU job? Was it a Bakersfield boy??
Anyone know who landed the FSU job? Was it a Bakersfield boy??
I see that women’s coach Christine Engel has downshifted her career again and is off to Noth Dakota.
Career trajectory: Duke > Fresno State > North Dakota = Time to enter the workforce.
Mx. Coach wrote:
I see that women’s coach Christine Engel has downshifted her career again and is off to Noth Dakota.
Career trajectory: Duke > Fresno State > North Dakota = Time to enter the workforce.
North Dakota is actually a step up. Fresno has basically no funding and ND wants to focus a whole program on distance. HUGE step up..
Rumor has it that FSU actually hired a coach. No funding????
oats wrote:
Rumor has it that FSU actually hired a coach. No funding????
The womens program has some scholarship but the men don't have very much. I mean, look at how they typically recruit. This is talking XC.
Women - top girl has been typically a foreign athlete likely on a full ride, followed by one or two solid girls.
Men - Straight up joke of a program.
Whoever was the poster that said ND was a step down from Fresno was completely misinformed and making things up.
Damn. I didn’t realize the Fresno State was struggling so much... what happened to their former HC? Where did he go?
dsfsdfasdf wrote:
oats wrote:
Rumor has it that FSU actually hired a coach. No funding????
The womens program has some scholarship but the men don't have very much. I mean, look at how they typically recruit. This is talking XC.
Women - top girl has been typically a foreign athlete likely on a full ride, followed by one or two solid girls.
Men - Straight up joke of a program.
Whoever was the poster that said ND was a step down from Fresno was completely misinformed and making things up.
I’m not here to degrade North Dakota but since we are talking the top track times for the women’s s team : 2:10, 4:31, 17:11. I’ve met Christine Engel and the women’s team is not going g to like her style. Look forward to an exodous.
Mx. Coach wrote:
dsfsdfasdf wrote:
The womens program has some scholarship but the men don't have very much. I mean, look at how they typically recruit. This is talking XC.
Women - top girl has been typically a foreign athlete likely on a full ride, followed by one or two solid girls.
Men - Straight up joke of a program.
Whoever was the poster that said ND was a step down from Fresno was completely misinformed and making things up.
I’m not here to degrade North Dakota but since we are talking the top track times for the women’s s team : 2:10, 4:31, 17:11. I’ve met Christine Engel and the women’s team is not going g to like her style. Look forward to an exodous.
I've met her as well and I disagree The program has a lot more room to grow than Fresno. There is a lot more money invested in track
JASON Z DRAKE TO FRESNO STATE.
Good hire. He’s coached under 3 directors/ coaches who have been a part of a national championship staff. Colorado, WSU, Washington. Will put together a solid staff and they’ll makes waves on the women’s side.
This would be the best possible hire for Fresno. JD is respected and well liked by peers and athletes. He is a relationship builder but also knows his stuff. Really happy for him if true!
Fresno State athletic department is a dumpster fire. A series of lawsuits, bad leadership, bad contracts and programming decisions have decimated the department. IIRC, newspaper reported they will be bankrupt within 3 years if they don’t magically raise millions per year.
For track, women have 18 scholarships with a couple allowed to be out of state. Problem is, nobody good in California wants to go to Fresno State. Bad academics, bad campus, bad area, bad pollution.
Men have 0 scholarships. Used to be a good program, but impossible to compete in that situation. Especially in Mountain West which is strong for men and women.
Interesting they would hire a distance coach as HC. They’ll have a tough time trying to compete in conference in long distance. Perhaps he will focus on managing program and let assistants lead way coaching speed/power events.
Jason “JD” Drake? That is a great hire for Fresno State U! #RunningWithTheBulldogs
I expect a week-rounded track & field program with lots of local Bakersfield recruits.
Ksjdhdj wrote:
Mx. Coach wrote:
I’m not here to degrade North Dakota but since we are talking the top track times for the women’s s team : 2:10, 4:31, 17:11. I’ve met Christine Engel and the women’s team is not going g to like her style. Look forward to an exodous.
I've met her as well and I disagree The program has a lot more room to grow than Fresno. There is a lot more money invested in track
Great. Let’s meet back here in two years when she’s off to the next school.
Mx. Coach wrote:
Ksjdhdj wrote:
I've met her as well and I disagree The program has a lot more room to grow than Fresno. There is a lot more money invested in track
Great. Let’s meet back here in two years when she’s off to the next school.
Not saying she won't go to another school, just saying ND is a step up.
Wow. Fresno actually went out and hired a great coach. There is talent in the area. Tough kids in the region. If Drake has scholarships, they’re gonna get pretty good quickly.
Fresno State is in a tough spot. Central Section has some great talent, but it isn’t very deep and top girls will always go PAC-12 or other out of state. Several in last few years have gone to Oregon, Washington, USC, UCLA, Oregon State, Arizona State, Colorado, OK State, etc.
2nd tier girls in Central Valley are not good enough to build a team around and most are just looking to leave for the coast, SoCal, or Bay. Meanwhile, nobody from coast, SoCal, or Bay is looking to move to Fresno.
Some athletes come from moderate income families and an athletic scholarship can give them an opportunity to go to college and emerge debt-free or close to it. Couple that with JD is an excellent coach with a legacy and he'll get his share of athletes and put a strong team together. Emphasis females since they have female scholarships. If there are 0 male scholarships, he'll have to recruit gritty local kids with 9:30 3200s and hope he can turn them into competitive college athletes. I wouldn't bet against him though.
VPD wrote:
Fresno State is in a tough spot. Central Section has some great talent, but it isn’t very deep and top girls will always go PAC-12 or other out of state. Several in last few years have gone to Oregon, Washington, USC, UCLA, Oregon State, Arizona State, Colorado, OK State, etc.
2nd tier girls in Central Valley are not good enough to build a team around and most are just looking to leave for the coast, SoCal, or Bay. Meanwhile, nobody from coast, SoCal, or Bay is looking to move to Fresno.
North Dakota is getting a great coach in Engel. Unfortunately, they are also getting a horrible human being. Hopefully she’s learned from her mistakes and will treat her athletes with respect. If not, expect to see lots of freshmen every year on her roster.
JD won't be stupid enough to give a dime to Californians who'd be willing to go to Fresno State. The only way to go is all foreign. And that's what he's going to do if he actually wants to be any good there.
Sabre-Toothed Tiger in the Shower wrote:
Fres-Yes wrote:
Some athletes come from moderate income families and an athletic scholarship can give them an opportunity to go to college and emerge debt-free or close to it. Couple that with JD is an excellent coach with a legacy and he'll get his share of athletes and put a strong team together. Emphasis females since they have female scholarships. If there are 0 male scholarships, he'll have to recruit gritty local kids with 9:30 3200s and hope he can turn them into competitive college athletes. I wouldn't bet against him though.
JD won't be stupid enough to give a dime to Californians who'd be willing to go to Fresno State. The only way to go is all foreign. And that's what he's going to do if he actually wants to be any good there.
You are probably right. Only problem with that is they’re limiting future recruitment to in-state students for financial purposes.
Hope JD asked good questions on his interview.