Amber Whiting New BYU Womens' Basketball Coach

So what does anybody think about the hiring of Amber Whiting as the new BYU Women’s Basketball Coach? Frankly I am somewhat perplexed about this hire.Is Whiting up to the job? I have read all there is on CougarFan.com about her and I taped and rewatched her interview on today’s May 20th interview on the Cougar Nation telecast. Does anybody have information on how the interview and recruiting process went with the other candidates for the job? Does anyone know how she got the job over the other candidates?

Similar to you. Just what I’ve read and heard. She does sound outstanding and she does have a history of winning at the hs and aau level. I’m curious why the assistants weren’t hired, but I guess that that means she killed the interviews.

Wasn’t LaVell Edwards a Granite High School coach when he was hired?

It doesn’t always have to be the “heir apparent” (assistants, those whose “time has come,” etc.). Sometimes it’s good to get fresh blood and insights.

People would go bananas if Sitake’s replacement was some high school coach without college experience, but it could be the right choice . . . in hindsight.

Hopefully the stars on the team agree and don’t leave like Gonzalez.

The deference between Men’s sports and women’s is very wide unless we are talking UConn. These kinds of hires are routine in Women’s.

No, LaVell was the defensive line coach at BYU for nine years prior to becoming head coach. He also served as defensive coordinator during the latter part of those nine years.

Lavell was the HC at Granite when he was hired as a defensive coach at BYU under Tommy Hudspeth (62-71) then became the HC in 72

Insofar as the three major BYU sports are concerned (football, basketball, and volleyball), I’d say the most similar hiring of a head coach occurred in 1997 when BYU conducted a national search and then hired a relatively unknown junior college coach named Steve Cleveland.

Who??? :rofl:

I heard today that Shaylee Gonzalez mother had applied to be the coach. So, Shaylee has an immature fit and transfers. Maybe she thinks this is 8-10 year old basketball league or something. Man up Shaylee and stick around…You won’t make more money anywhere else…

Really? What coaching position and at what school? Or this is your another bait you doing?

I heard it on BYU Sports Nation today…

I believe that Shaylee mother applied to be an Assistant coach, not the HC. But that is rumor.

I’ll check out Sports Nation to hear the exact wording of what was said. From looking at news articles, it sounds like the experiences are similar: College player (Candice Gonzales at Grand Canyon mid-90s and Amber Whiting at BYU 2000-2001), successful high school coach, AAU experience.

Floyd, where did you hear your rumor?

So, what were the exact words?
Floyd usually has his references from a crystal ball :slight_smile:

As of last Friday Lee Cummard has been hired as an associate head coach. But nothing has been said about hiring another assistant coach for women basketball.

Starts at 12:43

Jarom: Pretty surprised, she had told us on the podcast a couple of months ago that she was planning on being here five years, and something changed and that was the coaching change. Jeff Judkins out and Amanda Whiting in, and obviously that didn’t jive with her in some way. Full disclosure, Shalee’s mom was apparently a candidate for the job as well and didn’t get it, and I can see where there are perhaps strong feelings about that decision and it’s a bummer because Shaylee is one of the best players that BYU has ever had.

TaDa!!! See, I wasn’t lying. Vindicated again!
If she is leaving because her mom didn’t get the job, then don’t let the door hit you in the buttocks. That’s really petty and won’t go far seeking a professional career somewhere. Hopefully she may reconsider and dominate the league this year.

BC: LIKE you said, I guess she killed the interviews. I guess we shall see. She seems like a 21st century person the way she talks. I wonder if her daughter might come to play at BYU with the trans portal and all.

**Shaylee might get some more money through NIL somewhere else in a bigger market. She might even get farther in the NCAA with another school. But if she leaves BYU she will look less mature and as a person with less integrety. **

She is a 5th year senior who has two years of eligibility (one for Covid, the other because of injury).
As many of you know, these types of players move schools often.

I find it amusing that when a good 5th year senior transfer to BYU like Ty’Son Williams basketball Haarms transfers to BYU, everyone is so excited that he “choose” BYU!

But when someone to do the same thing an decides to leave BYU as a 5th year senior.

Well that is a whole different story with some pretty bad comments by some of the fans.