 "Photo: DN FILE PHOTO | JESS LANNING")
The Boos era at Ball State University has come to an end. In its aftermath, the athletics department has blurred vision on the future women's volleyball head coach.
Coach Dave Boos announced Wednesday he was stepping down from his position to reportedly take an assistant coaching position at the University of Florida. Athletic Director Tom Collins is now on the clock to make his second women's volleyball head coaching hire in four years.
The first time around, Collins went with whom he felt was the best candidate, but this time he needs to look closer to Ball State and East Central Indiana.
Despite finishing with a losing record, Boos had his successes at Ball State. The team improved in each of three seasons — including almost upsetting No. 1 seed Ohio University in this season's conference tournament. Academically, Ball State received a national team academic award in June for its high GPA. In addition, Boos leaves after compiling one of the top 2010 recruiting classes in the nation.
However, there were problems with Boos being hired — the biggest not being his fault.
Boos' biggest fault as a coach at Ball State was that he didn't have any previous ties to the school. He was replacing a popular coach, Randy Litchfield, the winningest coach in program history, who was fired as a result of reporting possible NCAA violations against former men's basketball coach Ronny Thompson.
Most alumni still haven't gotten over the Litchfield firing. Collins' hiring of an "outsider" didn't help.
If Ball State volleyball is known for anything, it is producing coaches. There are dozens of former Ball State volleyball players who are now coaching at the college level.
Finding a former Ball State player to come back a coach has its advantages.
The potential candidate can remember the days when both volleyball teams were constantly winning conference titles — unlike now when both teams are eight-year title droughts. A coach with Ball State ties may be better at tapping into the East Central Indiana volleyball market, which year after year is having high school players going to NCAA Tournament teams.
Certain coaches will not come to coach this team. It's more likely Sarah Palin would be president than the university getting USC women's volleyball coach and former Olympic coach Mick Haley to come to Muncie, despite his playing at Ball State in the 1960s. Burris girls' volleyball coach Steve Shondell, who played at Ball State in the 1970s and has won 13 consecutive state titles at Burris, said Wednesday he would not apply for the position.
However, there are big names with Ball State ties that Collins needs to aggressively pursue.
One of the top names should be Randy Litchfield, but that isn't going to happen.
The other name is Chris Beerman.
Beerman set the school record for kills in a single season in 1990 and is the assistant coach at the University of Kentucky, which advanced to the Sweet 16 this season. Prior to arriving at Kentucky, he won multiple Big East titles as the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh before resigning in 2008.
Going after Beerman could be the best move for this program — but bringing in a big-time coach would mean a bigger financial commitment.
Ball State's $91,723 operating budget during the 2008 season was the fifth lowest in the Mid-American Conference, according to the U.S. Department of Education's annual financial report. Western Michigan University, the 2008 MAC West Division champions, had a $146,480 operating budget that season.
A budget increase by the athletics department is highly unlikely while the university is dealing with a $15.2 million budget deficit.
Even with this upcoming budget crunch, Collins could still find a coach with Ball State ties to take over the program. It will just be a younger coach.
Names in that category include former Ball State setter Keith Schunzel, an assistant coach at the University of North Texas.
Collins is facing his second volleyball hire. This time, he should do something different and hire someone with a tie to Ball State.