A close look at the Lady Griz departures over the Schweyen years suggests that the early departures were clearly not the fault of the coach. Alycia Sims, Kayleigh Valley, Nora Klick, and Henny Hearn all left because of career-ending injuries. Sierra Anderson and Caitlin Anderson left to concentrate on academics. Jaree Mane appears to have left to concentrate on track and field. She’s a senior and would have competed this year. Hailey Nicholson got plenty of playing time at UM. She said her transfer to MSUN was to be closer to home (Malta) and to play with her sister, who was an MSUN recruit. Lee Camel was a walk-on.
None of that seems to reflect poorly on the coach. But the unexplained departures of Katie Mayhue, Sammi Fatkin, Gabi Harrington, and Kylie Froelich certainly raise questions. I think there are lots of factors that might have motivated Harrington to move on. She is a rising fifth-year senior who has certainly paid her dues. Remember, she played as a true freshman and then red-shirted for a year, which must have been kind of a tough pill to swallow. Like every mid-major player, playing in the Big Dance was certainly a big goal. Could reasonably say that 2020 was the best chance for the LG to make it in her career, with Johnston, Stockholm, and Goligoski. Comparing next season’s LG with the Vandals, a reasonable observer could certainly have a lot more confidence in winning the league at Idaho. But, losing a starting role to a player who hadn’t played in a game in a year and a half, and then seeing her PT shrink, certainly would have helped things along. Sad, because I think if Harrington stays healthy she’s going to be a star in the league next year.
No one knows for sure why Mayhue, Fatkin, Harrington, and Froelich decided to leave. But it certainly raises a question that needed investigation, which should have included exit interviews with the departed/departing players and frank talks with team members on the current roster. I can’t imagine Haslam pulling the trigger on this decision without this kind of due diligence. I suspect he had those talks and disliked what he heard enough to make the move.
I enjoyed having a LG legend as the head coach the last four years. But I also grew tired of this season’s team blowing late leads in games they should have won, Idaho, MSU, NAU at the tournament among others. It’s also hard to watch a talented team make the same errors over and over again, missed layups, poor mid-range shooting, and poor perimeter defense being the primary ones. I hope Hallam can stay in the LG family in hiring a new coach, but principally I hope he finds someone who can right the ship and bring back the winning tradition.
. Mind games like that doomed Shannon.