Coach Jack fired as IU women’s basketball coach

The Indiana women’s basketball team is going in a new direction, with new leadership.

After six seasons as head coach, Felisha Legette-Jack was fired Monday. In her final season as head coach, the Hoosiers were 6-24 and were victorious in just one of 16 Big Ten games.

“After a deliberate and thorough review of all aspects of the women’s basketball program, including meeting with Felisha and interviews with all current players, I have concluded that under the current circumstances Felisha is no longer in a position to turn the program around,” Director of Athletics Fred Glass said in a statement.

It was time. Progress wasn’t being made and the state of the program wasn’t very promising.

6-24 this year, 29-60 over her final three seasons. That is unacceptable, especially at Indiana. Despite the lack of tradition on the women’s side, there is no reason for the program not to succeed.

There are countless number of great players leaving the state each year. She never developed strong ties with coaches in Indiana and that cost her in recruiting. On the current roster, there are three players from the state and one was a transfer. She relied too heavily on junior-college transfers.

I personally do not know what went on behind-the-scenes but from the numerous players and team personnel I’ve talked with, it wasn’t enjoyable, it wasn’t a comfortable setting and it wasn’t an environment for success.

And one of the most honest and telling quotes from Glass:

“Delaying the inevitable isn’t fair to her, the program and its fans, and most importantly the student-athletes on this team.”

This program needs a thorough cleansing. The facilities, money and notoriety are there. But the success hasn’t.

Coach Jack admittedly, loved the west coast and that’s where her heart was. Hired by Rick Greenspan, she came to IU with a record under .500. She was 87-100 at Indiana and was 54-63 in her four seasons prior at Hofstra.

Last summer, with two years remaining on her contract, Fred Glass gave her a two-year extension through 2014-2015. It was not the right move, but it was purely with recruiting in mind because it’s challenging to recruit as a lame duck coach. Glass accepted responsibility and is ready to move on.

“I am mindful that just last year I provided Felisha a two-year contract extension in the belief that such support would help her get the program going in the right direction again,” Glass noted. “In retrospect, I was wrong. However, I am not going to compound that mistake by refusing to make the decision that now needs to be made.”

Coach Jack will receive $780,000 total for the three-years remaining on her contract.

When talking about Coach Jack, it would wrong to leave out some of the positives. She was a caring person that first and foremost wanted to see her players succeed in life. She enjoyed teaching about life, getting players through obstacles, and teach them how to be successful students. On the court, she coached were tremendous energy and passion. There’s no questioning her love for the game.

And I will never forget how after being interviewed, she would always end it with, “thanks for all you do for women’s basketball.”

Changes like this one is never easy for the one making the decision, those that it affects, and the entire program. But I do believe it was the right decision.

Glass, as he should, has already put out feelers and connected with possible candidates for the head coaching job according to sources.

It’s time IU took women’s basketball serious. They are losing money on the program, have small attendance numbers and are the state school in a basketball hotbed. At a great academic institution with top-notch facilities and support, it’s time for them to follow the men’s side in turning a program around from the bottom.

There’s no reason for this team not to be competitive and at worst, finish in the middle of the Big Ten, every year.