EUGENE, Ore. -- Canadian national women's coach Bev Smith
was hired as the University of Oregon's new basketball coach Thursday, returning to a
program shaken by a feud between its players and former coach Jody
Runge.
"I turn my back on this program for a couple of minutes and
everything breaks loose around here," joked Smith, who played at
Oregon from 1978-82. "It's great to be back."
Runge resigned April 30, after a report issued by an independent
law firm backed up allegations that the coach belittled her players
and assistants, pushing the program toward "the brink of
collapse."
"I think there is a lot of healing that has to take place,"
Smith said. "Anytime you go through a situation where there is
some cracks and fissures in your program, you need some time.
Something has happened here, and (the players) have drawn some
really important lessons on how to be better people because of
it."
Athletic director Bill Moos said he's confident Smith will help
make the players' experience at Oregon more enjoyable.
"We've got to get their confidence back and get the smiles back
on their faces," he said. "I think Bev will be able to motivate
them, and is willing to be in the trenches with them."
Smith said she won't try to "reinvent the wheel" with her
players.
"I'm a teacher and a coach," she said. "I don't have any
magical plays or magical defensive strategies. To me, the magic is
in the players and the athletes and it is my job to allow them the
opportunity to express themselves."
Smith met with five players Thursday, and senior Alyssa
Frederick said "she seems nice so far."
"She seems pretty excited and is interested in knowing us as
people," Frederick said.
Smith, 41, had been coaching the Canadian national team since
1997, including the Olympics last summer. Before that, she coached
professional teams in Italy and at the University of British
Columbia.
Smith signed a three-year contract with a base salary of
$105,000, plus an additional $60,000 from radio and television
commitments and a Nike endorsement deal. Incentives could push her
salary to $182,500. Runge, who had two years left on the contract
that paid her about $200,000 a year, received a $520,000 settlement
package from the university.
Smith said she would retain assistant coach and recruiting
coordinator Dan Muscatell, who had served as interim coach
following Runge's firing.
Runge had a 160-73 record in eight seasons, and the Ducks made
the NCAA tournament each year. But a first-round defeat against Iowa left
Oregon with a 17-12 record, the school's worst under Runge.
Five days before the team's season-ending game against rival
Oregon State, eight players met with Moos to air their grievances
about Runge. At least one said the coach should be replaced.
After the season, Moos, whose department had clashed with Runge
over salary and other issues, hired the Kansas City-based firm
Bond, Schoeneck & King to interview current and former players and
other officials. The report, which cost the university $25,000, was
issued April 26, and Runge stepped down four days later.
Smith, who currently lives in Salmon Arm, B.C., was chosen among
five finalists. The others were Southwest Missouri State coach
Cheryl Burnett, Xavier coach Melanie Balcomb, Utah coach Elaine
Elliott and Oregon assistant Fred Litzenberger. Burnett, Balcomb
and Elliott later withdrew from consideration.
Smith, who played for the Ducks from the 1978-79 season through
1981-82, was a two-time All-American. She led Oregon in scoring her
last two seasons and in rebounding her final three. Her best season
was her junior year, when she averaged 21.4 points and 13.6
rebounds.
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