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Friday, June 8
Updated: June 23, 7:09 PM ET
Minnesota names Oldfield coach
Associated Press
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MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota named Ball State coach Brenda
Oldfield its new women's basketball coach on Friday, replacing
Cheryl Littlejohn, who was fired this spring for alleged NCAA rules
violations.
Oldfield was 35-22 in two seasons at Ball State. A native of
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, she was the top assistant at Iowa State for
four years before being hired at Ball State.
Oldfield, who played college ball at Arizona, was named
Mid-American Conference coach of the year in 2000 after guiding
Ball State to a 16-13 record.
At a news conference to introduce Oldfield, women's athletics
director Chris Voelz stressed her Midwestern roots and noted that
Oldfield had lured more than one good Minnesota high school player
away when she was at Iowa State. That includes Megan Taylor of
Roseau, the all-time leading scorer in Minnesota prep history.
Oldfield said she thinks Minnesota has a good foundation. While
she tried to hold down immediate expectations -- "Winning doesn't
take place overnight," she said -- she made it clear she likes the
challenge.
"I feel that's my strength," Oldfield said. "I love
rebuilding programs. I love bringing in new energy and the vision
and being able to work together with the people that are out there
to be able to create a dynasty."
Oldfield has already met with her new players and said she spoke
to them about discipline and told them they have to represent
Minnesota in a "first-class manner."
The Golden Gophers fired Littlejohn on May 14 after a university
investigation found 12 NCAA rules violations.
Among the citations, the report claimed Littlejohn interfered
with an earlier investigation by telling players to lie and
required players to participate in pickup games before sanctioned
practices began. Littlejohn has denied the findings of the
investigation and called it an attempt by the school to avoid
paying the remainder of her contract.
Littlejohn was in the fourth year of a five-year contract worth
$101,800 annually. She had a 29-81 career record and a 7-57 mark in
the Big Ten.
Oldfield signed a five-year contract that calls for $130,000
base salary, with additional incentives for performance. At 33,
she'll be the youngest head coach in the Big Ten.
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