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ESPN's Best MBB coaches under 40

RMU_Fan

Well-Known Member
Dec 7, 2011
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ESPN just posted their list and Coach Toole earned a #7 rank. He is 39. I hope he is comfortable here for a long time with a brand new facility and family in the area.
 
ESPN just posted their list and Coach Toole earned a #7 rank. He is 39. I hope he is comfortable here for a long time with a brand new facility and family in the area.

Ya. Especially after proving he could make the NCAA Tournament again, keeping Toole around is huge for RMU’s program. Ready to see some great recruits come play for him in the UPMC Events Center.
 
The years go by, when he was named head coach he was the youngest coach in the Country, now he just barely qualifies for the under 40 category. In his early years as head coach we were concerned every year that he would be hired away. The truth is, it is really hard to move up to a quality program in a higher level conference from an NEC school. When Jim Boone left for Eastern Michigan, EMU was a consistently losing program, after five years or so he was fired. When Mark Schmidt left for St. Bonaventure, SBU was a consistently losing program. Several other coaches had turned down the job before Schmidt was hired. To Schmidt's credit, he turned things around there, a difficult thing to do. When Mike Rice left for Rutgers, Rutgers was a consistently losing program, it was not a desirable job other than it was in a high level conference. Even if he had not lost his job for the reason he did, he likely would not have survived much longer due to not winning enough games. I believe the only position that Coach Toole has actually been offered was Fordham. Fordham is a consistently losing program with a poor facility. It has been a coaching graveyard. Coach Toole and his family have always seemed to be happy in Pittsburgh and at RMU. I am glad that he has stayed this long. I think he could be happy spending his career here. On the other hand, Coach Toole is a competitive guy who knows he could compete with the coaches in the top tier conferences and I am sure he would love to prove himself at that level.

RMU has a position posted for an assistant coach. I assume that would be the opening created by Shane Southwell leaving.
 
I can understand wanting to compete at the highest level, and so moving up to a high profile conference is always a possibility. There is also something to be said for being happy in a great situation where you can enjoy consistent excellence with less pressure. For Coach Toole to move on I believe it would take a major step up in competition and / or compensation.
 
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