Cheryl Burnett
Cheryl Burnett during the 2001 Final Four run
The women's college basketball world was rocked today when SMSU coach Cheryl Burnett unexpectedly announced she was stepping down. Burnett took a regional school in a weak conference and turned it into a perennial NCAA qualifier that made it to the women's Final Four twice during her tenure. That was probably her undoing, as her program consistently outdrew the men's program, especially after Charlie Spoonhour left -- and that created a lot of petty jealousy from administrators and coaches of the men's programs.
It was a constant fight for Burnett to get support from the university administration despite the great PR she represented. Now that they've managed to chase her off (and you can bet that Vanderbilt's women's program just found her number), they will be able to relish a women's program that probably deteriorates to the sorry level of the men's program.
It's too bad my cousin already took the SEMO job. With his style of pressure defense, he would have been a perfect successor. Ah well. Who would wish it on him?
[Posted at 21:36 CST on 04/23/02] [Link]
