Wayne State AD on Administrative Leave

[champgymusa]

Erica will do a great job, happy for her and her family.

[WayneStatesman]

Hopefully this will bode well for Wayne State as she has experience at GVSU and knows how a top D2 athletic program is run.

[Redwing]

Given that Wayne State has an outgoing President, this news has come much sooner than I would've expected. The interim tag has been removed from the AD position. Ericka Wallace is the 12th Athletic Director in school history. Story here

Congrats to her. Gotta admit that I think GV lost when they let her get away. But it's been a good move for her so far.

[mtsax305]

Given that Wayne State has an outgoing President, this news has come much sooner than I would've expected. The interim tag has been removed from the AD position. Ericka Wallace is the 12th Athletic Director in school history. Story here

[WayneStatesman]

It's a shame the former AD was so shortsighted as to not build the basketball arena to at least be hockey-capable in the future (without having to do major renovations).

Detroit and the surrounding area are such a hot bed for hockey that it would have been great to have established a viable D1 hockey program with an on campus arena....still would be.

[mtsax305]

It's a shame the former AD was so shortsighted as to not build the basketball arena to at least be hockey-capable in the future (without having to do major renovations).

[bigmrg74]

https://www.uscho.com/2007/11/20/way...lding-program/

If Rob was serious about hockey, one would think he would have tried to approach the Wings about maybe making the practice arena have capacity for 1000 at least. This article highlights some of the issues that were happening with that program, including the biggest problem of having an arena with seating capacity to use.

In the end, it was always the lack of an on campus arena that seemed to be the problem at WSU. Had they gotten a nice little cozy barn on campus, they would have been in a lot better shape, and probably could have gotten together with the remaining CCHA teams when the BTHC pulled the Big Ten schools out of the league. At least would have given them regular trips to Big Rapids, Soo, Marquette, and Houghton.

[mtsax305]

I'm not sure it matters now. But there's a sheet under LCA for practice.

https://www.uscho.com/2007/11/20/way...lding-program/

If Rob was serious about hockey, one would think he would have tried to approach the Wings about maybe making the practice arena have capacity for 1000 at least. This article highlights some of the issues that were happening with that program, including the biggest problem of having an arena with seating capacity to use.

[mtsax305]

Not sure just how much power she really has with the interim tag on her job title, but supposedly she's at the big desk here now.

I'm thinking "interim" is titular only. With the new prez coming in next year, now is the time to audition for the job to either get the full position or make a good impression to a search committee. It's worth noting that as the interim AD, Jim Hackett fired Brady Hoke and hired Harbs. Bill Beekman hired Mel Tucker and scrapped the swim teams at MSU. Anything is possible even with an interim AD.

[4nick8]

https://wsuathletics.com/news/2022/1...VZOKdhZKW_MooI

Not sure just how much power she really has with the interim tag on her job title, but supposedly she's at the big desk here now.

Nice to see an ex Laker on the rise to the top and she learned from one of the best.

[Redwing]

I believe that there was at one point in time the idea that the Wings would put in a practice arena on Wayne's campus that they could use for their games and the Wings could skate whenever Joe Louis had something going on that day and they couldn't use the ice. With as busy as what the Little Ceaser's Arena is with both the Wings, Pistons, and whatever else going on, having another decent sheet of ice would be nice for the Wings to have.

But honestly though, not really sure what Winters was doing Saturday. That last drive that Wayne had right before the half, had a 4th and 1 there and they elect to punt. I would have gone for it. at best GVSU gets the ball back at midfield, but with the way that wind was blowing at the time they wasn't passing into it. Wayne could have picked that first down up, and kept that drive alive.

I'm not sure it matters now. But there's a sheet under LCA for practice. Nice read: https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...rld/638833001/

[bigmrg74]

https://wsuathletics.com/news/2022/1...VZOKdhZKW_MooI

Not sure just how much power she really has with the interim tag on her job title, but supposedly she's at the big desk here now.

[mtsax305]

No news either way recently. It'll be interesting to watch the stream of the Volleyball tournament game at the Matthaei tonight. Rob usually sits on the left side in the chairbacks, so he should show up on camera if he's there.

Otherwise, I'll keep my eyes and ears open at the football game Saturday.

[WayneStatesman]

But honestly though, not really sure what Winters was doing Saturday. That last drive that Wayne had right before the half, had a 4th and 1 there and they elect to punt. I would have gone for it. at best GVSU gets the ball back at midfield, but with the way that wind was blowing at the time they wasn't passing into it. Wayne could have picked that first down up, and kept that drive alive.

I'm not surprised. Winters is a lousy coach. We Wayne Staters can only hope and pray that he's gone after the season ends. However, I'm not sure if the interim AD has the authority to axe Winters.

[bigmrg74]

If dropping hockey meant we could have had an elite level football team, I'd take it, but even that hasn't come to pass. I'm starting to think this guy just hated hockey. Wouldn't it be smart for him to lobby for the Wings to make their practice arena seat 2,500 like Ferris's? Wouldn't it have been smart to design a basketball arena that could convert to hockey?

It would likely be costly, but if WSU hockey ever came back, you might as well play at LCA and curtain off the second deck. Otherwise, you'd be looking to either build another arena attached to the basketball fieldhouse, telling tennis to take a hike and convert that facility for hockey, or see if you could add capacity to Jack Adams on Lyndon and Meyers. Otherwise you're heading out to the 'burbs. All of this would be much easier if they would stop dumping money into Matthaei so they could build a much more flexible facility in its place.

I believe that there was at one point in time the idea that the Wings would put in a practice arena on Wayne's campus that they could use for their games and the Wings could skate whenever Joe Louis had something going on that day and they couldn't use the ice. With as busy as what the Little Ceaser's Arena is with both the Wings, Pistons, and whatever else going on, having another decent sheet of ice would be nice for the Wings to have.

But honestly though, not really sure what Winters was doing Saturday. That last drive that Wayne had right before the half, had a 4th and 1 there and they elect to punt. I would have gone for it. at best GVSU gets the ball back at midfield, but with the way that wind was blowing at the time they wasn't passing into it. Wayne could have picked that first down up, and kept that drive alive.