I think ADJB has done a great job personally. Overall, I feel like ADJB has made really, really good hires. The only one I questioned at the time of hire was WBB - that one still seems odd.
When a legend has retired, ADJB has promoted their long-time top assistant which I can't fault at all.
When we've fired a HC, ADJB has hired established, consistent-winner HC's from other P4 programs. Two won NCs at their previous school. Three have Olympic experience.
You're not going to hit the jackpot on every hire, but overall, ADJB has a pretty strong resumé of hires and very sound approach.
Moreover, he's given Kirby everything he wants and paid handsomely for football facilities and staff to keep us at the top. The rest of these programs rely on football success to a large degree.
We also continue to be fiscally sound. That's not a given in college AD's.
Gymnastics | Cecile Canqueteau-Landi & Ryan Roberts (co-HC)
Whether it works out or not, this is an all-time outside-the-box hire, iyam. Went and hired the doggone USA Olympic coach on the heels of the Olympics who also happens to the the personal coach of the greatest gymnast of all-time. Promoted Roberts for continuity, recruiting, and generally having someone to help CCL transition to college gymnastics. Team scores keep improving in the first season which speaks to good coaching.
Baseball | Wes Johnson
I stood on the table celebrating this hire when it happened. Anyone in baseball circles knew who CWJ was. It was a major coup when LSU got him and they won a NC with him coaching the best pitching prospect in baseball (Skenes). CWJ is considered elite in pitching and analytics circles. He made an immediate impact, hosting a Regional last year and has us in the preseason Top 10 in his second year. Recruiting both in HS and portal has been on fire.
Basketball | Mike White
Was it a dazzling hire? No. Was it a pretty damn solid hire given the disaster Tom Crean left the program in? Absolutely. We forget we won only 6 games the season before CMW arrived. We were at rock bottom. Bottom line is we hired a well-regarded HC from our arch rival who'd been taking them to the NCAAT, including an Elite 8. I'm as frustrated with this recent stretch as anyone, but CMW has improved our program each of his three seasons, including this season. And Lunardi still has us in. Ranked for first time in over a decade.
Swimming | Stefanie Williams-Moreno (Women) & Neil Versfeld (Men)
Bauerle retired and we promoted his top two assistants to lead each program at his recommendation. I can find absolutely zero fault from taking that recommendation from the greatest coach in college swimming history. Both programs Top 10ish.
Women's Basketball | Katie Abrahamson-Henderson
Meh hire. Currently a dumpster fire. The hope is the current recruiting class should be the best since Landers. Our Fab Four (fingers crossed). Lots of momentum for the 2026 class, as well.
Softball | Tony Baldwin
Fantastic hire. Reached Super Regional last two seasons. Top 10ish program and off to a strong start already this season.
Soccer | Keidane McAlpine
Was a big-time hire at the time. CKA won a NC at USC. Seems we got off to a strong start, but program seems to be fizzling of late? Curious to hear opinions of more informed soccer fans.
Women's Golf | Erika Brennan
First season. Not a flashy hire but led USF to consecutive NCAA berths prior to taking UGA job last spring.
Track & Field | Caryl Smith Gilbert
Massive hire. We hired her coming off being named National T&F Coach of the Year. Also won NC's at USC. Rankings are complicated in T&F but we are a top program. Men won 2023 Indoor National Championship. Also first female HC of a men's team at UGA.
Women's Tennis | Drake Bernstein
Just won the Indoor National Championship. Enough said.
Men's Tennis | Jamie Hunt
First season. Promoted after Diaz retired
When a legend has retired, ADJB has promoted their long-time top assistant which I can't fault at all.
When we've fired a HC, ADJB has hired established, consistent-winner HC's from other P4 programs. Two won NCs at their previous school. Three have Olympic experience.
You're not going to hit the jackpot on every hire, but overall, ADJB has a pretty strong resumé of hires and very sound approach.
Moreover, he's given Kirby everything he wants and paid handsomely for football facilities and staff to keep us at the top. The rest of these programs rely on football success to a large degree.
We also continue to be fiscally sound. That's not a given in college AD's.
Gymnastics | Cecile Canqueteau-Landi & Ryan Roberts (co-HC)
Whether it works out or not, this is an all-time outside-the-box hire, iyam. Went and hired the doggone USA Olympic coach on the heels of the Olympics who also happens to the the personal coach of the greatest gymnast of all-time. Promoted Roberts for continuity, recruiting, and generally having someone to help CCL transition to college gymnastics. Team scores keep improving in the first season which speaks to good coaching.
Baseball | Wes Johnson
I stood on the table celebrating this hire when it happened. Anyone in baseball circles knew who CWJ was. It was a major coup when LSU got him and they won a NC with him coaching the best pitching prospect in baseball (Skenes). CWJ is considered elite in pitching and analytics circles. He made an immediate impact, hosting a Regional last year and has us in the preseason Top 10 in his second year. Recruiting both in HS and portal has been on fire.
Basketball | Mike White
Was it a dazzling hire? No. Was it a pretty damn solid hire given the disaster Tom Crean left the program in? Absolutely. We forget we won only 6 games the season before CMW arrived. We were at rock bottom. Bottom line is we hired a well-regarded HC from our arch rival who'd been taking them to the NCAAT, including an Elite 8. I'm as frustrated with this recent stretch as anyone, but CMW has improved our program each of his three seasons, including this season. And Lunardi still has us in. Ranked for first time in over a decade.
Swimming | Stefanie Williams-Moreno (Women) & Neil Versfeld (Men)
Bauerle retired and we promoted his top two assistants to lead each program at his recommendation. I can find absolutely zero fault from taking that recommendation from the greatest coach in college swimming history. Both programs Top 10ish.
Women's Basketball | Katie Abrahamson-Henderson
Meh hire. Currently a dumpster fire. The hope is the current recruiting class should be the best since Landers. Our Fab Four (fingers crossed). Lots of momentum for the 2026 class, as well.
Softball | Tony Baldwin
Fantastic hire. Reached Super Regional last two seasons. Top 10ish program and off to a strong start already this season.
Soccer | Keidane McAlpine
Was a big-time hire at the time. CKA won a NC at USC. Seems we got off to a strong start, but program seems to be fizzling of late? Curious to hear opinions of more informed soccer fans.
Women's Golf | Erika Brennan
First season. Not a flashy hire but led USF to consecutive NCAA berths prior to taking UGA job last spring.
Track & Field | Caryl Smith Gilbert
Massive hire. We hired her coming off being named National T&F Coach of the Year. Also won NC's at USC. Rankings are complicated in T&F but we are a top program. Men won 2023 Indoor National Championship. Also first female HC of a men's team at UGA.
Women's Tennis | Drake Bernstein
Just won the Indoor National Championship. Enough said.
Men's Tennis | Jamie Hunt
First season. Promoted after Diaz retired
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