Women’s Basketball: Bringing excitment

Eric Narcisse, Daily Advertiser, April 3, 2012

When the official word came down that former McNeese St. assistant basketball coach Garry Brodhead would be the new head coach of the UL Ragin’ Cajuns women’s program, it didn’t take long for the news to stir up some reaction.

Several members of the Ragin’ Cajuns program as well as local high school coaches applauded the hiring of Brodhead as they deemed him a "perfect fit."

"We’re all excited over here in Iota," said Iota coach Stan Baggett, whose daughters Ashlyn and Caitlyn played for Brodhead at McNeese and his youngest daughter Allison is set to play for him in the fall. "I will say that 60 percent of our household is happy and really excited for him, while 40 percent is mad at him. Allison, my wife and I are the 60 percent that’s happy and Caitlin and Ashlyn are the 40 percent that is mad at him for leaving."

Acadiana High coach Catherine Cassidy believes landing Brodhead as the next head coach is quite the coup for the university.

"Getting Garry as the next head coach is not only great for the program, but it is great for the community," Cassidy said. "He has a lot of local contacts in the area and he has built a great rapport with a lot of people around the community. He is well-known and after working with Brooks Donald-Williams at McNeese he knows first-hand how to build a program from the ground up. Garry has a good track record and he is a very good fit for UL."

Cassidy, who also has coached against Brodhead several times on the high school level, is ecstatic the program has provided Brodhead with the opportunity to lead the program.

"From a basketball knowledge standpoint, he is great," Cassidy said. "He is a great pick for the university. I know that he has been removed from this community for a couple years because he was at McNeese, but he would’ve been my first phone call for the job."

Iota senior guard Allison Baggett believes it is the best-case scenario for her after committing and then signing early with the Cajuns.

"I’m very excited that it turned out to be coach Brodhead as the new coach," Allison Baggett said. "It’s all about comfort for me and I’ve known him since I was 10 years-old. I was concerned when everything happened with coach (Errol) Rogers, because I didn’t know what I was going to do. But once I found out it would be coach Brodhead, it was just an instant relief."

Current players on the Cajuns’ roster from the Acadiana area are fully aware of what Brodhead will bring to the program and more than anything are excited for a new beginning after enduring a 7-23 overall record and 1-15 record in Sun Belt.

"I’m extremely excited, because I only have one year left and I’m definitely ready for a new beginning," Cajuns junior guard Brandi Schambough said. "I know that he is a very good coach. He’s dedicated and he works very hard. He’s been very successful everywhere he’s been. He is just what we needed so we can build this program back to where it was when J. Kelley Hall was here."

After years of coaching against him in the high school ranks, Stan Baggett believes without a doubt Brodhead will help get the Cajuns’ back to that level.

"This is a big move for UL," Stan Baggett said. "He has had a tremendous amount of success coaching in high school and he proved it again with McNeese. He’s a great fit for the program and for UL to get someone with his kind of credibility is a heckuva victory."

Freshman Brooklyn Arceneaux, who starred at St. Thomas More, welcomes the fresh start after a rocky first year.

"I love the fact that I finally get a chance to play for him," Arceneaux said. "He’s an amazing coach, who really knows what he is doing. I won’t be starting off next year with an injury, so I’m really excited about a new beginning."