Volleyball

[euphoenix99]

Volleyball is currently sitting at 3-16 and 0-10 in the CAA. The 3 wins are against some of the worst teams in all of D1. This is what inaction gets you.

Tendler should have been gone 5 years ago when Matheny was let go, but Blank’s inability to take performance-based action on anything not football or basketball creates these kinds of results. Her resume was nearly identical to Matheny at the time.

This is Tendler’s 21st season at Elon. She has a career record below .500 (297-334). She’s had 8 winning seasons in 21 years and 2 since 2012. Volleyball is one of two team sports to have not won the conference or made the NCAA tourney since moving to D1 (men’s hoops being the other one). She’s been at the helm for nearly the entire D1 era.


This is straight out of the Boldly Elon objectives: “Consistently win conference championships, make tournament appearances in all sports…”
If this is the case why is any coach afforded 21 years of not accomplishing those objectives? Either the goal is to win championships or it isn’t. She now has the luxury of Schar Center and even talked about how that was going create an advantage in recruiting and growing the program. CAA volleyball is probably the weakest it’s been top to bottom since Elon joined and here we are. She will likely get two wins from Hampton and maybe (big maybe) 1 or 2 more.

I fully recognize all of the fall programs are not doing well, but at least each of those coaches have accomplished the primary goal of getting to the NCAAs and shown the ability to succeed at this level. They’ve also all done it in about a quarter of the time.

It’s not Strawley’s fault that Tendler is still here, but it will be if she’s here next year. This is a lay up for a new AD.


elonphoenix.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/coaches/mary-tendler/1260

Go Phoenix!

[eu96]

Tendler being one of the best American volleyball players of all-time might have shielded her (not unlike Charlotte Smith in some ways), however I got a feeling changes are on the way. Our athletics (with the exception of baseball) really stink

[whoanellie]

We truly suck, but look really good and promote it like heck on social media,

[euphoenix99]

Oct 15, 2023 15:59:03 GMT -5 eu96 said:

Tendler being one of the best American volleyball players of all-time might have shielded her (not unlike Charlotte Smith in some ways), however I got a feeling changes are on the way. Our athletics (with the exception of baseball) really stink

That's probably the case. The fact that it's not a marquee sport probably contributes as well. When people aren't paying attention or complaining it's easier to do nothing.

I would add Mark Elliston/track and field to the list with the baseball program. They've been the best program by far the past 5 years, but it doesn't draw a lot of eyeballs the way other team sports do.

Regarding Smith, I tend to give her a lot of leeway as a fan for what she accomplished in 2017 and 2018. But that's starting to feel like a long time ago. It felt like they were starting to trend up last year, so we'll see what happens this year.

Go Phoenix!

[euphoenix99]

Oct 15, 2023 21:37:46 GMT -5 whoanellie said:

We truly suck, but look really good and promote it like heck on social media,

Ha, I was actually going to comment on this in my original post. Whoever is managing their Twitter/X is a master of generating excitement. You'd think they were top of the standings. Love the passion, but it doesn't reflect the state of things.

Volleyball's a fun sport and one that's easy to pull in people when the product is good. Seems like Elon has all the tools to be successful, we just need some new blood leading the program.

Go Phoenix!