Bowling Green State University Athletics
Quotes From Curt Miller's Press Conference
May 08, 2001 | Women's Basketball
May 8, 2001
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -
BGSU DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS PAUL KREBS
(On how Curt Miller was hired):
"It's a search, it's not a race. And in the end, it matters that you get the best candidate for the job and that's ultimately how I will be judged and how Janna (Blais, Associate Athletic Director/Senior Women's Adminstrator) will be judged. I believe we've found the best candidate for the job. Our goal was to try and get somebody on board before the end of the school year, and while we were pushing the deadline, we did make it and I feel good about that."
"There were a large number of applicants and a strong applicant pool, and that continues to make me feel good. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge Fran Voll (former BGSU women's basketball coach). Fran was somebody who we talked to on several occasions about the search process and Fran continues to have a love for Bowling Green State University."
"In the end, we looked for the best fit for Bowling Green State University. What is the best fit in my mind is somebody who has a feel for Bowling Green State University, a feel for the job, somebody who knows the MAC, who knows the area, in particular Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, which is the core recruiting base for us, somebody who's an outstanding recruiter that comes from a winning program, somebody who's tactically sound in regards to X's and O's, somebody that can provide strong leadership to our program and strong direction for the program, community involvement, which is critical. It's important that we rebuild our fan base in women's basketball, somebody who can develop our team as people and as players and somebody who can have that strong report with our players."
"Curt knows the MAC. He's well respected by his peers, well respected by people around the country and basketball coaches around the country. He comes highly recommended by his head coach, Tom Collen, who is a 1977 graduate of Bowling Green State University. Curt has studied and prepared for this day to become a head coach and he's here to restore the pride and tradition in our women's basketball program."
"He does have Bowling Green in his blood. His grandparents are graduates of Bowling Green State University."
NEW HEAD COACH CURT MILLER
"I'm honored, humbled and very excited to be standing before you and introduced as the new head coach. I look forward to the opportunity of rebuilding the foundation. I'm a huge fan of the historic tradition of Bowling Green. I started in the profession 11 years ago and came over to Bowling Green and did a lot of scouting in person and marveled at what Fran Voll had started and the tradition that was going on during his tenure. I'm personal friends with Jaci Clark and her entire staff and have been on the phone most of the morning trying to reach her. I know the former coaching staff, I respect what they started and I look forward to building onto that."
"Just minutes ago, I met Sue (Hager, the first coach in BGSU women's basketball history) and it was a pleasure to meet her. Obviously, she's a pioneer for all of us in the game of women's basketball. I hope that I can represent Bowling Green the way Sue, Fran and Jaci certainly did. I look forward to moving on and going right away and starting. We've had lots of meetings with players since I've been here and we're excited about getting going."
"I do have a couple of special guests here. My mom and dad are here. I'm originally from Northwest Pennsylvania, Girard (Pa.), which is just outside of Erie. That puts me within three and one-half hours away from home, which is very, very important to me. I thank some of the people that I had the opportunity to speak with on the phone as big boosters and big fans of our program and I look forward to seeing you in attendance."
"My team motto is 'Together We Attack.' We will put that on some shirts and we will write that in our lockerroom. What that is, is I want to involve the community, faculty, staff, the campus and certainly the team, that we are all attacking our own individual roles and together we are attacking to assure the success of the future of the women's basketball program at Bowling Green."
(On why he chose this point in time to become a head coach, and at BGSU, in particular): "I thought it was a great job. You must understand that the coaching fraternity is very small. Everybody knows everybody. Everyone realized the connection that I have. I have a lot of ties in the area. I've worked in Ohio for years, my grandparents did attend BGSU. My colleagues and peers in the profession felt that this was a perfect fit for me. I also did, but then it was my job to go out and convince Paul and Janna that I was the right person for the job. I was patient in the race. I targeted this job in particular very hard since it's opened. I think it's a great opportunity. It has the tradition, it has a lot of selling points that I was looking for."
"Again, I'm honored to be here. I look forward to the challenge in front of us. The team has been very supportive and excited to get going. Don't judge us on wins and losses right away, but judge us on how hard we play and how competitive we are. I promise you that we will be putting a very good product on the floor that you will be proud to call your own."
