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If the reports are true -- and all indications are that they are -- should Muldowney call it quits now? It seems unlikely that any major program would want to deal with this again and that her only options.
Sources out of Nebraska indicate that there is "zero chance" of a reunion with the Huskers and Muldowney, despite her leading them to a national title prior to her first retirement.
The oldest current coach in-game is Purdue's 74-year old head coach Alissa Hudson, who has 752 career wins but no national titles. She spent nearly two decades at Pepperdine before making the move the Big Ten and leading the Boilermakers to the Final Four in her first year. "She's evidence that it can be done at a high level and is probably what will convince a major program to take a flier on Muldowney. But it'll take a program with a lot of seniors, who want to win now and also that has a vacancy. Those jobs just don't open up often," said one basketball analyst with Sports Illustrated.
60-year old Andee Hooper, who played for Muldowney at Nebraska State and who has been an assistant with her at Nebraska State, USC and this past year at UCLA has taken the job at Oregon, replacing another Muldowney disciple Marie Hunley who retired.
There's some whispers that Muldowney might join her staff in Eugene. But at 74, some think that the veteran coach still has the fire in her belly for another go at it anywhere.
"It's sort of crazy to be a coach with that many titles and still having schools question whether you still have it or not. I think she has something to prove and so, you have to think that even with more wins and titles than anyone else, she wants to go out on her own terms."
We're going to see what that leads to.
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