ODU relies on homework in hiring of Milton-Jones
Monarchs contact 50-60 candidates despite no live interviews
NORFOLK — There was no campus tour, no walkthrough of Chartway Arena or Old Dominion’s $8.4 million practice facility and its cushy basketball offices.
There wasn’t even a drive around town.
But the resurgent reputation of the Monarchs’ women’s basketball program and the vibe she got from the people she met virtually were enough to convince DeLisha MiltonJones to uproot, move to Hampton Roads (eventually) and accept a job sight-unseen.
ODU’s selection of Milton-Jones, a former AllAmerican at Florida and two-time Olympic gold medalist, to replace Nikki McCray as its women’s head coach was as much an exercise in good faith as it was a sign of the times.
With most of the country on lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, ODU’s senior staff could only vet candidates with help from the internet.
In the most literal sense possible, the Monarchs did their homework.
With all of the principals working from home, the school reached out to between 50 and 60 potential candidates, AD Wood Selig said, before signs began to point to Milton-Jones. Her highly decorated playing career, which included 17 years in the WNBA, and
coaching stints at Pepperdine and Syracuse combined with her own reputation made hiring her a no-brainer.
McCray, also a former Olympian and WNBA star, led ODU to a 24-6 record last season before taking over at Mississippi State on April 11. The Monarchs appeared to be headed for an NCAA tournament bid before the postseason was canceled.
“When we were looking for our next head coach, DeLisha just checked off all the boxes,” Selig said, adding that ODU’s returning players were consulted about what they wanted in their next coach.
“We’re on such a great path, such a great trajectory right now. We wanted someone who could continue in that direction, and we know that we have found that in Coach DeLisha Milton-Jones.”
A 45-year-old native of Riceboro, Ga., MiltonJones inherits a program that returns 11 players coming off consecutive 20-win seasons. The Monarchs earned the second seed in the Conference USA tournament before the virus halted it.
“I feel like I’ve walked into a situation where I can just pick up the reins and continue on where they have left off,” Milton-Jones said. “I think the foundation that has been built is one that is on solid ground. I couldn’t thank Nikki enough for leaving me with the cupboards full. And I have a gourmet meal that I am to prepare, and I have all the ingredients and tastes of the world, from all cuisines, to pick from based off of what Nikki has done in this program and building this team.”
Milton-Jones, a 6-foot-1 former post player and three-time WNBA All-Star, said in a Zoom conference call that she has never even been to Norfolk. Instead of flying her in for a visit, Selig and ODU’s selection committee relied on virtual tours of the campus and facilities sent via video. Conversations with references came easily because they were all at home.
It’s why the decision to hire her came just a week after McCray surprised the athletic department with her decision to leave.
Selig found the ensuing process surprisingly refreshing.
“In a way, it made it go a little bit quicker,” Selig said. “It was maybe a little bit more efficient because there wasn’t the logistics of, ‘OK, let’s try and figure out when you’re going to get a break in your schedule. When can we get you on a plane or when can you travel to Norfolk and when can we show you around and line up this big committee structure to introduce you to?’ So in many ways, it was a lot better.”
Terms of Milton-Jones’ contract were requested last week, and ODU has not provided them.
Milton-Jones, who was an assistant at Syracuse, talked with her future players via Zoom before she was introduced as ODU’s new coach. She got an understandable sense of confusion from some and excitement from others.
All Milton-Jones plans to do in the immediate future is stay in touch with the players until it is deemed sensible to move south and complete her transition.
The unusual hiring process now behind her, she’s confident she made the right decision.
“I don’t think that I would’ve missed a beat in terms of the energy and the welcoming spirit that I’ve felt from everyone through the digital lines that have connected us,” MiltonJones said. “So I’m very happy with having to almost sign sight-unseen. The university is going to be the university. The thing that makes the university are the people. And I know that I am in very good hands, and I have no worries about the future.”