Brandon Schneider has left the building.
The winningest women’s basketball coach in Emporia State University history has decided to move on to Stephen F. Austin State University, a Division I school in Nacogdoches, Tex.
It would be hard for me to blame Schneider for taking the job.Stephen F. Austin’s women’s basketball program has a very rich, proud tradition of excellence on and off the basketball court.
And it would be very hard for me to argue against taking a higher paying, higher profile Division I job in the recruit-rich state of Texas, either.
Schneider has basically done all that he can at Emporia State.Countless postseason accolades for himself and his players, high finishes in the regular season conference race and the postseason tournament and the ever-popular National Championship are what Schneider has left behind to the Hornet faithful.
These honors and privileges will live on forever in the hearts and minds of those who were apart of the magic – these should never be taken for granted.It’s not often that a small-town college can do so many great things on the basketball court on a regional and national level.
Schneider is certainly moving on to bigger things, but will have to withstand the test of time.While watching his press conference where he was introduced as SFA women’s basketball head coach, I watched the same old coach preach the same old things.
Toughness.Chemistry.Defense.Identity.
These principals have led Schneider and his teams to greatness year in and year out, capping it all of with this past season’s #1 ranking and the elusive tourney trophy.While his players at ESU obviously took those principles to heart, it will remain to be seen whether or not Schneider’s new group of student-athletes will buy in to his program.
With Schneider’s track record, I have no doubt that they will.
What Schneider leaves behind is a team coming off of its deepest tournament run ever.The team, undoubtedly led by senior forward and NCAA Division II Elite Eight MVP Alli Volkens (what a mouthful), will be without the proven leadership of Schneider for the first time in over a decade.
If I were in that circumstance, a bevy of thoughts and ideas would be swirling around in my head.
Schneider assistant Jory Collins aims to take over the head coaching position, but will first have to await the approval of ESU President Michael Lane and Athletic Director Ken Weiser.
If Collins is hired, the program wouldn’t skip a beat and go on about doing business like it has previously, one would believe.Hell, Collins is a Schneider protégé if there ever was one.
Only time will tell if Collins is the heir-apparent to Schneider’s vacant throne.In the mean time, why don’t we all take a moment and reminisce about the honor and glory Schneider brought to Emporia State basketball.



























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