It’s been said before, but only now does it seem to have some substance: Jody Runge’s controversial era as head coach of the Oregon women’s basketball team has come to an end.
Nearly five weeks after Runge resigned from one of the most touted women’s coaching positions in the nation, the University released the 32-page report compiled by Bond, Schoeneck & King, a Kansas City-based law firm charged with providing Athletic Director Bill Moos with “an accurate and unbiased description of the relevant facts” surrounding the program.
Runge, 38, the winningest basketball coach in school history, also released a statement Tuesday.
In its report, Bond, Schoeneck & King said that Runge’s program was “on the brink of collapse” and the relationship issues “appear to be irreparable even with mediation.”
More than 80 interviews of players, former players, coaches, administrators and community members were included in the report. The names of those interviewed, as well as Runge’s annual performance evaluations, were omitted from the released report.
The law firm was hired after eight members of the women’s basketball team met with Moos and Associate Athletic Director Renee Baumgartner March 4 and criticized Runge’s communication skills and requested that she be fired.
Runge resigned April 30, five days after Moos received the law firm’s report.
In response to publication of the report, Runge released a statement — titled “Lessons Learned” — discussing her reaction to the firm’s “bulls eye” approach in its fact-finding mission.
“The publication of the Kansas City law firm report… marks the final step in a year-long plan to damage my personal and professional reputation and destabilize the program,” Runge wrote in the two-page letter. “As soon as I learned of the players concerns… I set on a course of action to develop a comprehensive strategy to repair the damage that my actions had produced. I presented this plan to Bill Moos. … Unfortunately, my efforts at mediation were rebuffed at each turn.”
One day after she resigned, Runge said that the report had nothing to do with her decision.
“After 60 days, it became apparent to me that this was a mess that I couldn’t clean up,” she said May 1.
All but three of the players from the 2000-01 team were interviewed by Bond, Schoeneck & King. The players’ desire for new leadership was “virtually unanimous,” with the most common reasons being the players’ description of Runge’s ineffective communication methods, “constant negative and hurtful comments made by the head coach to and/or about players” and a lack of respect for Runge as well as what players’ said was Runge’s lack of respect for them
The report also noted that a majority of still-eligible players said they were unsure if they would play for Runge next year.
Two of the three assistant coaches, according to the report, said they would not return if Runge continued to coach. Kirsten McKnight, a player under Runge from 1994-98 who became an assistant in 1999, announced last week that she accepted a position with the California women’s basketball team.
Several community members who supported Runge said in the report that the Athletic Department was out to “get rid of” Runge and that administrators “orchestrated” the actions of the players.
Runge told the consultants, headed by Michael Glazier, that she was aware of the communications problems between her and the team, but she said much of that had to do with her demanding coaching style.
In her letter, though, Runge said she was “unaware of the depth of the player’s issues until they were reported in the press.”
Runge also expressed her distrust of Moos and Vice President Dan Williams, noting that they had both made “disparaging” comments about her to donors and other administrators.
Moos did not return messages left at his office Tuesday.
“I have learned much during this time of great pain and uncertainty within the women’s basketball program,” Runge wrote. “I’ve learned that relationships and communication count a great deal.”
In exchange for her resignation, the University agreed to paid Runge $520,010, to be paid over a period of 30 months.
Since she arrived in Eugene eight years ago, Runge took the Ducks to the NCAA Tournament every year and won two Pacific-10 Conference titles while compiling a 167-73 record. Her .687 winning percentage was the best of any basketball coach — man or woman — in school history.”As the lone female head coach of a major sport at the University of Oregon, I realize that my efforts to promote equity within the Athletic Department were frequently misinterpreted,” Runge wrote. “My efforts to secure additional academic support for the players, to provide quality facilities, to pursue equity in publicity and gain financial resources for my assistant coaches were viewed as ‘selfish and self serving’ on the part of others in the Athletic Department. I do not apologize for the strength of my advocacy for women’s athletics.”
The University paid Bond, Schoeneck & King $24,500 for its evaluation.
Although she was rumored to be a candidate for the head coaching vacancy at Minnesota, Runge said she plans to spend some time with family and friends and “rekindle” her spirit.
Moos is expected to announced Runge’s successor sometime this week. Former Oregon star Bev Smith and Utah head coach Elaine Elliott are the supposed front-runners. Moos also interviewed Melaine Balcomb of Xavier and Oregon assistant coach Fred Litzenberger.
Cheryl Burnett, who led Southwest Missouri State to the 2001 Final Four, withdrew her name from consideration last week.