Editor,
In response to “Flanagan leaves after almost two decades,” the Daily Lobo did a great job in showing the University who Don Flanagan is and continues to be.
I am writing to say a few words about the five players who should not remain nameless: Tina Doughty, Erin Boettcher, Morgan Toben, Brianna Taylor and Jasmine Patterson. These young, and I stress young, freshmen should never have given Coach Flanagan an ultimatum. It was not their place or their right.
First, let me say a few words on what I know about the great coach. I am 23 years old in a few days, and my family has had season tickets for the women’s basketball since I was in the fourth grade.
I watched Flanagan for 14 of his 16 UNM seasons from three rows from the floorboards. I have seen him choose amazing, talented players year in and year out, and I have watched him schedule some of the most challenging teams for exhibition games because those teams come (in some cases as far as China) to play against Flanagan’s players.
I have also watched him continue to increase attendance numbers but, more importantly, season-ticket holders.
And every four years, we see seniors leave with a better basketball talent because Flanagan helped them improve.
But it doesn’t end there.
Coach Flanagan’s players have always had some of the highest GPAs in the conference. Many players achieved the honor of all-academic MWC, not to mention players like Dionne Marsh who have gone on to pursue medical school or higher degrees, while keeping up a full-season basketball schedule.
How many college coaches can boast that?
Now back to the five women.
Flanagan gave those five women an opportunity to be a part of the Lobo legacy while getting an education.
This legacy includes players like Chelsea Grear, Jordan Adams (a future Timberwolf), Molly McKinnon (future coach) and many more. Flanagan made the UNM women’s basketball team a contender in the Mountain West Confercence, NCAA, WNIT and the Western Athletic Conference, but thanks to five ungrateful women, Flanagan will no longer be coaching.
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If I were Flanagan, I would have told them they are free to leave at anytime (and leave their nice scholarships, too). But most likely because Flanagan cares about the game and sees potential in everyone, he retires so these women will not ruin their college careers.
So, all I can say is: Coach Flanagan, you will be greatly missed, and your coaching talents will go unmatched in many Lobo fans’ eyes.
A few bad apples may have spoiled the end of an era, but they will never spoil the legacy you created at UNM and in New Mexico.
Thank you, Coach Flanagan.
Amber Ortiz
UNM student
