Analyzing Voelker's move

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If you don't already know, former M. Lax coach Brian Voelker decided to leave Penn for Drexel. I wasn't able to include much analysis in my story, so after the jump I give my take on the matter.

First of all, I have to give Voelker some credit that he deserves. I spoke to him for the first time when I interviewed him for this story, and it was one of the most pleasant conversations I've had with a coach (though Bruce Pearl definitely tops that list). Our M. Lax beat writers for the last two years, Neil Fanaroff and Joe Sanfilippo, were both very sad to see him go as well. They almost always came back from lacrosse games with a good story to tell from an interview with Voelker. By all accounts he is a stand-up guy who is very well-liked by his players and the media, and in that sense he is definitely a loss for Penn.

When it comes to the right decision for the future of the men's lacrosse program, I don’t question the Athletic Department for letting Voelker cross the street. The last three years under Voelker have seen a noticeable decline for the program, so  Steve Bilsky and Co. had reason to not aggressively try to keep him (they offered him a two-year contract and would not renegotiate after he got a better offer from Drexel). There are other coaches out there who can probably come in and turn things around better than Voelker would have. Some names that have been rumored already are David Metzbower and Mike Murphy. Metzbower is one of the most respected lacrosse coaches in the country who has been considered for numerous head coaching vacancies in his career, but it’s doubtful he would take the job at Penn after ending his 20-year stay at Princeton to spend more time with his family. In seven years at Haverford, Murphy has led the Black Squirrels to just about every major milestone they could have possibly reached: first victory over a top-10 team, first 10-win season, first national ranking, first top-10 ranking, first postseason appearance, first NCAA tournament bid, etc. He was an assistant coach at Penn for two years, and was actually considered for the head coaching job that was given to Voelker seven years ago. Now he sure seems like a great option for the Quakers. If the AD brings in one of these guys, or someone comparable, the Voelker decision may end up being the right one for a team that had become rather stagnant. Voelker was the most successful and longest-tenured coach in a while, which cannot be undervalued for a team that has had 5 coaches since Tony Seaman left in 1990. Not matching Drexel's offer creates a lot of pressure to hire an even better coach than Voelker, but if a better coach is had than the decision will ultimately prove to be a good one.

Meanwhile, Penn has not helped itself by continuing to be silent on this news. It removed Voelker's bio from the coaches page on the Penn Athletics web site, but has not made any statements regarding his departure. I don't expect ADs to come out and discuss the coaching search, but a public statement announcing Voelker's departure, thanking him for seven years of hard work, and wishing him luck at Drexel was the least they could do.

While I think the AD had reason to let Voelker leave, the decision and the way it went down expose some alarming negative circumstances.

Voelker insisted that one of the biggest reasons why he switched to Drexel was that they made him feel very appreciated. When I asked whether he questioned his level of appreciation from Penn, his response was indirect but the message was loud and clear:

“I”ll just say that it was clear that Drexel wanted me and appreciated me.”

Maybe Voelker was simply angry that Penn wouldn't match Drexel's offer and allow him to remain at a program to which he's dedicated the last seven years. But he didn't seem overly excited about the other benefits of going to Drexel, like a wider recruiting base or the ability to award scholarships. To me, it seemed to come down to the contract and the behaviors of the respective Athletic Departments. Regarding the latter, Penn did not show Voelker much support, and they did not show him that they were dedicated to their men's lacrosse program.

Those two issues -- poor treatment of coaches and a lack of commitment to every team -- have been exposed through the events surrounding Voelker. Those are two issues that could cause the downfall of any athletic program, and they're two issues that concern me very much in the aftermath of these events. If Bilsky and Co. go out and make a great decision on the next coach,  then this move is certainly justified. But if the next coach busts, as so many have, then this decision could become a major blemish for Penn. And if Voelker goes on to excel at Drexel, the consequences just might be staring at Weightman Hall from further up 33rd Street.