Immediately upon Joanne P. McCallie's announcement that she was stepping down as head coach, one name flew into the minds of fans and analysts alike as her potential replacement: Gail Goestenkors.
Goestenkors led Duke for 15 seasons from 1992-93 to 2006-07, making four Final Fours and amassing seven consecutive 30-win seasons before leaving to accept the head coaching job at Texas.
She left Texas in 2012 and hasn't coached since, but has recently opened up about her desire to return to the sidelines.
According to a report from ESPN's Mechelle Voepel Saturday morning, however, Duke isn't even considering Goestenkors for its current vacancy at the position. The report said that "Duke's search committee informed Goestenkors...that the school wanted to go a different direction and not look to the past."
Goestenkors then confirmed to ESPN that she was not granted an interview for the job. Voepel wrote that the Hall of Fame coach "was disappointed but wished the school the best" and "is still very eager to coach again at the college level and would pursue future opportunities."
Voepel added that a multitude of former players, other Duke alumni and season-ticket holders were drafting a letter in support of Goestenkors returning as the Blue Devils' next coach, but that Duke ruled her out before the letter was able to be sent to the athletics department.
"It reeks of lack of due diligence," Rochelle Parent, who played for Goestenkors from 1997 to 2001, told ESPN. "If they are serious about really considering what's best for the program going forward, for her not to be in the conversation less than 24 hours later...even the appearance of that is not good."
In an email to The Chronicle Saturday afternoon, senior associate director of athletics Art Chase said that "at this time, [Duke Athletics] will not comment on the ongoing search for a new women’s basketball coach."
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