Info on today's press conference, as promised

[Bornthrilla]

Yesterday I was told by a senior official within the athletic department to come to the Bryan Fieldhouse today at 11 A.M for a special surprise announcement. Later that night another A&T insider told me that we had just hired Patricia Cage-Bibbs as the new women's basketball coach, but when I went to the press conference today and saw all the media, alumni and dignitaries gathered there, I wondered for a moment if something else was about to go down.


.

[Bornthrilla]

However, a few minutes later Chancellor Renick went up to the podium and happily informed everyone that the purpose of this press conference was to, in fact, announce the hiring of Patricia Cage-Bibbs as A&T's new women's basketball coach.





I haven't seen Renick this happy since that lady from California donated $10 million at homecoming.

[Bornthrilla]

Renick talked for another few minutes about how legendary of a coach she was, how many titles she's won, how impressive her overall record was, and basically how much of a genius he is for now hiring her.

Then Cage-Gibbs came up and proceded to impress everyone with her professional demeanor, charisma, gift of gab, sense of humor and overall positive vibe.



I can she why she's won so many titles because she just carries herself like a championship caliber Division 1 coach. It almost felt like you were watching a celebrity or something.

She went on to talk about how she always regarded A&T has having one of the most passionate fan bases in the enitre country and how much she was really looking foward to this challenge. You could tell that, after spending a year away from the game, she was really chipping at the bit to get back into coaching . She displayed a great deal of passion and energy.

After she was done speaking, Renick came back up and told her that the deal wasn't official until she put on an A&T ball cap, which she happily did to the delight of all those in attendance.

[Bornthrilla]

Transcript from today's press conference


Chancellor Renick opening comments:

"Thank you all for being here. This is a big day for North Carolina A&T. I've been walking around for the past couple of days with a smile on my face and I think in a moment you'll see why I've been smiling as much as I have. It is my great pleasure to introduce Patricia D. Cage-Bibbs, the new women's basketball coach a North Carolina A&T State University.

{loud round of applause}

On behalf of the entire division of athletics, let me say how delighted we are to have recruited this outstanding woman to North Carolina A&T. Coach Bibbs, with both her bachelors and masters degrees from Grambling State University, started her career as a high school coach, where she was named Lousiana high school coach of the year, the Lousiana Sportswriters Association coach of the year, and All-Lincoln Parish coach of the year. Since then, with over 300 career wins, awards such as Coach of the Year and Outstanding tournament coach have been an almost annual honor for her from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the Black College Sports Information Director Association, and our own MEAC where she coached women's basketball at Hampton University from April 1997 to August 2004.

She was the first basketball coach at Grambling University, men or women, to take her team to the NCAA Division 1 post season tournament, the first NCAA women's basketball coach to go undefeated in the SWAC regular season, and the first basketball coach at Hampton University, men or women, to take her team to the NCAA Division 1 post season tournament. Her teams have won state high school, SWAC, and MEAC championships, and have been the runner-up champions 29 times. Her teams have gone to the NCAA post season tournament six times, been the MEAC tournament and conference champions two consecuetive years from 2002 to 2004, and have been the NCAA Division 1 scoring champion three times. Over and over again, Coach Bibbs has been called a force to be reckoned with. And with that reputation and with the solid experience of coaching winning teams, we're confident that Coach Bibbs can take our women's basketball program to the level that Aggie athletics expect and our student athletes desevere. I'm happy to notice that our commissioner for the MEAC, Commissioner Thomas is here. So ladies and gentlemen please join me in welcoming our coach, our newest coach, Coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs.

{Loud applause again}



note: I will post Coach Bibbs comments later. I'm going to get some food now.

[Bornthrilla]

Alright, I'm back home now.


Patricia Cage-Gibbs' comments from Wednesday's press conference:

"Chancellor Renick, Commissioner Thomas, Aggie familiy, and the media: good morning. I am excited; I'm really elated to be here today with my husband. A couple of days ago we came in, we toured the campus, and Chancellor Renick told me that I would be impressed, and I am truly impressed. This is a great day for me. I've always been known as a builder and when I discovered that this position was open, I said 'I'm coming to see it.' (laughing)

Seriously, because to be in the MEAC for seven years, my only time (seeing Greensboro) was (while riding) from the hotel to the gym. I am truly, truly impressed with this campus, but moreso impressed with what Chancellor Renick has done. I can see the (close)relationships he has with the students. As we walked the campus there were a lot of high fives and it was just exciting for this to be happening to me. It's just beautiful. So, I said yes- I talked to my husband and said 'you know, this is the place to be.'

When I stepped away from the game in August it was only because I was missing my family- I'm from Lousiana- and it was really tough; my daughter and husband were home. I thought what I was doing was being closer to them, but what they wanted was for me to stay in the game... so you can thank them for me being here. (laughing)

{everyone in attendance laughs}

My daughter Satin is in high school. She's finishing up now. Hopefully she'll get out in December- she's just a junior but she'll be finsihing in December. And she said 'Mom, we've always traveled and I want to do more travelling. We haven't been going anywhere lately, so I hope everything works for you in Greensboro' (laughing)

But I called home and she asked 'Mom, is everything OK' and I said 'Satin, its beautiful, you will love it here. You're going to have a lot to do.'

So I'm truly excited. And I tell you one thing: I know some of the ladies on this basketball team- there's one lady that I know and that I'm truly impressed with... and I see her over there; she's a player. (smiling) But we can take whatever we have and we're going to make something. You're going to be very happy with whats going to be happening in women's basketball. You're going to be very happy.

The thing that I like about Aggieland is that the fans are fantastic. When I would come in here, I was like: 'they're not really winning, but just look at the fan base and look what they're doing!'

{audience laughs}

I mean, you helped me a lot to be a good coach when I came in here because, I'm telling you, you were that sixth player and that was pretty tough. So, I'm happy. And I just cant wait to get started and I just hate that this is the time that we can't do any contact with the recruits, but I can't wait until after the Final Four and we'll be ready to go. So, if you have any questions I'm ready to answer them... and this is great; I'm just happy to be here- and I want to say one other thing to Mrs. Renick. She's a wonderful lady and just that night at their home...and she's a great cook too. (laughing) The only thing I didn't like is that she gave my husband two helpings of desert.

{audience erupts in laughter again}

But she's great. I do definitely appreciate the hospitality that has been extended to us this week. Thank you.


Q&A period

Asked if she was interested in any other coaching jobs besides at A&T:

There were other jobs that were being offered. But you know, there's something about this MEAC. I think the comissioner has done a wonderful job and I've been in this conference so long that I wouldn't have possibly looked at anything else. I'm just excited that I'm able to get back into the MEAC.

If she has a timetable for success at A&T

No, I really don't put a timetable on the job that I have to do. Really, I've been blessed- God's truly been good to me- I've been blessed to where sometimes in the first season you would see it. So we're not going to put a timetable on it. I'm going to set myself around good people who really want to work as hard as I do and we're going to go from there. I don't want a timetable on it.

If she has spoken to Hampton about her accepting the A&T job

Well, they will know today, I'm sure. (laughing) And it's going to be a shocker. But you know, when I left the program in August it was a truly hurting thing for them as well as myself. But they've moved on ...and we all have to move on. So its going to be a shocker for them to know that I'm here in the MEAC, for sure.

On what she feels she can bring to A&T

The philosphy that I have, the type of person that I know I am, what I can give to these young ladies. Not so much as a builder- that is what I do, but knowing Patricia Cage-Bibbs: I'm one that can (foster) the closeness of the team. I think that's one thing in dealing with the young ladies that they will be very proud of: my leadership. That's what I do best. On and off the court, I'm that kind of person. I'm not just a coach. I'm a mother and a family person- they're not only going to love me they're going to love my husband. (laughing) All the ladies are going to love my husband. He's just a good man! And that's what they always said: if I can find one like Mr. Bibbs, you know. (laughing) So that's what we bring: that family setting. That's going to be a good thing, seriously. It definitely helps you to win when you're close as a team. That's it: being a team. That's what we're going to bring.

On how many players she plans to sign in the upcoming weeks:

Well, I haven't had an opportunity to meet with the team but I will meet with them. And as I said, I know some of the ladies and some of them have definitely given me headaches (as an opposing coach). (laughing) But we'll see what we're going to sign. We do have some players in mind. And of course, you know during this last year I haven't done any recruiting but I still have my contacts. (smiling)

{audience chuckles)

Asked if she had a specific region that she recruits from

I've always loved to get athletes from the immediate area. I wish I can get all of North Carolina, but you know, that may not work. What I've done is I've recruited all over the country and sometimes other countries, so I have some bases that we can really look at...but I want to start at home first.

On what her coaching philosphy is and what fans can expect to see from her next year:

You know, the thing is that a coach never likes to tell what they do. But if you followed me in the MEAC you should know what I do. (laughing) It's like Nolan Richardson: it's forty minutes of .........pressure.

{audience again laughes loudly)

On what she knows about Aggie Pride

Anytime I can walk into one of your arenas or gyms and come to your football games- that's Aggie Pride to me. I mean, your fan base is just awesome. I love it. I love it. And I can just look at Coach Lee over there - he's always been my defensive person- and I'm just so happy to see him. I'm not following you Coach, but I'm just happy to be here! (lauging)

Thank you all for having me here.

[Bornthrilla]

BTW: All you b-ball fans should consider this an early Christmas present.

This is the first and last time I will ever spend this much energy on a non-football related event.

[da heretic]

Thank you very much!!!

It won't be the last time you touch on the women's basketball team. Coach Bibbs is gonna do so well that she'll make a b-ball fan out of you.

[Brandmasta]

Wow! I am truly impressed!!!

BDV.com is truly the greatest fan site in the history of the world!!! TRULY!!!!!

[Bornthrilla]

Sorry for the typos. I went back and tried to correct them.

[Aggie77]

bornthrilla said:

BTW: All you b-ball fans should consider this an early Christmas present.

This is the first and last time I will ever spend this much energy on a non-football related event.

I'm sure Aggie Basketball fans everywhere join me in thanking you for the wall-to-wall coverage of this event. However, it appears by your actions that you may to a closet fan of the roundball. Those of us who attended A&T when the roundball was King see that you are in early stages of Aggie Basketball fever. Don't try to fight it let it run its course, you will be better off in the long run.