Foul Doesn’t Ice Eagles’ Hot Start

Just six games into his coaching career at Concordia and women’s basketball Coach Greg Dinneen is already in hot water. Well, sort of.

Monday, Concordia lost its six-point halftime lead and then its second game of the season, and the inference could be that Dinneen lost his cool since the official boxscore listed a technical foul against “the Concordia coach” in a 66-58 loss at Cal State Los Angeles.

“Everyone’s asking me about that, even my athletic director,” Dinneen said. “In 20 years of coaching, I’ve only received two technical fouls. That one [Monday] happened because when we substituted one time, we ended up with six players on the court.”

Dinneen isn’t mad at all, especially since the first-year coach has the Eagles off to a 4-2 start with the losses coming against Division II schools, Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Los Angeles.

“We’re getting a great effort,” Dinneen said. “The kids know what it takes, they just have to adjust to a new coach.”

He took over for Dave Wolter, the conference coach of the year last season, who led the Eagles to a 28-6 record and a Golden State Athletic Conference championship.

Dinneen, who spent eight years as an assistant for the Pepperdine women’s team, helped his younger brother, Mike, who coaches the University High boys’ basketball team, last season.

“Last year was a refreshing change,” Dinneen said. “It was such a fun year of coaching, to go to practice and talk basketball with Mike everyday. But I wanted to get back into women’s basketball.”

After he got the job at Concordia, he had to scramble to find an assistant. Fortunately, Carol Murphy was available.

Murphy, who worked as an assistant for the girls’ team at Woodbridge High last season, also has coached at El Toro and Corona del Mar. Her husband, Mike, coaches the Sonora High boys’ team.

“I lucked out on that one,” Dinneen said. “The kids have really responded to her and she has all those Orange County ties too.”

Dinneen graduated from Cal State Fullerton and was more than happy to return to the county. But he knows it won’t be an easy transition for him or the team.

“Most of these players won 70 games and played 90 games in Dave Wolter’s system,” Dinneen said. “I just have to be patient because it will take some time for the players to believe in the coach and believe in the new system.”

Dinneen’s system stresses more balance. Last season, conference player of the year Angela Sather, who averaged 21 points and eight rebounds, was clearly the go-to player.

Now, there are several options. Heather Carll, Angela Good and Sarah Mavety all have played well early.

Carll, a 6-foot-3 senior who is averaging 13 points and nine rebounds, only began her basketball season Nov. 11, four days before the Eagles’ season opener, because she also played on the volleyball team.

“She’s not even in basketball shape yet,” Dinneen said. “But she will be.”

And by then, the Eagles should be comfortable with their new coach and ready to make another run at a conference title.