BOULDER — It would be easy to look at Colorado’s 7-23 record in women’s basketball this season and think the Buffaloes have a long way to go to compete in the Pac-12 Conference.
But JR Payne doesn’t see the road being so long.
“Oh, there’s always pieces that you can work with,” she said Monday. “I think we have a lot of potential in that locker room. It’s going to be a process, but we’re excited for it.”
The process is underway; Payne is CU’s new head coach. After two seasons at Santa Clara, Payne is the eighth head coach in the history of the CU program. She replaces Linda Lappe, a former CU player who was fired March 7 after six seasons in charge of the Buffaloes.
Payne’s contract hasn’t been finalized, but it’s a five-year deal that will pay her a total of $1,675,000 in base and supplemental salary. She will make $300,000 in the first year, $325,000 in the second year and $350,000 in each of the last three years. There are incentives written into the contract.
CU, which will pay $930,566 over the next three years to buy out the final three years of Lappe’s contract, will pay Santa Clara $250,000 to buy out the remainder of Payne’s deal there. That will be paid immediately. CU also spent $40,000 on the search firm it used to pick Payne.
That’s a lot of money to invest in women’s basketball coaching, but it’s money athletic director Rick George believes is well spent to bring Payne to Boulder.
“I wasn’t looking for the biggest name out there; I’m looking for the best coach,” said George, who first met with Payne in Las Vegas three weeks ago, just a couple of days after Lappe was dismissed. “And I feel like we got the best coach and the best mentor and the best leader for these student-athletes. I’m really excited about what she brings.”
Payne, 38, brings a career record of 101-113 in seven seasons at Southern Utah and Santa Clara. That record is misleading, in that she took over losing programs at both schools and made them winners.
In her fifth and final season at Southern Utah (2013-14), she led the Thunderbirds to a school-record 23 wins and their first postseason berth (the WNIT). This season at Santa Clara, she led the Broncos to a 23-9 record and a trip to the WNIT that ended a 10-year postseason drought.
She also brings a reputation for being a stellar recruiter and finding a way to bring out the best in her players.
“She’s the kind of coach that you want to play hard for,” said Tasha Harris, a graduate of Skyline High School in Longmont who played at Boise State when Payne was an assistant there. “You don’t want to disappoint her. You want to work hard for her and you want to make sure that you give her everything.”
Payne also comes with a built-in associate head coach, Toriano Towns, who happens to be her husband. Towns has been Payne’s associate head coach in all seven of her seasons as a head coach. Payne handles the offense, while Towns is her defensive coordinator.
Payne is working on filling out the rest of her CU coaching staff; it’s sure to be a staff that believes in her philosophy.
“I would sum it up in two words, and it’s going to be ‘blue collar,’ ” Payne said.
Buffs’ new coach
A look at new Colorado women’s basketball coach JR Payne:
Hometown: North Vancouver, B.C.
Alma mater: St. Mary’s (Calif.) College, 1999
Playing career highlights: Played point guard. … Helped St. Mary’s to the 1999 NCAA Tournament. … Earned first-team All-West Coast Conference honors. … Twice named to the WCC all-tournament team.
Coaching experience
Santa Clara (head coach), 2014-16 (2 seasons)
Southern Utah (head coach), 2009-14 (5 seasons)
Santa Clara (assistant), 2008-09 (1 season)
Boise State (assistant), 2005-08 (3 seasons)
Gonzaga (assistant, 2000-05 (5 seasons)
Head coaching record
2015-16 Santa Clara 23-9*
2014-15 Santa Clara 11-18
2013-14 Southern Utah 23-10*
2012-13 Southern Utah 15-16
2011-12 Southern Utah 6-23
2010-11 Southern Utah 16-14
2009-10 Southern Utah 7-23
Total 101-113
* WNIT appearance
