Melanie Balcomb (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Just as Xavier's three-game NCAA Tournament winning streak exposes the program to top high school recruits, the run also shops the person who built it, coach Melanie Balcomb.

        Balcomb could be the top candidate for women's coaching vacancies in bigger conferences than the Atlantic 10.

        She interviewed in 1999 with Northwestern, Washington State and Purdue — Xavier's opponent tonight in the Mideast Regional final here — and is an even more attractive candidate now. Her teams are 57-7 over the past two years and dominate the A-10.

        “She's obviously going to be a very hot commodity,” Xavier associate athletic director Dawn Rogers said Sunday.

        With the exception of senior forward Jennifer Phillips, Balcomb has molded a group of unheralded recruits into one of the nation's best teams at 31-2. Xavier is 98-28 over the past four years, and though it will lose five seniors, the cupboard is anything but bare.

        Balcomb is one victory away from a Final Four berth. Two years ago, that could have helped her get the Purdue job.

Balcomb yells instructions in the Tennessee game. (Craig Ruttle photo) | ZOOM |

        “Purdue was looking for someone with Final Four experience,” said Nancy Cross, the university's associate athletic director. “Whether that was learning that as an assistant or a head coach, it was critical because unless you know what it's like to get there, it's a very difficult climb.”

        Purdue hired Kristy Curry, who had gone to the Final Four as a Louisiana Tech assistant coach, to replace Carolyn Peck. Peck's 1998-99 Boilermakers won the NCAA championship with a 34-1 record, and Peck became coach/general manager of the Orlando WNBA franchise.

        Balcomb, 38, who is 123-58 in six Xavier seasons, was reluctant Sunday to discuss her future or to answer whether Xavier could satisfy her coaching ambitions.

        “I don't want the attention on me. I want the attention on (Xavier players),” she said. “The biggest thing I could say is I'm still at Xavier because of these kids. I'm very happy there. That's the only comment I can give right now.

        “It's not that I'm getting all these other offers. People think all these things have come, but it's not really been like that at all.”

SPECIAL REPORT

Enquirer.com coverage of Xavier's win over Tennessee:   • Photo gallery   • Game story   • Xavier has secret weapon   • Waugh provides spark  • Tennessee players in shock   • Future bright for Muskies

        But Balcomb's work continues to attract attention. Saturday, even at the pro gram's greatest height, defeating national power Tennessee, the Musketeers remained poised and businesslike.

        “I was impressed with her decorum,” Purdue's Cross said. “I had not seen her coach before or see her team play. They were incredibly fundamental. I was impressed with how hard they work. Her kids played very smart, in terms of whatever Tennessee gave them. Never got rattled. They obviously have a tremendous amount of respect for Melanie. That was not an upset yesterday.”

        Xavier had great expectations because of its seniors, but the Musketeers suffered three serious injuries to guards — including returning starter Amy Waugh — before the season began.

        Junior college transfer Charlyn Hawkins injured her anterior cruciate ligament (knee) and is out indefinitely. Junior Katie Griggs was lost to a career-ending degenerative back condition.

        “She's been great,” Phillips said of Balcomb. “She's always been open and honest with us. Through all the adversity, we've looked at her to see how she's handled everything.”

        If the offers do come for Balcomb, Xavier will fight to keep her. Balcomb won't discuss the terms or length of her contract.

        But Rogers revealed one of Balcomb's goals, which the coach articulated two years ago when XU lost a second-round NCAA Tournament game 86-84 to na tional power Connecticut — at Connecticut's arena.

        “I remember her saying Xavier can be like this, with an arena full of people and a really solid support base,” Rogers said Sunday. “The most important thing we need to do at Xavier is to provide her with the resources she needs to be successful. I know Xavier suits her. The university has embraced her. Then it's up to her to make the decision about that's best for her.

        “I know our whole administration would not like to see Melanie leave because she fits so well. But, at the same time, she has built the program to a level if we were unfortunate to have to go out and hire another coach, we could attract top candidates.”

NCAA Tournament coverage at Cincinnati.com

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