Monday Report: Komara's Hall of Fame honor, Hicks on fast track in coaching world, football thoughts and more
Associate head coach Kelly Komara one of two Boilermakers selected to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and recapping the week for Purdue athletics
The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame was having trouble reaching Kelly Komara.
They had some important news to share. The group contacted Christine Benner, the program’s administrative assistant, who relayed the message to Komora.
“Christine said, ‘You want me to forward them to your office phone?’ ” Komara recalled. “And I said, ‘I've never used my office phone, and I don't know what that is. Can you just give them my cell phone?’ ”
The Hall of Fame spoke to Komara and shared the exciting developments: The star point guard at Lake Central and Purdue was selected to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Class.
Former Boilermaker Melina Griffin, who helped the program reach its first Final Four in 1994, was also selected to the class. The induction ceremony is scheduled for April 26.
Komara’s first call after the Hall of Fame was to her parents, Bob and Patti.
“My dad was like, ‘It's about time,’ ” I said, ‘Well, sorry, Dad, it has to be 25 years, and there are rules to this thing,’ ” said Komara, who serves as Katie Gearlds’ associate head coach with the Boilermakers. “They're just proud they were with me from the beginning. My dad was my first coach.
“This is his 53rd season coaching high school football in Indiana. We have deep roots in coaching in Indiana, and being a player means a lot to me, not just to me but to my family.”
Tucked away in Northwest Indiana and in a different time zone - far from the state’s media spotlight in Central Indiana - Komara earned a reputation as a tough, physical, and dynamic player who outworked everyone in her path. She led Lake Central to four sectional titles, three regional championships, and two semi-state crowns.
Komara wasn’t aware that Indiana had a Miss Basketball award until later in her career. She won it in 1998. She idolized Stephanie White, Indiana’s 1995 Miss Basketball and Purdue All-American, and current head coach of the Indiana Fever. The two share the same birthday - June 20.
“It's crazy to think about the evolution of our friendship, from being my idol to being my teammate, being a colleague at Vanderbilt, and now my best friend,” Komara said. “It’s been a real cool evolution of our relationship.”
Komara made her Purdue debut against three-time defending national champion Tennessee at Mackey Arena - her first shot attempt was a successful 3-pointer - and helped the Boilermakers win the 1999 national title.
Komara played in four NCAA tournaments, winning three Big Ten titles and two conference tournament championships. Komara was part of a graduating class that put together the best winning percentage (112-22, 83.6%) in program history.
“Super excited for her,” Gearlds said. “To have her alongside here is pretty cool.”
“A TERRIFIC PERSON, A TERRFIC COACH”
Familiar faces from the program’s past continue to show up on the visiting team’s bench this season.
Former assistant Pam Stackhouse returned to Mackey Arena as Bellarmine’s Chief Operating Officer/SWA in November. Shereka Wright brought her UT Arlington team to West Lafayette to face the Boilermakers.
On Saturday, Lindsey Hicks was on the bench as the associate head coach at Kentucky. Wildcats coach Kenny Brooks hired Hicks during 2020 while at Virginia Tech and brought the Ohio native to Lexington during the offseason.
Hicks worked at Morehead State, Alabama, Northwestern State and Louisiana Tech before joining Brooks’ staff.
“She had the perfect balance of letting me know that she wanted the job and not really being overbearing,” Brooks said. “The more I got to know her, she reminds me a lot of myself. She's quiet and confident.
“We're very fortunate to still have her because she has overtures every year to become a head coach. She has a special rapport with not only the players but her colleagues. She has a great disposition about herself that's very welcoming. That really helps me and my staff and just the whole program because it's another voice that they can go to.”
However, Brooks was quick to point out Hicks’ major flaw.
“The only thing that she's bad at is dancing,” he said. “She had a birthday (Friday), and it's a prerequisite on your birthday that you have to dance. And she danced, and it was awful.”
Purdue and Kentucky agreed to the home-and-home series before Brooks took over the program.
Hicks played for the Boilermakers from 2000 through 2004 and was part of Purdue’s No. 1 recruiting class in 2000 under Kristy Curry. Hicks was recognized before the game to a nice ovation from the crowd.
“She's a terrific person, a terrific coach, and for her to be able to come back here … she's talked to me about Purdue and her experiences,” Brooks said. “Purdue is a special place, and they do things right. I thought that the recognition of her before the game was awesome. I know she appreciated it.”
WEEKEND WRAP
On Tuesday, the world of Purdue athletics was at the top when it welcomed its new football coach.
That was the good news. The news hasn’t been good since.
For the second straight year, volleyball was swept out of the regional semifinals, men’s basketball was frustrated by Texas A&M in Indianapolis, women’s basketball dropped its third game to a ranked team by at least 30 points, and the football program lost one of its prized possessions to the transfer portal.
It will get better. There will be a stretch, probably soon, that will erase what transpired in the last week.
The news will likely start to turn Thursday after UNLV finishes its season against Calfornia in a bowl game in Los Angeles. Members of the coaching staff and players will start the migration to West Lafayette to begin filling out the roster and the open coaching positions.
FOOTBALL THOUGHTS
New coach Barry Odom was introduced on Tuesday, providing a glimmer of hope that last season’s 1-11 record and dismal play won’t be repeated. Odom looked and sounded like an individual who had done it before and knows a way forward because of his experience running programs at Missouri and UNLV.
Why didn’t Purdue hire Odom two years ago instead of subjecting its program and fan base to two years of sliding deeper into the abyss? Hindsight is what it is, but Odom is now charged with bringing the Boilermakers out of a deep hole in a Big Ten that is unforgiving.
• You’ve probably seen the numbers regarding Odom’s contract. Yes, Purdue is paying its football coach $6 million in his first year and his six-year deal is worth $39 million before incentives and bonuses are tabulated. The figure doesn’t include the $3 million Purdue must pay UNLV to break Odom’s contract with the school. Maybe UNLV will allow Purdue to pay installments - without interest, of course - to satisfy the agreement.
That’s quite the investment but part of doing business in today’s landscape of college athletics. And it’s something the school’s board of trustees were prepared to deal with, according to comments made at Friday’s meeting. Dave Bangert, publisher of Based on Lafayette, attended the meeting and has more (if you’re not a subscriber to Dave’s Substack, please sign up):
• Odom won’t have the services of the team’s best defensive player. Safety Dillon Thieneman, who was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2023, announced he’s transferring to Oregon. The Ducks have more than enough resources (NIL money) and playing opportunities to lure anyone in the country. Look for Purdue’s roster to be overhauled. The program also lost one of its six 2025 signees from last week - Texas quarterback Sawyer Anderson - according to Tom Dienhart at GoldandBlack.com.
• President Mung Chiang said during Tuesday’s football press conference at Mackey Arena that the university was prepared “to invest more than ever before in athletics.”
Mr. Chiang, please elaborate. My guess - Chiang is referring to the upcoming revenue-sharing agreement to settle NCAA lawsuits. It’s scheduled to start July 1, 2025. Again, that’s a guess.
Athletic director Mike Bobinski said last summer Chiang and the board were committed to making sure the athletic department is well-positioned to compete in the revenue-sharing model.
Purdue - and other athletic departments - will use a pool of $20.5 million to pay athletes. Most of the money - maybe 70% - will be directed to football players.
The athletic department is responsible for raising those funds but the university is expected to help absorb some of the expenses, including $14.5 million in annual debt service, leaving about a $6 million gap. Either Purdue has or will have the full pool of money to distribute when revenue-sharing starts.
But it would be appropriate if Chiang expanded his comments to give everyone an idea of the level of investment coming from the university.