Oregon State has hired Scott Rueck to right its listing women’s basketball program.

Scott Rueck - George Fox athletics

Rueck comes to Corvallis after 14 years as the head coach at George Fox, a Division III powerhouse in Oregon.

The 40-year-old Rueck replaces LaVonda Wagner, who was fired on June 1.

The exodus of players from Wagner’s program leaves Rueck with a tough job. He will need to rebuild a roster that currently includes four players and two incoming recruits. The Beavers can’t worry about being competitive yet. They just need bodies.

But Rueck, an Oregon State alum has an impressive coaching record, going 288-88 at George Fox. George Fox won the Division III national title in 2009 and he was named the Division III national coach of the year.

“Coach Rueck brings an impressive set of credentials to the position, including a NCAA national championship,” OSU athletic director Bob De Carolis said. “As a native Oregonian and Beaver alumnus, he has an extensive network of relationships that have been built over the years. He has earned the respect of the basketball community in the Northwest through hard work and integrity and we look forward to him leading our program.”

OK, trying to establish something new. Wednesday links…

While we wait on news from Oregon State and things are a little quiet, let’s see what else is out there. Working on a couple of new stories. Hoping to have fresh content up in the next few days. Tough to track people down this time of year and I’ll be taking my own time off for a few days next week.

Here’s a story about the struggles of the Los Angeles Sparks, whose roster is down to nine players currently:

http://www.sportspagemagazine.com/content/bb/wp-bb/art-wp-bb/as-losses-pile-up-sparks-owner-digs-in.shtml?40870

The latest update on the state of the Oregon State roster. Expecting news on a coaching hire any day now:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindbeaversbeat/2010/06/osu_womens_basketball_beavers.html

Jayne Appel voted to the All-Star team in the WNBA:

http://www.wnba.com/news/top_10_sats_votes_100629.html

Interesting story about the comments made by Diana Taurasi about the toll of playing year-round basketball from my Fanhouse colleague Milton Kent.

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/06/27/taurasi-ponders-year-away-from-wnba/

Oregon State athletic director Bob de Carolis said he wanted to have a women’s basketball coach in place on July 1. Time’s running short and so is the roster.

Last week, forward Angela Misa joined the list of players who are leaving the program. She is the eighth player from the 2009-2010 team to leave OSU with eligibility remaining.

Right now, the Beavers have four players on the roster. There is a strong possibility, according to Oregonian, that the team could be holding open tryouts to fill roster spots. That is not a optimal situation for a new head coach.

Finalists for the coaching job (the names have been held very close to the vest) were reportedly visiting campus over the weekend. We assume that former USC coach Mark Trakh is not in the mix. Trakh took a job with San Diego State as associate head coach and told leftcoasthoops.com last week that he did not throw his hat in the ring for the job…

Washington athletic director Scott Woodward had good things to say about women’s basketball coach Tia Jackson this week, a year after he put her “on notice”.

Woodward told the Seattle Times, “I think Tia is doing a fantastic job as a young coach and with the situation she fell into,” Woodward said. “It’s night and day with her style of play and style of coaching from the previous staff. She’s a very demanding coach. I think she’s adjusted and learned you can’t put the pedal to the metal all the time. I think, when you consider it all, she’s doing a fabulous job and has gotten great experience on the job. I see very good things going forward.”…

Stanford senior forward Kayla Pedersen had minor shoulder last week and is not expected to miss any time on the court…

Star freshman Chiney Ogwumike was scheduled to arrive at Stanford on Monday after leading the U.S. U-18 team to a gold medal in the FIBA Americas Tournament. The US team went 5-0 and Ogwumike was the team’s leading scorer at 13.2 points per game. She was second among all scores in the tournament with a .609 field-goal percentage.

“It feels remarkable, unbelievable, like our hard work was finally enough for what it took to be here right now,” Ogwumike said to USA Basketball after winning gold. “So it’s really awesome. We were here for, what, 20 days? And we had a goal. We had a mission, and we attained it. It’s a moment that I’ll always remember.”…

Also in town, freshmen guards Sara James and Toni Kokenis, who are registered for summer school and are participating in the San Francisco Pro-Am league on Saturdays at Kezar Stadium.

• Amy Palmiero Winters doesn't believe in limits. Fanhouse.com. http://bit.ly/9Hpp87 #
• Candice Wiggins out for the season. Fanhouse.com. http://bit.ly/aTF0C8 #
• Candice Wiggins will have surgery to repair ruptured Achilles tendon on Friday in Los Angeles. Recovery time: 6 months. Good luck to No. 11! #
• RT @womhoopsguru: Minn's Candice wiggins suffers season-ending ruptured achilles injury at end of lynx win over liberty in ny #
• Tough news. Candice Wiggins sustains ruptured Achilles tendon at the end of Minnesota's 75-68 win over New York Liberty tonight. #
• Just a moment to chat with former Stanford star Jayne Appel Sunday night in Seattle. http://fb.me/tstGimC5 #
• Injury report: Sue Bird left the game with 5:51 left in the third with a strained left knee. She might come back to the game. #
• In Seattle to watch WNBA Storm vs. Silver Stars. Jayne Appel scores twice inside, but Storm up 59-43 in third quarter. #

Bad news about Candice Wiggins’ injury. Wishing her a speedy recovery!

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/06/23/lynxs-wiggins-out-for-the-season/

SEATTLE – Just had a moment to spend with Jayne Appel in the hall following the San Antonio Silver Stars loss to the Seattle Storm at Key Arena on Sunday night.

Jayne Appel with her team pregame - Michelle Smith photo

Appel, the former Stanford All-American center who was the No. 5 pick in the WNBA Draft in April, played more than 15 minutes, was 3-for-3 from the field and matched her WNBA high with seven points and three rebounds. Thus far, Appel has played in six games, averaging 2.7 points and 1.8 rebounds.

She said she is still “getting there.” But it’s difficult to feel too good about her own performance after an 82-61 loss.

Silver Stars coach Sandy Brondello evaluated Appel’s progress after the game.

“I thought it was good minutes for Jayne to get out there,” Brondello said. “She hasn’t played a lot of minutes, but she was trying hard. She gives us another low-block presence, which is what we need.”

Appel said her ankle, which hampered the end of her college season along with a stress fracture in her foot, is healing.

“My ankle is still obviously…it’s not day-to-day, but I’m still trying to feel it out and get used to having the confidence of playing back on it,” Appel said.

The Silver Stars are working with Appel to move her out of the block and expand her mid-range game, a necessity for WNBA post players. She spent the pre-game time working on the court with Stars assistant coach Olaf Lange, shooting from all areas around the basket.

She said she is still playing catch-up after missing training camp and the first few weeks of the season with her injury.

“But I’m still getting a chance to play and tonight was good, but definitely trying to catch up to playing at a higher level.”

Appel said she is also adjusting well to her new life in San Antonio, living on her own for the first time.

“It’s definitely new, but I’ve enjoyed it,” Appel said.

• A little Father's Day WNBA treat…http://bit.ly/cu9QEG #
• Mark Trakh chats about taking associate head coach job at SDSU. http://bit.ly/dCvWxL #
• Pac-10 makes it 12…Utah extended an invitation today. Press conference tomorrow. #
• Mark Trakh back in the game. Joins the staff at San Diego State. But that means he's out of the picture for the… http://bit.ly/cRcXwX #
• Mark Trakh back in the game. Joins the staff at San Diego State. But that means he's out of the picture for the… http://bit.ly/df61Wj #
• San Diego State announces Mark Trakh hired as associate head coach. #
• I'm entertained by the fact that the Big 12 will have 10 teams and the Big Ten will have 12. #

Mark Trakh and Beth Burns have been friends since 1981.

And now the former USC and Pepperdine coach will take a spot next to Burns on the bench at San Diego State.

Trakh said Wednesday evening that he’s accepted the associate head coach position at SDSU to “learn as much as I can.”

“Beth and I started talking a couple of weeks ago and it just worked out,” Trakh said. “I’m heading down there. She’s a great coach and a good person and she’s someone I’m really comfortable with.”

Trakh left USC at the end of the 2009 season after leading the Women of Troy to a 95-64 record and two appearances in the NCAA Tournament. He chooses not to discuss why he left, though he coached to the end of his contract before engaging in discussions with administration about whether he would stay.

The Women of Troy had a litany of costly injuries during his tenure and never got a full chance to make good on Trakh’s considerable recruiting abilities.

Trakh has applied for a couple of jobs he didn’t get (Hawaii and USF) and chose not to put his hat into the ring for the Oregon State job.

He said he spent the last year attending practices and taking some time off.

“It watched a lot of people work. I wanted to absorb what I could and prepare myself in case an opportunity did come up,” Trakh said.

It would not be a surprise if Trakh gets another shot at a head coaching job. He is keeping himself visible at San Diego State working under Burns. And he’s working with a program coming off a Sweet 16 appearance.

“San Diego is a great place to live,” Trakh said.

And work — at least for a while.

Mark Trakh, the former coach at USC and Pepperdine, who has been linked to job openings at USF and Oregon State in recent months, was hired as the associate head coach at San Diego State.

Mark Trakh

Trakh left USC at the end of the 2009 season after going 90-64 over five seasons. His tenure there was considered a success, but was also characterized by a devastating spate of injuries to top recruits such as Jacki Gemelos and Stephanie Gilbreath. Trakh led the Women of Troy to two NCAA appearances.

Trakh spent 11 years at Pepperdine from 1993-2004, going 199-123 and winning four conference titles.

Trakh declined an interview request Tuesday.

Trakh left USC after his contract ran out at the end of the 2008-09 season. He has been in the mix for jobs at Hawaii, USF and was mentioned as a candidate for the Oregon State opening before accepting this position.

SDSU head coach Beth Burns, whose team reached the NCAA Sweet 16 this season, said she hired Trakh because of his experience working with young players.

“We really like the talent level of our 2010-11 team,” Burns said in a statement. “We are short on experience, however and expect all five newcomers to compete for playing time this season. With that in mind, we chose to go after the absolute best teacher we could find to contribute to our program right now. Fortunately for us, that coach will be Mark Trakh.”

The Aztecs will be filling some big roles next fall with the departure of guards Jene Morris to the WNBA and Quenese Davis.

San Diego State shook up the NCAA bracket in March by defeating Texas and West Virginia to reach the Sweet 16 before falling to Duke.

• A dismantled Big 12 will be a huge loss to women's basketball. http://bit.ly/bY83bx #
• First of two Fanhouse stories posted this morning. Women's coaches pay their homage to Coach Wooden. http://bit.ly/bjX2lT #
• Former Cal standout Ashley Walker released by Tulsa Monday night after playing limited minutes in two games. #
• My Fanhouse story on charming young woman coaching varsity football at Coolidge High in DC. Wishing her success. http://bit.ly/deE8wt #