Six Candidates Who Could Replace Lindsay Gottlieb at California

MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 13: Rice Head Coach Tina Langley looks on during a college basketball game between the Rice University Owls and the Florida International University Panthers on January 13, 2018 at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, Miami, Florida. FIU defeated Rice 68-58. (Photo by Richard C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 13: Rice Head Coach Tina Langley looks on during a college basketball game between the Rice University Owls and the Florida International University Panthers on January 13, 2018 at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, Miami, Florida. FIU defeated Rice 68-58. (Photo by Richard C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Duke’s Joy Cheek, Chante Black and Alison Bales watch as teammate Lindsey Hardings foul shot hit the iron and miss with .1 second left against Rutgers. Rutgers upset top ranked Duke, 53-52, in the Regional NCAA Championship at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, Saturday, March 24, 2007. (Photo by Chuck Liddy/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT via Getty Images)
Duke’s Joy Cheek, Chante Black and Alison Bales watch as teammate Lindsey Hardings foul shot hit the iron and miss with .1 second left against Rutgers. Rutgers upset top ranked Duke, 53-52, in the Regional NCAA Championship at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, Saturday, March 24, 2007. (Photo by Chuck Liddy/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT via Getty Images)

Joy Cheek 

Cheek is one of the best up-and-coming young assistant coaches in the country.  She will turn 31 this month, and while her time might not be right now, one should not rule her out completely.  Gottlieb was hired by Cal when she was just 33 years old, and that led to a really good run for the Golden Bears. Cheek has held assistant positions at her alma mater, Duke, Ohio State, and Vanderbilt, before landing an assistant position with Clemson in 2018. Cheek brings a tremendous amount of passion to the sidelines, and while she may be a long-shot to replace Gottlieb, Cheeks is certainly an assistant coach that will receive a head coaching opportunity sooner rather than later.

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