MUNCIE, Ind. — On the day Brady Sallee was officially hired, his singular focus was making the Ball State women’s basketball program a top-50 program. He calls it his "bold vision." And he had two pillars.
Sallee certainly realizes that being a top-50 program is a vague proclamation. But he plastered the phrase everywhere and brought it up to the players over and over. Ball State has had some good seasons in Sallee’s tenure, including 20-win seasons the last two years. The Cardinals weren’t a top-50 program, though.
Until this season, that is. Heading into the Mid-American Conference Tournament this week in Cleveland, Ball State (24-5) is certifiably one of the top 50 programs in the country.