Women’s basketball head coach Carolyn Jenkins had a meeting with athletic director Terry Wanless on Friday morning.

After leading Sacramento State to their best record in her tenure, 3-24 overall and 1-13 in the Big Sky Conference, Jenkins knew walking in that her job security was in jeopardy.

The rumor mill began churning with the prospect of a second-consecutive winless season in the Big Sky on the horizon, until the Hornets’ major upset of conference leader Montana State on March 1.

But the win wouldn’t and couldn’t save her job.

With Wanless on a determined mission to rebuild the athletic program, the men’s basketball team setting record after record and Jenkins’ contract up, few really questioned whether she should return or not.

The success of coach Jerome Jenkins this season unintentionally opened the door for questions of Carolyn’s removal, Wanless’ determination for improvement escorted her out, and the Sacramento Bee’s criticism before her final game shut the door and threw away the key.

I guess John Volek’s head mounted on the wall wasn’t enough. So what did Jenkins get for her three years dwelling in the sub-par facilities with distracted players and a team riddled with injuries? A five-year plan cut two years short of seeing its promises through.

Her hopes for the following two years; a berth in the playoffs and competing for the Big Sky Championship thereafter. And who says it couldn’t have happened?

Sac State was well on their way with freshmen Katelyn Ciampi and Sarah Craig making monster impacts this season. With the hopeful return of Alyson Thurman, who had to redshirt this season due to a back injury, Sac State was looking like they might finally be embarking on a breakout season.

“Despite the effort and hard work put into the program, the on court performance wasn’t there,” Wanless said.

Judging on performance, wouldn’t Jerome Jenkins’ 9-19 overall and 3-11 conference record last season have been cause for dismissal? Now, Wanless wasn’t the athletic director last season, Debby Colberg was. But just imagine for a moment.

Imagine if Jerome wasn’t given the chance to continue leading his team. No streak-breaking, no playoff berth, no playoff win.

Hey, even the Bee decided to give Sac State frontpage space after the Montana playoff win. The only time the Hornets have made the Bee’s front sports page is when a coach is being dragged through the gutter or some foreign cooking substance makes national headlines.

Carolyn Jenkins wasn’t given the same opportunity to relish in the progress she has made in her three years here. No other coach has faced the injury difficulties or off-the-court problems that Jenkins has endured since coming here from a comfy assistant coaching job at Stanford.

Her goal when she got here: Build a name for this program, build a name for her players, and build a name for herself.

And on the brink of making the fantasies finally becoming realities, her legs were cut out from under her in a massive undercurrent.

So while Wanless’ intention of improving the women’s basketball program was in good faith, Jenkins deserved the option of serving out the rest of her initial plan.

But soon the door will be unlocked; a new coach allowed to bring her plan to the desk of Wanless and build on the cement set by Jenkins. Hopefully, Wanless will toss the key away just long enough for the new coach to finally settle in and keep the door wide open.