SLIPPERY ROCK — For Bobby McGraw, the waiting game begins — only he's not waiting around.

The acting head coach of the Slippery Rock University women's basketball team may have ended his 'audition' season Saturday, but he was back in the office Sunday. It was business as usual.

“There is no waiting game,” McGraw, a Mars graduate, said. “We're being paid to do a job and we'll keep doing it until they tell us not to do it anymore.”

McGraw and assistant coach Ryenn Micaletti took over the reins of The Rock this season fully knowing a national search for a permanent head coach would take place once the season ended.

That search began Monday.

“We're getting the job posted and we anticipate more than 100 applications to roll in,” SRU athletic director Paul Lueken said. “That's what usually happens when we advertise a basketball head coaching position.”

Lueken added that the job must be kept open for a minimum of 30 days.

“I'm pushing to have that reduced to 25,” he said. “We want to get this done as soon as possible, but get it done the proper way.

“Division II schools can't hire a coach as quickly as Division I schools can. For one, it's not the athletic director's decision. We have a search committee, we go through the application process, reviews, screenings, get the people on campus for interviews ... That all takes time.”

McGraw is back to square one in that regard. Despite leading The Rock to an 11-16 record and its first PSAC Tournament appearance in nine years, he must now formally apply for the job like anyone else.

And while the coaching search process plays out, he and Micaletti continue to recruit.

“We knew the deal going in,” McGraw said. “We've already got a prize recruit in Morgan Henderson of Seton-LaSalle coming here along with two others. With 12 returnees from this year's team, that gives us a full roster for next year.

“This is the time of year you recruit juniors. The top girls basketball players in Western Pennsylvania all sign early.”

Henderson is a 6-foot-2 forward who helped Seton-LaSalle repeat as WPIAL Class AA champion last weekend. She's averaging 13 points, eight rebounds and 3.5 steals per game this season and spurned some Division I overtures to sign with The Rock.

McGraw landed transfers Taylor Siggers (Indian River State) and Sorriyah Ranger (Southwestern Illinois) last year by driving to North Carolina and Chicago.

“If you want these kids, you have to hit the pavement and go get 'em,” McGraw said. “That's what we did then and that's what we're doing now.”

SRU finished 7-15 in PSAC play this season after going 13-75 the previous five years. The Rock women were 25-122 overall in the previous five years.

“I'm very pleased with how this season went,” Lueken said. “I wanted to see three things happen this year: Marked improvement in our play, a few more wins and a PSAC tournament bid. All three happened and I'm excited about our future.

“We've proven we can turn this program around, moving forward.”

Now the question is who will be steering the ship as it moves forward?

When asked if McGraw added to his resume' with the team's performance this year, Lueken responded: “He definitely has.”

“This is difficult for me. The season is over and we have to play by the rules in determining the coaching hire. We all knew that going in,” he added.

McGraw wants the job for his returning players as much as he does for himself.

“I think of players like Megan Hardiman and Erica Aeillo, who have busted their butts here for three years, Taylor and Sorriyah, who came in here to play for us ... I'd hate to see them playing for some other coach next year,” McGraw said.

“Anybody who interviews is going to say they can turn the program around, can get the team to the PSAC tournament. Only I won't be saying that. I've already done it.”