COACHING STAFF

Transcription

1 64 - Coach Balcomb 67 - Vicky Picott 68 - Lisa Cermignano 69 - Kim Rosamond 70 - Justin Van Orman 70 - Clare Droesch 70 - Caroline Williams 70 - Support Staff COACHING STAFF Coach Balcomb at the 2007 graduation breakfast.

2 HEAD COACH MELANIE BALCOMB Caring and loyal. Determined and intense. Two seemingly opposing ways to describe the same thing: Melanie Balcomb's approach to winning. On the court, in the classroom and in the community, the sixth-year Vanderbilt Head Coach is committed to the total success of every student-athlete in her program. And, as she continues to build upon the great tradition that is Commodore women s basketball, the results speak for themselves. With an up-tempo style of play that consistently out-works opponents, the Commodores have posted five consecutive 20-plus-win seasons and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of Balcomb s five years in Nashville. She brought her rapid style of play to Vanderbilt after being named the school's fourth head women's basketball coach on May 28, Taking over an established program, Balcomb wasted no time in quickly implementing her own style, working with veteran players transitioning into a different system and building comradery and togetherness on the squad. Now in her sixth year, the integration is complete as Balcomb's first recruiting class graduated this past May. All three members of the Class of 2007 scored over 1,000 career points. Those Commodores won 99 games in four years, including two SEC Tournament championships. Carla Thomas and Dee Davis, the school's all-time assists leader, were both chosen in the June's WNBA draft. The Commodores were ranked seventh in the final AP poll of the season, and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Vanderbilt was the nation's best three-point shooting team, and ranked among the Top 10 in points scored and overall field goal percentage. The team's 28-6 mark was the best record for a VU squad in 14 years. All indications suggest that type of success is no fluke for Balcomb. In Balcomb s first year, the Commodores won six of their last seven regular season games before advancing to the semifinals of the league tournament. As a unit, the Commodores shot 51.3 percent from the field to lead the nation against the fourth toughest schedule in the country. Balcomb was named a finalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year award. In , Balcomb led the Commodores to their fourth Southeastern Conference Tournament title. She masterfully balanced strong upperclass leadership with exciting freshmen talent, winning 10 consecutive games and advancing to the program s 11th Sweet 16 appearance. In , her team made its second consecutive trip to the NCAA Sweet 16. The Commodores posted the most wins (10) in the program s history in Southeastern Conference play finishing with a 10-4 record. Balcomb has also taken programs to new heights of success at previous coaching stops. Prior to her arrival at Vanderbilt, Balcomb spent seven seasons at Xavier University, beginning in 1995, where her up-tempo style wreaked havoc on the Atlantic 10 while building the Musketeers into a national contender. In 1998, Xavier recorded its second postseason appearance in school history with a selection to the Women s National Invitational Tournament. Each of the next three seasons, Xavier competed in the NCAA Tournament, capped in 2001 by a victory over perennial power Tennessee and a run to the Elite Eight. En route to earning three invitations to the NCAA Tournament and compiling a record during her tenure, Balcomb s offensive schemes helped push Xavier onto the national stage. Musketeer field goal percentages ranked among the top three in the nation during three different seasons while the 1999 squad led the Born Sept. 24, 1962 Birthplace Princeton, N.J. Hometown Cranbury, N.J. Family Parents, Alan and Barbara High School Hightstown College Trenton State (TCNJ) Year Graduated 1984 Degrees Bachelor of Science (1984) Master s of Education (1985) Sports Administration/Athletic Management COACHING CAREER 2002-present Vanderbilt Head Coach Xavier Head Coach Ashland Head Coach Providence Ohio Niagara PLAYING CAREER Trenton State Four-year letterwinner Member of the 1000-Point Club On Dean s List and an Academic All-American Georgia Southern Played a semester before transferring to Trenton State College Hightstown H.S. Inducted into the Hightstown High School Hall of Fame in

3 HEAD COACH country in 3-point accuracy at 40.1 percent. Her squad averaged 79.4 points per game, the highest total in program history. Individual records were rewritten as well. Of the 15 Musketeers who have scored at least 1,000 points in a career, 40 percent played at least one season under Balcomb. Before her accomplishments at Xavier, Balcomb took her first head coaching position at Ashland (Ohio) University. Prosperity was immediate as Balcomb s first unit matched the best record in school history at 18-9 while registering its first winning season in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with an 11-7 mark. Prior to becoming a head coach, Balcomb served three years as an assistant at Providence College ( ), during which the Lady Friars went 62-30, made two NCAA Tournament appearances and once ( ) led the nation in scoring while they amassed a 26-6 record. In , Balcomb was an assistant at Ohio University and she began her coaching career with a four-year stint ( ) on the staff at Niagara University. Her basketball education began even earlier and is based in some of the most fundamental aspects of the sport. She learned the game at an early age as the daughter of Alan Balcomb, a varsity boy s coach for 30 years at South Brunswick (N.J.) High School and then an assistant for four years at Princeton University under Pete Carril, the master of the half-court game. In all, Balcomb has coached 13 players who have received All-Conference accolades. Seven of her players have been drafted by the WNBA, including VU s Anderson, Ashley McElhiney, Jenni Benningfield and Ashley Earley. Her Xavier teams won two league tournament titles (2000 and 2001) and one regular-season championship in the Atlantic 10 Conference (2001). Xavier s successes during the Balcomb era helped push for construction of the Cintas Center, a state of the art facility which became home to Xavier basketball at the start of the season and - ironically - was dedicated with a victory over Vanderbilt. That season the program posted a school record for attendance with a total of 40,098 fans, who thrilled in the Musketeers style of play and their results. Commodore followers have enjoyed the entertainment as well. Balcomb s winning ways at Xavier promptly earned her a place among the nation s coaching elite, not to mention the most notable sports personalities in Cincinnati, as evidenced by her induction into the Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame in That same year she was named "Coach of the Year" by the Atlantic 10 Conference, the New Jersey Sports Writers Association and the Greater Cincinnati Women s Sports Federation as well as "Ohio College Coach of the Year" by The Columbus Dispatch. She also was a finalist for the National Coach of the Year from the Associated Press, the Naismith Foundation and ESPN The Magazine. But all the while, her players have enjoyed accomplishments beyond the hardwood. Every eligible player during Balcomb s coaching tenure has earned her degree. Six of seven squads at Xavier earned team grade point averages that ranked in the Top 25. In , 40 percent of the Commodore basketball team was named to the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll. Vanderbilt led the SEC with eight players being named to the honor roll in Balcomb stresses the importance of community service to her teams. VU logged more than 95 hours of community service last season, including numerous opportunities to visit with young patients at the Vanderbilt Children s Hospital. Balcomb herself has been active in outreach to the surrounding area, participating in numerous fundraising events for local and national organizations, including Coaches vs. Cancer, the Race for the Cure, Mercy Ministries, Vanderbilt Children s Hospital and the Girl Scouts of America. An avid golfer, Balcomb also enjoys visiting the beach, traveling, reading and shopping during her spare time. BALCOMB BALL AT VU Two SEC Tournament Championships Five NCAA Tourney Appearances Six WNBA Draft Picks Since 2003 No. 7 AP Nat'l Ranking To End

4 HEAD COACH BALCOMB S YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD Year University W - L Postseason Ashland Ashland Xavier Xavier Xavier WNIT Xavier 24-9 NCAA Xavier 26-5 NCAA Xavier 31-3 NCAA Final Xavier Vanderbilt NCAA Vanderbilt 26-8 NCAA Sweet Vanderbilt 24-8 NCAA Sweet Vanderbilt NCAA 2nd Round Vanderbilt 28-6 NCAA 2nd Round Overall (14 years) Ashland (2 years) Xavier (7 years) Vanderbilt (5 years) BALCOMB S ACCOLADES Eight NCAA Tournament Appearances, including five straight at Vanderbilt Three NCAA Regional Semifinals Two SEC Tournament Championships One Regional Finals Appearance 2003 Naismith Coach of the Year Top 25 Finalist 2001 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year 2001 Greater Cincinnati Women s Sports Foundation Coach of the Year 2001 Columbus Dispatch Ohio Coach of the Year 2001 New Jersey Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year 2001 ESPN The Magazine Coach of the Year Finalist 2001 Naismith Coach of the Year Finalist Inducted into Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame, March of Dimes Greater Cincinnati Coach of the Year WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT MELANIE BALCOMB Melanie Balcomb is one of the bright young coaching stars in women's college basketball. Her diverse basketball experience includes an exposure to Pete Carill's Princeton offense plus Rick Pitino's fast break principles, both of which have influenced her philosophy. She has been able to incorporate the best of all she has learned while adding her own flair. When you play Vanderbilt, you understand that you will face a well-prepared, savvy basketball team. --Doris Burke, CBS/ESPN Analyst Vanderbilt made one of the best decisions for the future of their program when they hired Melanie Balcomb. She s a great teacher and recruiter of the game and has instilled a fun but effective offense that Vandy fans and television viewers find enjoyable. I don t doubt that one day Melanie and her team will be cutting down the nets, celebrating a national championship. --Nancy Lieberman, ESPN Analyst Coach Balcomb teaches the offensive side of the ball with a high level of detail, fundamentals and knowledge of reads, timing and angles. She creates an offensive system that maximizes each player's individual talents and skill while adding dimensions to their game. She can prepare in practice and adjust in game. Her team is so ready, no grease board on the sideline during games... check it out for yourself." --Debbie Antonelli, Women s Basketball Analyst Melanie Balcomb is one of the brightest young coaches in the country. The way she relates to her players is special. Here style of play is very different for the SEC and that s why it s so successful. She s brought in her system and her own style which is why Vanderbilt continues to be one of top programs in the country. --Ann Meyers, ESPN Analyst Coach Balcomb enhanced my development as a student-athlete. She has the ability to challenge her players on and off the court. But more importantly, the life lessons I have learned from her have made me a better person. --Ashley Earley, Class of

5 ASSISTANT COACHES VICKY PICOTT Vicky Picott is in her sixth season as an assistant coach with the Commodores. She has helped Vanderbilt maintain its strong inside presence. Under Picott's tutelage, sophomore Liz Sherwood ranked first in the SEC in shooting percentage last season and Carla Thomas was selected in the first round of the 2007 WNBA draft. Two seasons ago, Carla Thomas and Ashley Earley were one of the top post tandems in the country as the two combined for 34.3 points per game. Earley led the SEC in field goal percentage (.640) and third ranked in the nation. From , Picott helped the Commodores produce three consecutive WNBA draft picks in the post in Chantelle Anderson (2003, 1st round, Sacramento Monarchs), Jenni Benningfield (2004, Indiana Fever, 2nd round, Indiana Fever) and Earley (2005, Indiana Fever, 3rd round). Picott worked two seasons with Melanie Balcomb at Xavier ( ) before making the trip to Nashville prior to the season. During her two seasons as an assistant coach under Balcomb at Xavier, Picott helped direct the Musketeers to a mark, including the campaign that featured a trip to the NCAA Tournament Mideast Regional Finals. Prior to her two years at Xavier, Picott served as an assistant coach at Temple from She also worked as an assistant coach at Drexel during the season. Picott is a 1992 graduate of Rutgers University where she made her mark in the Lady Knights record book. She ranks third in school history in career points (1,792) and rebounds (1,029) and fifth in steals (225). She was a four-year starter and was named the Atlantic-10 Freshman of the Year. She earned all-conference honors three times and was a two-time team Most Valuable Player. She also earned the New Jersey Sports Writers Player of the Year and District II Regional All-America honors her senior season. Picott was selected to two Olympic Festival Teams (1987 and 1989) and was a member of the Junior World Championship team that brought home the gold medal after competing in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She also played in the Women s Professional Basketball Association in Luxembourg ( ) where she helped lead the Etzella Team to the Luxembourg Cup Championship. While in Luxembourg, she continued her coaching by working with high school teams. During the school year, Picott served as the freshman coach at her alma mater, Hightstown (NJ) High School, where she also assisted with the development of junior varsity and varsity players. Full Name Victoria R. Picott Born January 28, 1969 Hometown Trenton, N.J. High School Hightstown College Rutgers University Year Graduated 1992 Degrees Bachelor of Science (1992) COACHING CAREER 2002-present Vanderbilt Xavier Temple Drexel Hightstown HS Freshmen Coach Rutgers Student Assistant PLAYING CAREER Etzella Team Helped lead her team to a first-ever second round appearance in the European Cup Championship... League Champion and earned Team and Tournament MVP honors Rutgers Four-year starter... Named Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year... Three-time All-Conference selection... Two-time team MVP... Named the N.J. Sports Writers Player of the Year and a District II Regional All-American Hightstown Won state championship and was MVP of the state tournament her senior year Holds the record for most points scored by a male or female with 2,279 points. 67

6 ASSISTANT COACHES LISA CERMIGNANO Lisa Cermignano joined the Vanderbilt women's basketball staff as assistant coach in the summer of Cermignano (pronounced Sir-min-YAno) is primarily responsible for instructing guard play, with additional emphasis placed on recruiting. In her first year at VU, Cermignano was able to further the development of point guard Dee Davis -- who became the school's all-time assists leader and was chosen in the 2007 WNBA draft. She came to Nashville after spending her last five years as an assistant coach at George Washington (Washington, D.C.), where she helped lead the team to four Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances. Working alongside Head Coach Joe McKeown, she was focused on team defense and developing the Colonials' guards and other perimeter players. "We were looking to bring in someone that has a strong background in recruiting and guard-skill instruction," Balcomb said. "Lisa has been a really good match for what we needed in an assistant coach. "I got to know Coach Balcomb and her staff over the years," Cermignano added. "And the work ethic of this staff is unmatched. This program has maintained a high level of success for many years, and I love being a part of that." Cermignano began her coaching career during the season as an assistant coach at Maryland. She moved on to Monmouth (West Long Branch, N.J.), where she served as an assistant coach for two seasons before accepting an administrative position with George Washington. After one season as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Colonials, Cermignano was promoted to assistant coach. During her playing career at George Washington, Cermignano was a three-year starter for a team which advanced to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments and made it to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1995 and the Elite Eight in She was named a captain prior to her senior season, and earned College Player of the Year honors from the South Jersey Basketball Club. The two-time All-Conference selection connected on 270 career three-pointers, second all-time at George Washington. Cermignano's protégé Cathy Joens surpassed her three-point mark during the season. "I have always been extremely impressed with Lisa as a competitor," Coach Balcomb said. "Even more so as I have gotten to know her as a recruiter and coach. She came from a great program. Lisa has brought a lot of great things from a program that has been very, very successful." A prep star at Glouchester Catholic (N.J.), Cermignano scored 2,063 points in her high school career and earned Gatorade State Player of the Year honors after the 1993 season. Full Name Lisa M. Cermignano Born March 11, 1975 Hometown Gloucester, N.J. High School Gloucester Catholic College George Washington University Year Graduated 1997 Degrees Bachelor of Arts Criminal Justice COACHING CAREER 2006-Present Vanderbilt George Washington Montmouth Maryland PLAYING CAREER George Washington Three-year starter... Helped team to four NCAA Tournament appearances, including 1995's Sweet 16 and 1997's Elite 8... Two-time Atlantic 10 All-Conference honoree... Made 270 three-pointers en route to 1,278 career points Gloucester Catholic Named 1993 Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey... Scored over 2,000 points during her high school career. 68

7 ASSISTANT COACHES KIM ROSAMOND Kim Rosamond was hired as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator by Head Coach Melanie Balcomb this summer. Rosamond brings five years of Southeastern Conference coaching experience with her to Vanderbilt. She has also coached in the state of Tennessee for two seasons. At Vanderbilt, she will coordinate the Commodores' recruiting efforts while also contributing to on-court strategy, scouting and developing perimeter players. "Coaching is absolutely my passion," Rosamond said. "It's extremely exciting to be back and coaching at a prestigious university like Vanderbilt. "Living in the area for the past four years, I've been continually impressed by the job this staff has done and the success that the program has had," Rosamond continued. "To me, Vanderbilt represents all that is good in college athletics -- student-athletes competing and succeeding at the highest level both on and off the court." At Middle Tennessee State, Rosamond served as assistant coach under then-head Coach Stephany Smith from During that time, the Lady Raiders boasted consecutive 24-win seasons while capturing a pair of Sun Belt Conference championships and scoring two firstround NCAA Tournament upsets (over North Carolina and North Carolina State, respectively). Prior to her time at MTSU, Rosamond spent five years as an assistant at her alma mater, Ole Miss. She was hired onto Coach Ron Aldy's staff in 1998 just months after graduating and would be promoted to recruiting coordinator in Rosamond was responsible for bringing a pair Top 50 classes to Oxford. Two Tennessee Miss Basketball selections were Included in her Lady Rebel classes, with her final group of signees having reached the NCAA Elite Eight last season. All-American Armintie Price, a current teammate of VU great Carla Thomas on the WNBA's Chicago Sky, highlighted Rosamond's 2003 signees. "We were really impressed with Kim's recruiting success," Balcomb said. "She has experience playing and coaching in the SEC, and has well-established relationships in the South. On top of that, Kim brings a ton of positive energy to this position." Rosamond attended high school at Winston Academy in Louisville, Mississippi, where she was recruited to Ole Miss by Van Chancellor. She was a four-year letterwinner for the Lady Rebels ( ). Following her senior year, Rosamond was the recipient of the team's Lady Rebel Award, which is given to the player who excels on and off the court. As a student-athlete at Ole Miss, Rosamond was the first Lady Rebel (and only second player in league history) to earn All-SEC Academic honors in all four years of her collegiate career. "Coach Balcomb is a proven winner and I'm honored for the chance to work with her and learn from her," Rosamond added. "The entire staff does an outstanding job and that's a big reason why the future of this program is so bright." After serving as the Interim Head Coach at MTSU following the 2005 season, Rosamond has worked in the private sector for the past two years. "We all knew Kim from different situations, and everyone here was extremely comfortable with her," Balcomb remarked. "Out in the world she has a penchant for relationship-building, and that was important to us." Full Name Kimberly D. Rosamond Born Feb. 17, 1975 Hometown Louisville, Miss. High School Winston Academy College Mississippi Year Graduated 1998 Degrees Bachelor of Arts (1998) COACHING CAREER Vanderbilt Middle Tennessee State Ole Miss PLAYING CAREER Ole Miss Recognized four times on the SEC's Academic Honor Roll... Team made a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances Winston Academy LSU women's head coach Van Chancellor, Kentucky women's head coach Matthew Mitchell and Ole Miss men's head coach Andy Kennedy are all products of Louisville, Miss. 69

8 SUPPORT STAFF JUSTIN VANORMAN Director of Basketball Operations Justin VanOrman is in his second season as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Vanderbilt women's basketball team. He also served as the team's video coordinator for the two seasons prior. VanOrman's responsibilities include directing Vanderbilt's home tournaments, coordinating travel and purchasing equipment. He joined the staff in 2004 after coaching professionally in Germany. VanOrman brought 14 years of experience with him to Vanderbilt. He started out as a high school coach in Oregon and has worked at many different levels over his career. During his coaching career, he successfully recruited three players that were honored as Conference Freshmen of the Year, and was instrumental in the development of four all-conference award winners. A native of Oregon City, Ore., VanOrman earned his degree in Exercise and Sports Science from Oregon State University in CAROLINE WILLIAMS Graduate Assistant Coach A four-year letterwinner for the Commodores, Caroline Williams begins her coaching career at her alma mater this winter. A native of Rockmart, Ga., Williams walked-on to the Commodores' roster as a freshmen. She would earn a scholarship the next season and went on to become a two-year starter and 1,000- point scorer. Williams holds the Vanderbilt and Southeastern Conference record for career three-point field percentage, as she made 46.5 percent of her 512 long-range attempts -- good for second all-time in the NCAA. As a Commodore student-athlete, Williams was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times. CLARE DROESCH Video Coordinator Clare Droesch joined the Vanderbilt staff this summer as the team's video coordinator. "We are very pleased to have Clare as a part of our program," Head Coach Melanie Balcomb said. "Clare is a winner throughand-through, and that attitude can only affect our team in a positive way." Droesch played colllegiately at Boston College, where she was named to the Big East All-Rookie Team in By her senior season, Droesch was averaging over 10 points and eight rebounds per game. A member of the school's 1,000-point club, Droesch held lead the Eagles to their first ever Big East championship. A native of New York, Droesch prepped at Christ the King and was high school All-American in She played AAU ball for the New York Liberty Belles. Michele Loftis Atlhetic Trainer Tasha Weddle Strength & Conditioning Coach Vicki Spina Administrative Assistant Christy Hogan Academic Services 70