Courtesy Hartford Sports Information
WEST HARTFORD, CT ? The University of Hartford and head women’s basketball coach Jennifer Rizzotti have agreed to a contract extension as announced by President Walter Harrison and Director of Athletics and Special Assistant to the President Patricia H. Meiser. The new contract will run through the 2013-2014 women’s basketball season.
“Jen continues to bring national attention to our women’s basketball program,” said Harrison. “Not only are we winning games, but Rizzotti and her coaching staff have brought quality student-athletes to the program. She has exactly the right values, and her players reflect that. She is a model Division I head coach.”
Rizzotti first signed with Hartford in September of 1999 and has since led the Hawks to three NCAA Tournament appearances and the program’s first win in the NCAA Tournament, over Temple in 2005-06. Her previous contract was to last through the 2009-10 season and will now be folded into the new contract. The terms of the new extension are undisclosed.
“I appreciate the support and loyalty that the University of Hartford has shown me in extending my contract,” said Rizzotti. “The constant encouragement I receive for not only building our program into a championship one but developing our players as students and as young women makes this a great place to coach.”
Having just completed her eighth season, Rizzotti has led Hartford to back-to-back America East regular season titles. The Hawks finished the 2006-07 season with a 25-9 record and played in the program’s first ever postseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament, defeating Bucknell in the first round before falling to South Carolina. The Hawks also saw two players eclipse the 1,000 point level during the season, Danielle Hood and Ikea Witt, while sophomore MaryLynne Schaefer broke her own school record for single season three-pointers with 57.
The 2007-08 season will consist of 29 games, 13 non-conference and 16 America East games. The Hawks will again play a tough non-conference schedule that features four teams from this past season’s NCAA Tournament as well as one from the postseason WNIT. The Hawks will see home non-conference dates with Columbia, St. John’s, Hofstra and Michigan State, and will play at Brigham Young, Kansas, Connecticut, Marist, Providence, Massachusetts and at the Rainbow Wahine Classic.