New for
the 2011-2012 seasons, the America East Daily Word, a collaboration
between AmericaEast.com and AExtra, will recap the previous day's games
and on goings on our nine campuses and proivde links to previews,
recaps, features and exclusive coverage.
She’s
a three-time America East Coach of the Year, she’s been to the NCAA Tournament
six times and she’s the all-time winningest coach in Hartford basketball
history.
Now,
Jen Rizzotti can add yet another award to her already impressive resume.
Rizzotti
was named USA Basketball’s 2011 National Coach of the Year last week joining an
elite list of coaches who have earned the honor, including Mike Krzyzewski,
Geno Auriemma and Gail Goestenkors. Rizzotti led the USA to gold at the 2011
FIBA U19 World Championship for Women this summer compiling an 8-1 record
during the 10-day tourney.
“It
is an honor to be named the USA Basketball National Coach of the Year,”
Rizzotti said in USA Basketball’s official release. “I had a great group of
players and an extremely hard working staff that deserves equal credit.”
The
U.S. lost to Canada at the end of the second round of play this summer but
Rizzotti and company rebounded very nicely. Outscoring opponents by nearly 17
points per game during the tournament, her team took care of business against
France, Brazil and Spain to take home gold.
Rizzotti
sat down with Hartford Courant editors to chat about her competitiveness, her
intensity and her coaching style. Interesting excerpts from the interview are
available here and make sure you check out the video of Rizzotti receiving her
National Coach of the Year Award from Saturday’s game against Vermont.
You
can also read USA Basketball’s full release, here.
For more the Daily Word, check out the AExtra blog.