The Hartford Hawks women's basketball team is the basketball team that represents the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut, United States. The school's team currently competes as in the NCAA Division III Commonwealth Coast Conference.
Hartford Hawks | |||
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University | University of Hartford | ||
All-time record | 577–644 (.473) | ||
Head coach | Polly Thomason (2nd season) | ||
Conference | Conference of New England | ||
Location | West Hartford, Connecticut | ||
Arena | Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion (capacity: 4,017) | ||
Nickname | Hawks | ||
Colors | Scarlet and white[1] | ||
Uniforms | |||
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NCAA tournament round of 32 | |||
2006, 2008 | |||
NCAA tournament appearances | |||
2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011 | |||
Conference tournament champions | |||
2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011 | |||
Conference regular season champions | |||
2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 |
History
editThe school began the women's basketball team in 1975 as a Division III school. The program moved to Division II and was a member of the Northeast-10 Conference (originally Northeast-7) between 1980 and 1984. The school transitioned to Division I in 1984, playing as an independent school in 1984–85, and then becoming part of the Seaboard Conference in 1985–86. The Seaboard Conference became the North Atlantic Conference in 1989, and changed their name to America East in 1996.
2000s
editHartford's most successful run came in the early and mid 2000s under head coach Jen Rizzotti who was hired in 1999.[2] Under Rizzotti, Hartford made 6 NCAA tournament appearances. In 2006 Hartford knocked of the sixth seeded Temple Owls in the first round advancing to the round of the 32 for the first time in program history.[3] Hartford has continued its success under current head coach Kim McNeill, making the 2018 America East championship game.[4]
Division III
editOn May 6, 2021, the University of Hartford Board of Regents voted to drop its athletic department to Division III. The drop is set to take place no later than September 1, 2025.[5]
Year by year results
editSeason | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
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Nancy Lauritis (DIII) (1975–1976) | |||||||||
1975–76 | Nancy Lauritis | 2–6 | |||||||
Nancy Lauritis: | 2–6 | ||||||||
Roger Wickman (DIII, DII) (1976–1984) | |||||||||
1976–77 | Roger Wickman | 11–2 | |||||||
1977–78 | Roger Wickman | 11–2 | |||||||
1978–79 | Roger Wickman | 8–8 | |||||||
1979–80 | Roger Wickman | 14–3 | |||||||
1980–81 | Roger Wickman | 8–11 | |||||||
1981–82 | Roger Wickman | 7–14 | |||||||
1982–83 | Roger Wickman | 5–18 | |||||||
1983–84 | Roger Wickman | 3–20 | |||||||
Roger Wickman: | 67–78 | ||||||||
Carlos Aldave (Independent/America East Conference) (1984–1986) | |||||||||
1984–85 | Carlos Aldave | 6–18 | |||||||
Division I | |||||||||
1985–86 | Carlos Aldave | 3–23 | 1–11 | 7th | |||||
Carlos Aldave: | 9–41 | 1–11 | |||||||
Jean Walling Murphy (America East) (1986–1990) | |||||||||
1986–87 | Jean Walling Murphy | 7–18 | 3–11 | 7th | |||||
1987–88 | Jean Walling Murphy | 9–18 | 6–8 | 5th | |||||
1988–89 | Jean Walling Murphy | 4–19 | 4–8 | 7th | |||||
1989–90 | Jean Walling Murphy | 4–22 | 2–10 | T-6th | |||||
Jean Walling Murphy: | 24–77 | 15–37 | |||||||
Mark Schmidt (America East) (1990–1992) | |||||||||
1990–91 | Mark Schmidt | 11–18 | 5–5 | 4th | |||||
1991–92 | Mark Schmidt | 9–19 | 2–12 | 8th | |||||
Mark Schmidt: | 20–37 | 7–17 | |||||||
Allison Jones (America East) (1992–1999) | |||||||||
1992–93 | Allison Jones | 11–16 | 6–8 | 5th | |||||
1993–94 | Allison Jones | 9–18 | 2–12 | 8th | |||||
1994–95 | Allison Jones | 7–20 | 2–14 | 9th | |||||
1995–96 | Allison Jones | 15–13 | 10–8 | 4th | |||||
1996–97 | Allison Jones | 15–12 | 12–6 | 4th | |||||
1997–98 | Allison Jones | 11–16 | 20–8 | T-4th | |||||
1998–99 | Allison Jones | 8–19 | 5–13 | 9th | |||||
Allison Jones: | 76–114 | 47–69 | |||||||
Jennifer Rizzotti (America East) (1999–2016) | |||||||||
1999–00 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 14–14 | 9–9 | 5th | |||||
2000–01 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 15–14 | 9–9 | 4th | |||||
2001–02 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 16–15 | 9–7 | 5th | NCAA first round | ||||
2002–03 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 7–21 | 5–11 | 8th | |||||
2003–04 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 18–12 | 9–9 | 4th | |||||
2004–05 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 22–9 | 13–5 | 2nd | NCAA first round | ||||
2005–06 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 27–4 | 15–1 | 1st | NCAA second round | ||||
2006–07 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 25–9 | 15–1 | 1st | WNIT Second Round | ||||
2007–08 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 28–6 | 14–2 | 1st | NCAA second round | ||||
2008–09 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 20–12 | 14–2 | 2nd | WNIT Second Round | ||||
2009–10 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 27–5 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA first round | ||||
2010–11 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 17–15 | 11–5 | 4th | NCAA first round | ||||
2011–12 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 19–13 | 10–6 | 3rd | WNIT First Round | ||||
2012–13 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 21–12 | 10–6 | 3rd | WNIT First Round | ||||
2013–14 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 13–18 | 9–7 | 5th | |||||
2014–15 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 16–17 | 8–8 | 5th | |||||
2015–16 | Jennifer Rizzotti | 11–19 | 7–9 | 6th | |||||
Jennifer Rizzotii: | 316–216 | 183–97 | |||||||
Kim McNeill (America East) (2016–2019) | |||||||||
2016–17 | Kim McNeill | 17–14 | 7–9 | 6th | |||||
2017–18 | Kim McNeill | 19–13 | 9–7 | 6th | |||||
2018–19 | Kim McNeill | 23–11 | 14–2 | 2nd | WNIT First Round | ||||
Kim McNeill: | 59–38 | 30–18 | |||||||
Morgan Valley (America East) (2019–2021) | |||||||||
2019–20 | Morgan Valley | 1–28 | 1–15 | 8th | |||||
2020–21 | Morgan Valley | 3–9 | 3–9 | T-9th | |||||
Morgan Valley: | 4–37 | 4–24 | |||||||
Melissa L. Hodgdon (America East) (2021–2022) | |||||||||
2021–22 | Melissa L. Hodgdon | 4–26 | 4–14 | ||||||
Melissa L. Hodgdon: | 4–26 | 4–14 | |||||||
Polly Thomason (Independent) (2022–2023) | |||||||||
2022–23 | Polly Thomason | 2–25 | 0–0 | ||||||
Division III | |||||||||
Polly Thomason (Commonwealth Coast Conference) (2023–present) | |||||||||
2023–24 | Polly Thomason | 11–14 | 7–11 | ||||||
Polly Thomason: | 13–39 | 7–11 | |||||||
Total: | 590–683 | ||||||||
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
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Postseason
editNCAA Division I tournament results
editYear | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | (16) | First Round | (1) Oklahoma | L 52–84 |
2005 | (14) | First Round | (3) Rutgers | L 37–62 |
2006 | (11) | First Round Second Round |
(6) Temple (3) Georgia |
W 64–58 L 54–73 |
2008 | (10) | First Round Second Round |
(7) Syracuse (2) Texas A&M |
W 59–55 L 39–63 |
2010 | (10) | First Round | (7) LSU | L 39–60 |
2011 | (16) | First Round | (1) Connecticut | L 39–75 |
WNIT results
editYear | Round | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | First Round Second Round |
Bucknell South Carolina |
W 70–54 L 40–81 |
2009 | Second Round | St. John's | L 59–70 |
2012 | First Round | Syracuse | L 42–59 |
2013 | First Round | Harvard | L 57–61 |
2019 | First Round | Providence | L 54–71 |
Notable players
edit- Danielle Hood, played 2004–2008. Was drafted by the Atlanta Dream as the 32nd pick of the 2008 draft. Although she did not make the final roster, she is the first player from Hartford, and only the second player from an America East Conference team to be drafted by the WNBA.[6]
- Liz Stich, played 2001–2005. Coached Plymouth State University from 2012–2015. She was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.[7]
- Erica Beverly, played 2005–2010. She was inducted to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.[8]
Head coaches
edit- Nancy Lauritis (1975–1976)
- Roger Wickman (1976–1984)
- Carlos Aldave (1984–1986)
- Jean Walling Murphy (1986–1990)
- Mark Schmidt (1990–1992)
- Allison Jones (1992–1999)[9]
- Jennifer Rizzotti (1999–2016)[10]
- Kim McNeill (2016–2019)[11]
- Morgan Valley (2019–2021)[12]
- Melissa Hodgdon (2021–2022)
- Polly Thomason (2022–present)
References
edit- ^ University of Hartford Brand Identity Guide. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
- ^ "Rizzotti To Coach Hartford Women". Associated Press. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
- ^ "Rizzotti's Hawks knock off Temple". newstimes. 20 March 2006. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
- ^ "Hartford Wiped Out By Dominant Quarter In America East Final". Hartford Courant. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
- ^ "University of Hartford Votes to Drop Athletic Department to Division III". Sports Illustrated. May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
- ^ "Uhart's Hood Released". Hartford Courant. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ "PSU Women's Basketball Coach earns Hall of Fame nod". Plymouth State University. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ "Bridgeport's Beverly inducted to New England Basketball Hall of Fame". CTPost. 22 June 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ "Women's Coach For Hawks Resigns". Hartford Courant. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
- ^ "After 316 Wins At UHart, Jen Rizzotti Leaving To Coach At George Washington". Hartford Courant. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
- ^ "Hartford Hires UVA's Kim McNeill As Women's Basketball Coach To Replace Jen Rizzotti". Hartford Courant. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
- ^ "UConn alum Morgan Valley introduced as University of Hartford women's basketball coach". Hartford Courant. Retrieved April 21, 2018.