ATLANTA (July 12, 2018) — Tricia Cullop, head coach at University of Toledo, has been elected vice president of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, the WBCA office announced today.
Cullop served as the interim vice president during the 2017-18 membership year after former Emory University head coach Christy Thomaskutty resigned for personal reasons. Cullop was unopposed in the recently held election and will succeed George Washington University head coach Jen Rizzotti as the association’s president at the end of the upcoming 2018-19 membership year.
“Tricia has worked tirelessly for the WBCA as a board member and now as vice president,” said Rizzotti. “She is committed to our mission, objectives and values. No one is more deserving of this opportunity to lead our association.”
The WBCA Board of Directors will seat nine new voting directors when it holds its annual in-person summer meeting at the Renaissance Atlanta Airport Gateway Hotel on Friday. Joining the board are:
- Beth O’Boyle, head coach, Virginia Commonwealth University, who was elected to succeed Princeton University head coach Courtney Banghart as NCAA Division I East Director. Banghart will continue to serve as a nonvoting member of the board in her capacity as a member of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee.
- Raegan Pebley, head coach, Texas Christian University, who was elected to succeed University of Texas head coach Karen Aston as NCAA Division I Midwest Director.
- Joni Taylor, head coach, University of Georgia, who was appointed by the WBCA Executive Committee to fill the remainder of Cullop’s term as NCAA Division I Mideast Director.
- Cori Close, head coach, UCLA, who was appointed by the board to succeed University of Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw as NCAA Division I Legislative Chair.
- Monique LeBlanc, head coach, Merrimack College, who was elected to succeed Bellarmine University head coach Chancellor Dugan as NCAA Division II Group I Director.
- Stephanie Yelton, head coach, University of West Florida, who was appointed by the executive committee to fill the remainder of former Wayne State University (Nebraska) head coach Chris Kielsmeier’s term of service as NCAA Division II Group II Director. Kielsmeier vacated the position when he accepted the head coach position at NCAA Division I Cleveland State University. NCAA Division III Director Mary Beth Spirk, head coach, Moravian College, was appointed by the board to replace Kielsmeier on the executive committee.
- Brian Morehouse, head coach, Hope College, who was elected to succeed Williams College head coach Pat Manning as NCAA Division III Director.
- Chris Nelson, head coach, Bethel University, who was elected to succeed Westmont College head coach Kirsten Moore as NAIA Director.
- Brian Rosario, head coach, Chandler-Gilbert Community College (Arizona), who was elected to succeed Georgia Highlands College head coach Brandan Harrell as Two-Year College Director.
Winning re-election to a second term of service on the board as NCAA Division I West Director is Lisa Fortier, head coach, Gonzaga University.
Also winning election to a first full term of service on the board as Scholastic Director is Teresa Waters, head coach, River Hill High School (Maryland). Waters was appointed by the executive committee to fill the position temporarily during the 2017-18 membership year.
The WBCA Board of Directors, which manages the business and affairs of the association, is composed of 24 voting members, as well as additional nonvoting members who provide technical or other advice and assistance to the voting members. The board’s executive committee, which is composed of the association’s officers and additional at-large board members, exercises the authority of the board in the management of the WBCA’s affairs during intervals between board meeting and supervises the association’s executive director.
Here is the complete 2018-19 WBCA Board of Directors roster of members (x-denotes executive committee member):
OFFICERS
• Jennifer Rizzotti, head coach, George Washington University (President)-x.
• Tricia Cullop, head coach, University of Toledo (Vice President)-x.
• Coquese Washington, head coach, Penn State University (Immediate Past President)-x.
• Lacey Lewis, senior vice president of finance, Cox Enterprises (Treasurer)-x.
• Danielle Donehew, executive director, WBCA (Secretary), nonvoting.
VOTING DIRECTORS
• Cori Close, head coach, UCLA (NCAA Division I Legislative Chair)-x.
• Rich Ensor, commissioner, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (collegiate commissioners)-x.
• Lisa Fortier, head coach, Gonzaga University (NCAA Division I West).
• Nels Hawkinson, executive director, Basketball Travelers Inc. (Leadership Advisory Council chair).
• Trish Jones, principal, eMentorConnect LLC (public sector).
• Monique LeBlanc, head coach, Merrimack College (NCAA Division II Group I).
• Jason Martens, head coach, St. Mary’s University (NCAA Division II legislative chair).
• Brian Morehouse, head coach, Hope College (NCAA Division III).
• Chris Nelson, head coach, Bethel University (NAIA).
• Beth O’Boyle, head coach, Virginia Commonwealth University (NCAA Division I East).
• Raegan Pebley, head coach, Texas Christian University (NCAA Division I Midwest).
• Brian Rosario, head coach, Chandler-Gilbert Community College (Two-Year Colleges).
• Charmin Smith, associate head coach, University of California, Berkeley (assistant coaches).
• Mary Beth Spirk, director of athletics/head coach, Moravian College (NCAA Division III)-x.
• Jennifer Strawley, deputy director of athletics, University of Miami, Florida (athletic administrator).
• Joni Taylor, head coach, University of Georgia (NCAA Division I Mideast).
• Polly Thomason, head coach, University of Texas at Dallas (NCAA Division III legislative chair).
• Teresa Waters, head coach, River Hills High School (Scholastic).
• Stephanie Yelton, head coach, University of West Florida (NCAA Division II Group II).
NONVOTING DIRECTORS
• Courtney Banghart, head coach, Princeton University (NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee).
• Carol Callan, women’s national team director, USA Basketball.
• Diane Dickman, managing director of Division I governance, NCAA.
• Lynn Holzman, vice president of women’s basketball, NCAA.
• Martha Pullataz, professor of psychology and neuroscience, Duke University
About the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit www.WBCA.org for more details about the Association.