#ThePostUp Podcast 5/9/16: Jennifer Rizzotti on her new head coaching challenge, USA Basketball and the WNBA
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After 17 years at the helm of Hartford, Jennifer Rizzotti left New England to accept the challenge as the head coach of Atlantic 10 Conference powerhouse George Washington, a program that has seen numerous successes in recent years.
Rizzotti became a head coach at the age of 25 and helped Hartford reach several milestones. She was a finalist for the Kay Yow National Coach of the Year award in 2009-10 after leading Hartford to a school-record 20-game winning streak, a perfect 16-0 record in conference play and the program’s first-ever national ranking.
She also served as head coach of 2010 FIBA Americas U18 gold medal team as well as the 2011 U19 World Champions. In addition, she is a part of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team’s staff in preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
As a college player, Rizzotti helped lead Connecticut to its first national championship in 1995 with an undefeated 35-0 record. Her pro career included three seasons in the ABL and five seasons in the WNBA including stints with the Houston Comets and Cleveland Rockers.
On the podcast she discusses:
- Finding the right work-life balance as a head coach with young children
- Challenging herself professionally
- Being able to witness Connecticut win an 11th national title along with her teammates from the 1995 championship team
- Her pride in seeing former teammate, Tufts head coach Carla Berube, coach in the DIII championship
- Her expectations in her new job at George Washington and the program’s recent successes
- The challenges of recruiting in the Washington, D.C. area
- How her experience as a successful coach of USA Basketball teams has helped her collegiate career
- The increase in parity in women’s basketball and recent newcomers to the Final Four
- Her thoughts on the history and future of the WNBA as a former player in the league
- The advantage of being in the same town as the Washington Mystics for her players and as a coach
Enjoy!
