Bowdoin has named Adrienne Shibles, former Swarthmore head coach and Bates alum, as its next head women's basketball coach. She'll try to build on the success of Stefanie Pemper who moved to Division I Navy after going 235-48 (.830) in 10 seasons at Bowdoin.

Though Shibles was most recently the Athletic Director and basketball coach at the Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine, she is no stranger to Division III. She led Swarthmore to the Centennial Conference title and the program's first NCAA tournament bid in 2001. She is also well acquainted with Bowdoin's local NESCAC rivals, having coached at Colby and played at Bates where she was a captain and 1,000-point scorer.

"This opportunity is most certainly a dream come true for me," says Shibles. "Growing up in Maine, I have always admired Bowdoin as a united community that truly values the whole person, a place where students are respected for their contributions on the basketball court, in the community and in the classroom.”

Shibles will lead a Polar Bear team that reached the NCAA tournament nine times in 10 seasons under Pemper. They expect to return 11 of 12 letter-winners from the 2007-08 squad that went 19-9 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Bowdoin is the second team to name a new head coach after making the 2008 NCAA Tournament, joining national champion Howard Payne.