| Lori Gear McBride played on a Division I national
championship team at North Carolina. Colby athletics photo |
Colby coach Lori Gear McBride has been named head women's basketball coach at Division I Vermont.
"We are excited to have Lori Gear McBride assume the leadership of our women's basketball program. We know that, under her direction, our student-athletes will continue to be outstanding representatives of our university, focused on excellence in their academic work and on the basketball court," said athletic director Robert Corran.
"Lori's predecessors have set a high standard for the women's basketball program but she has shown the qualities and character needed to take the program to even greater heights. We are honored to introduce her as the newest member of our community and look forward with much anticipation to the 2010-2011 season and the years ahead."
Gear McBride inherited a Colby team that had posted losing seasons in three of the previous four years, and quickly turned the program into an NCAA Tournament contender.
"I want to thank Dr. Corran and the search committee for providing this opportunity. Vermont is a program I have revered since my childhood. I grew up watching and following the program and I will work tirelessly to continue its tradition of excellence in every facet of the student-athlete experience."
"I am very excited to not only lead the women's basketball program at Vermont, but to embrace the wonderful community that supports the program. I look forward to being involved in the greater Burlington area and becoming a part of the Vermont athletics family."
Gear McBride joins another former Division III basketball coach at Vermont, as Mike Lonergan, who won a D-III national championship at Catholic U., is men's basketball coach.
This past season she led the Mules to a 24-5 record, setting a school record for most wins. Colby was ranked second in New England, the highest ranking the program has achieved, and also earned its first-ever D3hoops.com national ranking in 2009-10.
Christine Clancy has been named interim coach at Colby: “I’m really excited for this opportunity. It’s really a dream job for me. It’s going to be great to lead this group of players. They are so much fun to work with and they work so hard.”
Colby, which returns nine of the 11 players on last year’s roster, made the NCAA tourney for the first time. Colby is 37-17 in the two years Clancy has been an assistant.