Dawley brings winning tradition to UMass
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AMHERST - University of Massachusetts athletic director John McCutcheon has enough confidence that Sharon Dawley can turn around his struggling women's basketball program that he gave her the longest contract of any coach he's hired at UMass.
The former Vermont coach, who was introduced at a press conference in the Mullins Center on Tuesday, signed a seven-year deal. Further details of Dawley's contract will be released once they are final.
Dawley, who led Vermont to the last two NCAA Tournaments, said she expects to continue to win at UMass.
"It's a great opportunity. It's a phenomenal school," she said. "The groundwork is here. The facilities, the conference. I don't see anything that says we can't win here.
"... I watched Xavier get two layups (away from making) the Final Four," she added. "We have that possibility here. It's not something I could turn down."
McCutcheon said his list started with 20 names, which quickly expanded to 40. He said he spoke with or interviewed eight of those candidates before deciding on Dawley.
"I am extremely pleased that Sharon is joining us," said McCutcheon. "She has a proven record of success and is highly respected by her peers. We are very excited about the future of UMass women's basketball.
"She's had a track record of success wherever she's been," he added. "She takes a very organized approach in planning what's she's going to do. That came through in her interview."
Dawley, the 10th head coach in the history of the UMass women's program, succeeds Marnie Dacko whose contract was not renewed after eight years in which her teams went 98-135.
Dawley met with her Vermont team Monday night to inform the players that she was departing. She met with the Minutewomen Tuesday morning.
"I have one goal right now, to let the returners and the incoming freshmen know that I am here for them 24/7 and I can't wait to get going," she said.
Dawley said she is not sure if she would attempt to sign any new players for next season.
"It's not too late. There will be unsigned people out there," she said. "It's a matter of are they what we need? If they're not exactly what we need, we'll wait."
In seven seasons at Vermont, Dawley's teams went 128-86, including 27-7 in 2009-10. The Catamounts won the last two America East Tournament titles.
Overall in 16 years as a head coach, including nine years at Tufts University, Dawley guided her teams to a record of 265-148.
Dawley said she expects some of her Vermont staff to join her in Amherst, but is not yet sure which ones. Her associate head coach Steve Lanpher could be a candidate to replace her in Burlington.
Dawley said her team will play an up-tempo offense, but she considers herself a defensive coach at heart. She said all of her defensive principles are based on playing man-to-man, but she will use match-ups zones and other "junk" defenses to keep opponents off balance.
"I love that end of the floor," said Dawley. "As I get older I get more and more into defense. That's where we have all the fun."
She listed the characteristics she wants in her team.
"I would get excited when people would say this team is hard-nosed," she said. "This team is tough. This team gets after it. This team wins 50-50 balls. This team rebounds and most of all this team plays together."
UMass junior forward Cerie Mosgrove said she filled out an NCAA Women's Tournament bracket to test her powers of prediction. In the Kansas City Region she picked No. 10 Vermont to upset No. 7 Wisconsin.
The Catamounts did just that, getting their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory with a 64-55 win before losing in the next round to Notre Dame.
Mosgrove, who saw the Catamounts up close when they beat UMass 57-38 in Amherst on Dec. 9, said she liked the way they played under Dawley.
When Dawley was named the head coach of the Minutewomen, Mosgrove was excited.
"I always thought her teams were well coached so I wasn't surprised when they beat Wisconsin. I had Vermont winning that game," Mosgrove said. "I think she can bring a lot to the table here. It's a very positive change. We're all very excited to move forward and get this thing going."
Junior Megan Zullo, who will be playing for her third coach after transferring from North Carolina State after her freshman season, said she is encouraged by her early impressions of Dawley.
"She seems awesome. We're excited to get everything started," Zullo said. "She definitely knows what she's talking about and I'm excited to have her as a coach."
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Follow UMass coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/GazetteUMass. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at http://www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage.
