Joan Bonvicini
Encyclopedia
Joan Bonvicini is the current head coach for the Seattle University women's basketball team, the Redhawks, and one of only 18 coaches in Division I women's basketball history with 600 career victories. She was head coach at the University of Arizona
for 17 seasons, leading the Wildcats to the Women's National Invitation Tournament
championship in 1996. She was fired by Arizona on March 17, 2008 with one year left on her contract, after a disappointing 10-20 record in her final season. Before joining Arizona in 1991, she coached the Long Beach State 49ers
to a 325-71 mark over 12 seasons. During her tenure, the 49ers won at least 24 games each season, winning 10 Big West Conference
titles and making 10 consecutive NCAA Tournament
appearances, including Final Four
appearances in 1987 and 1988.
Bonvicini is the all-time most successful coach in the history of University of Arizona
. She guided the Wildcats to nine post-season appearances, including one Women's National Invitation Tournament
championship. The Wildcats finished in the upper echelon of the Pacific-10 Conference nine years under her direction. In February 2007, Bonvicini reached the 600 win milestone, becoming the 18th coach in NCAA Division I women's basketball history to reach this mark.
She coached many talented players at Long Beach, including LaTaunya Pollard, the 1983 Wade Trophy
winner, 3-time 1st team All-American, 1980 Olympic Team member, and member of the women's basketball hall of fame; 2-time 1st team All-American and 1988 U.S. Olympic Team member Cindy Brown; 1985 1st team All-American Kirsten Cummings; and 2-time 1st team All-American Penny Toler
, the current general manager of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks
.
At Arizona, she coached one All-American, five honorable mention All-American selections, one Pacific-10 Player of the Year, and 14 Academic All-Pacific-10 selections.
Entering the 2009-10 season, Bonvicini held a career mark of 612-294 as a head coach, including a 287-223 record at Arizona. In Arizona's 2003-04 season, she led the Wildcats to a perfect home record and a regular season Pacific-10 title.
She is a 1975 graduate of Southern Connecticut State University
, where, as a guard, she led her team to third and fourth place in the AIAW tournament
(the AIAW existed prior to the NCAA allowing women to compete for national titles). Bonvicini was a finalist for the 1976 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team
.
Bonvicini was inducted as a player into the Southern Connecticut State University
Hall of Fame in 1989, the Connecticut Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994 and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. In October 1996, she was inducted as a coach into the Long Beach State Hall of Fame. Bonvicini began her coaching career under the wing of two of the game's finest coaches: Darlene May of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
and Frances Schaafsma
of California State University, Long Beach
.
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
for 17 seasons, leading the Wildcats to the Women's National Invitation Tournament
Women's National Invitation Tournament
The Women's National Invitation Tournament , formerly the National Women's Invitation Tournament, is a college basketball tournament with a preseason and postseason version played every year...
championship in 1996. She was fired by Arizona on March 17, 2008 with one year left on her contract, after a disappointing 10-20 record in her final season. Before joining Arizona in 1991, she coached the Long Beach State 49ers
Long Beach State 49ers
'An NCAA Division I member, Long Beach State has 18 sports teams and plays competitively in baseball, cross country, softball, track and field, women's tennis, and women's soccer, as well as both men's and women's basketball, volleyball, water polo and golf teams...
to a 325-71 mark over 12 seasons. During her tenure, the 49ers won at least 24 games each season, winning 10 Big West Conference
Big West Conference
The Big West Conference is an NCAA-affiliated Division I mid-major college athletic conference. When the conference began in 1969, its name was the Pacific Coast Athletic Association . After nineteen years, in 1988, its name was changed to the Big West Conference. The conference stopped...
titles and making 10 consecutive NCAA Tournament
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
appearances, including Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
appearances in 1987 and 1988.
Bonvicini is the all-time most successful coach in the history of University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
. She guided the Wildcats to nine post-season appearances, including one Women's National Invitation Tournament
Women's National Invitation Tournament
The Women's National Invitation Tournament , formerly the National Women's Invitation Tournament, is a college basketball tournament with a preseason and postseason version played every year...
championship. The Wildcats finished in the upper echelon of the Pacific-10 Conference nine years under her direction. In February 2007, Bonvicini reached the 600 win milestone, becoming the 18th coach in NCAA Division I women's basketball history to reach this mark.
She coached many talented players at Long Beach, including LaTaunya Pollard, the 1983 Wade Trophy
Wade Trophy
The Wade Trophy is an award presented annually to the best women's basketball player in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition. It is named after three–time national champion Delta State University coach Lily Margaret Wade. The award debuted in 1978 as the first–ever...
winner, 3-time 1st team All-American, 1980 Olympic Team member, and member of the women's basketball hall of fame; 2-time 1st team All-American and 1988 U.S. Olympic Team member Cindy Brown; 1985 1st team All-American Kirsten Cummings; and 2-time 1st team All-American Penny Toler
Penny Toler
Penny Toler was a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player. She is currently the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks.-College years:...
, the current general manager of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
.
At Arizona, she coached one All-American, five honorable mention All-American selections, one Pacific-10 Player of the Year, and 14 Academic All-Pacific-10 selections.
Entering the 2009-10 season, Bonvicini held a career mark of 612-294 as a head coach, including a 287-223 record at Arizona. In Arizona's 2003-04 season, she led the Wildcats to a perfect home record and a regular season Pacific-10 title.
She is a 1975 graduate of Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University is one of four state universities in Connecticut, and is located in the West Rock neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut...
, where, as a guard, she led her team to third and fourth place in the AIAW tournament
AIAW Women's Basketball Tournament
-1973 tournament:The 1973 AIAW Women's Basketball Tournament was held on March 22–25, 1973. The host site was Queens College in Flushing, New York...
(the AIAW existed prior to the NCAA allowing women to compete for national titles). Bonvicini was a finalist for the 1976 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
.
Bonvicini was inducted as a player into the Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University is one of four state universities in Connecticut, and is located in the West Rock neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut...
Hall of Fame in 1989, the Connecticut Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994 and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. In October 1996, she was inducted as a coach into the Long Beach State Hall of Fame. Bonvicini began her coaching career under the wing of two of the game's finest coaches: Darlene May of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, or Cal Poly Pomona, is a public university located in Pomona, California, United States...
and Frances Schaafsma
Frances Schaafsma
Dr. Frances M. Schaafsma was a pioneer in women's sports in both basketball and volleyball, as well as a pioneer in collegiate athletics administration for female athletes. Her books on these two sports were among the first and best-known...
of California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
.