HAMILTON, N.Y. (8/7/09) - Colgate head basketball coach Pam Bass has announced the hiring of Karen Blair and Kim Foley as the new women’s basketball assistant coaches.
Blair comes to Colgate after ten seasons on the staff at Southern Methodist University, where she was an assistant under head coach Rhonda Rompola.
Blair is a graduate of Southern Methodist University where she earned a degree in both Marketing and Organizational Business Behavior Policy. She was also a three-year starting point guard for the Mustangs basketball team and captain of the squad for the 1997-1999 seasons. During her playing career with the Mustangs, Blair helped lead the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances and captured the Western Athletic Conference Championship during the 1998-99 season.
“Coach Blair is energetic, determined and a proven winner,” commented Bass. “Her communication skills and passion are evident from the first time you interact with her. I am excited to have her working with the program. She will be able to translate her aggressiveness, confidence, and basketball IQ to our student-athletes.”
Blair began her coaching career in 1999 staying on at her alma mater, Southern Methodist, to serve as an assistant. During her coaching tenure with the Mustangs the squad made two WNIT appearances and earned two NCAA bids, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament during the 1999-00 season. The Mustangs also won two regular season conference championships as well as the Conference USA Tournament championship during the 2007-08 season.
Blair’s duties while at Southern Methodist included working with the perimeter players, opponent scouting, national recruiting, camps, compliance liason, coordinating alumni and community events and serving as the Academic Coordinator.
At Colgate, Blair’s main duties will include working as the guard coach and offensive coordinator as well as the recruiting coordinator.
“I want to thank Coach Bass and the athletic department for giving me the opportunity to join the Colgate family,” stated Blair. “Hamilton is a wonderful college town, the campus is simply amazing, and the academic standards are unprecedented. I am excited to have the opportunity to work for a university that is rich with tradition, and I look forward to working with Coach Bass and the entire staff in the development and continued success of the women’s basketball program.”
Foley is making her return to coaching after 6 years in the business sector. A graduate of St. Joseph’s University, Foley was a four year starter for the Hawks, under legendary coach Jim Foster. She still holds the record for career games played and started. She is also currently ranked fifth in career points and rebounds and is fourth in career blocks.
“Coach Foley exudes excellence in all she does,” commented Bass. “Her various experiences as a collegiate player, professional athlete in Australia, and as a head coach are tremendous. It is an honor that she chose Colgate and our program to make her return to the sidelines. She will be a true benefit to our student-athletes.”
During her senior year, Foley was selected as a United States Women’s Basketball Association All-American, Jesuit Colleges’ National Player of the Year and a GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American. Foley has been inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, St. Joseph’s University Athletics Hall of Fame and the Philadelphia Big 5 Hall of Fame.
After graduation, Foley played for four years with the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) in Melbourne and Tasmania, Australia. She was a member of the 1991 Australian National Championship Team and was selected as the league’s first non-Australian Defensive Player of the Year.
Following her time in the WNBL, Foley returned to college basketball as an assistant coach at both Drexel and Central Connecticut State University. Foley was named the head coach at Central Connecticut for the 1996-97 season where she remained until 2002.
In her first season as the Blue Devils’ head coach, Foley led the squad to a second place finish in the Northeast Conference after being selected to finish ninth in the preseason polls. Improving upon her first season, the 1997-98 boasted the biggest turn-around season in the country and the fourth greatest turn-around in NCAA history.
“I am very excited to join Colgate University as part of its Women's Basketball Staff,” stated Foley. “The tremendous combination of prestigious academics and Division I athletics make Colgate a superior choice. I look forward to being part of the Raider family and helping this program to be a force in the Patriot League.”
At Colgate, Foley will serve as the post coach and defensive coordinator and will be involved in all aspects of recruiting.
The Raiders will certainly return to the court this November with an experienced staff. “I am ecstatic to have Coach Blair, Coach Brown, and Coach Foley working with the program next season,” remarked Bass. “All have special experiences and expertise that will help our student-athletes and Colgate Women’s Basketball reach our goals in 2009-2010.”