Hartford Hawks women's basketball

Last updated
Hartford Hawks
Basketball current event.svg 2023–24 Hartford Hawks women's basketball team
Hartford Athletics wordmark.svg
University University of Hartford
All-time record577–644 (.473)
Head coachPolly Thomason (2nd season)
Conference Conference of New England
Location West Hartford, Connecticut
Arena Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion
(capacity: 4,017)
Nickname Hawks
ColorsScarlet and white [1]
   
Uniforms
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Home
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Away


NCAA tournament round of 32
2006, 2008
NCAA tournament appearances
2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011
Conference tournament champions
2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011
Conference regular season champions
2006, 2007, 2008, 2010

The Hartford Hawks women's basketball team is the basketball team that represents the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut, United States. The school's team currently competes as in the NCAA Division III Commonwealth Coast Conference.

Contents

History

The school began the women's basketball team in 1975 as a Division III school. The program moved to Division II and was a member of the Northeast-10 Conference (originally Northeast-7) between 1980 and 1984. The school transitioned to Division I in 1984, playing as an independent school in 1984–85, and then becoming part of the Seaboard Conference in 1985–86. The Seaboard Conference became the North Atlantic Conference in 1989, and changed their name to America East in 1996.

2000s

Hartford's most successful run came in the early and mid 2000s under head coach Jen Rizzotti who was hired in 1999. [2] Under Rizzotti, Hartford made 6 NCAA tournament appearances. In 2006 Hartford knocked of the sixth seeded Temple Owls in the first round advancing to the round of the 32 for the first time in program history. [3] Hartford has continued its success under current head coach Kim McNeill, making the 2018 America East championship game. [4]

Division III

On May 6, 2021, the University of Hartford Board of Regents voted to drop its athletic department to Division III. The drop is set to take place no later than September 1, 2025. [5]

Year by year results

SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Nancy Lauritis (DIII)(1975–1976)
1975–76Nancy Lauritis 2–6
Nancy Lauritis:2–6
Roger Wickman (DIII, DII)(1976–1984)
1976–77Roger Wickman 11–2
1977–78Roger Wickman 11–2
1978–79Roger Wickman 8–8
1979–80Roger Wickman 14–3
1980–81Roger Wickman 8–11
1981–82Roger Wickman 7–14
1982–83Roger Wickman 5–18
1983–84Roger Wickman 3–20
Roger Wickman:67–78
Carlos Aldave (Independent/America East Conference)(1984–1986)
1984–85Carlos Aldave 6–18
Division I
1985–86Carlos Aldave 3–231–117th
Carlos Aldave:9–411–11
Jean Walling Murphy (America East)(1986–1990)
1986–87Jean Walling Murphy 7–183–117th
1987–88Jean Walling Murphy 9–186–85th
1988–89Jean Walling Murphy 4–194–87th
1989–90Jean Walling Murphy 4–222–10T-6th
Jean Walling Murphy:24–7715–37
Mark Schmidt (America East)(1990–1992)
1990–91Mark Schmidt 11–185–54th
1991–92Mark Schmidt 9–192–128th
Mark Schmidt:20–377–17
Allison Jones (America East)(1992–1999)
1992–93Allison Jones 11–166–85th
1993–94Allison Jones 9–182–128th
1994–95Allison Jones 7–202–149th
1995–96Allison Jones 15–1310–84th
1996–97Allison Jones 15–1212–64th
1997–98Allison Jones 11–1620–8T-4th
1998–99Allison Jones 8–195–139th
Allison Jones:76–11447–69
Jennifer Rizzotti (America East)(1999–2016)
1999–00Jennifer Rizzotti 14–149–95th
2000–01Jennifer Rizzotti 15–149–94th
2001–02 Jennifer Rizzotti 16–159–75th NCAA first round
2002–03Jennifer Rizzotti 7–215–118th
2003–04Jennifer Rizzotti 18–129–94th
2004–05Jennifer Rizzotti 22–913–52nd NCAA first round
2005–06Jennifer Rizzotti 27–415–11st NCAA second round
2006–07Jennifer Rizzotti 25–915–11st WNIT Second Round
2007–08 Jennifer Rizzotti 28–614–21st NCAA second round
2008–09Jennifer Rizzotti 20–1214–22nd WNIT Second Round
2009–10 Jennifer Rizzotti 27–516–01st NCAA first round
2010–11 Jennifer Rizzotti 17–1511–54th NCAA first round
2011–12 Jennifer Rizzotti 19–1310–63rd WNIT First Round
2012–13 Jennifer Rizzotti 21–1210–63rd WNIT First Round
2013–14 Jennifer Rizzotti 13–189–75th
2014–15 Jennifer Rizzotti 16–178–85th
2015–16 Jennifer Rizzotti 11–197–96th
Jennifer Rizzotii:316–216183–97
Kim McNeill (America East)(2016–2019)
2016–17 Kim McNeill 17–147–96th
2017–18 Kim McNeill 19–139–76th
2018–19 Kim McNeill 23–1114–22nd WNIT First Round
Kim McNeill:59–3830–18
Morgan Valley (America East)(2019–2021)
2019–20 Morgan Valley 1–281–158th
2020–21 Morgan Valley 3–93–9T-9th
Morgan Valley:4–374–24
Melissa L. Hodgdon (America East)(2021–2022)
2021–22 Melissa L. Hodgdon 4–264–14
Melissa L. Hodgdon:4–264–14
Polly Thomason (Independent)(2022–2023)
2022–23 Polly Thomason 2–250–0
Division III
Polly Thomason (Commonwealth Coast Conference)(2023–present)
2023–24 Polly Thomason 11–147–11
Polly Thomason:13–397–11
Total:590–683

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Postseason

NCAA Division I tournament results

YearSeedRoundOpponentResult
2002 (16)First Round(1) Oklahoma L 52–84
2005 (14)First Round(3) Rutgers L 37–62
2006 (11)First Round
Second Round		(6) Temple
(3) Georgia 		W 64–58
L 54–73
2008 (10)First Round
Second Round		(7) Syracuse
(2) Texas A&M 		W 59–55
L 39–63
2010 (10)First Round(7) LSU L 39–60
2011 (16)First Round(1) Connecticut L 39–75

WNIT results

YearRoundOpponentResult
2007 First Round
Second Round		 Bucknell
South Carolina 		W 70–54
L 40–81
2009 Second Round St. John's L 59–70
2012 First Round Syracuse L 42–59
2013 First Round Harvard L 57–61
2019 First Round Providence L 54–71

Notable players

Danielle Hood, basketball player for the University of Hartford women's basketball team. Taken at fundraiser, where she was the featured speaker. Danielle Hood cropped.jpg
Danielle Hood, basketball player for the University of Hartford women's basketball team. Taken at fundraiser, where she was the featured speaker.

Head coaches

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References

  1. ↑ University of Hartford Brand Identity Guide . Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Rizzotti To Coach Hartford Women". Associated Press. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Rizzotti's Hawks knock off Temple". newstimes. 20 March 2006. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Hartford Wiped Out By Dominant Quarter In America East Final". Hartford Courant. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  5. ↑ "University of Hartford Votes to Drop Athletic Department to Division III". Sports Illustrated . May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Uhart's Hood Released". Hartford Courant. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  7. ↑ "PSU Women's Basketball Coach earns Hall of Fame nod". Plymouth State University. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Bridgeport's Beverly inducted to New England Basketball Hall of Fame". CTPost. 22 June 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Women's Coach For Hawks Resigns". Hartford Courant. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  10. ↑ "After 316 Wins At UHart, Jen Rizzotti Leaving To Coach At George Washington". Hartford Courant. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Hartford Hires UVA's Kim McNeill As Women's Basketball Coach To Replace Jen Rizzotti". Hartford Courant. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  12. ↑ "UConn alum Morgan Valley introduced as University of Hartford women's basketball coach". Hartford Courant. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
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