Anne Donovan
Encyclopedia
Anne Donovan (born November 1, 1961 in Ridgewood, New Jersey
) is an American retired basketball player and the current head coach of the women's basketball team at Seton Hall University
. She was formerly an assistant coach, then interim head coach of the New York Liberty
of the WNBA
. She is the only person to have both played to a national women's college title and coached a team to a professional title. She is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
.
Donovan joined the New York Liberty as an assistant coach in the spring of 2009, then took over as interim head coach of the Liberty on July 31, 2009. She accepted the women's basketball head coaching position at Seton Hall on March 29, 2010, although she completed the 2010 season with the Liberty.
in Paramus, New Jersey
. The six-foot-one--at the time--Donovan led her high school team to consecutive undefeated seasons, including two state championships. She averaged 25 points per game and 17 rebounds her senior year.
. Despite the personal plea, she chose to follow Nancy Lieberman
to ODU. At Old Dominion University
(ODU), the center led the Lady Monarchs to the 1979-80 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women
basketball championship. She was the first female Naismith College Player of the Year
in 1983. She set ODU career marks for points (2,719), rebounds (1,976), and blocked shots (801), and seasonal marks for most games played (38), most minutes played (1,159), most field goals (377), and field goal percentage (.640). She averaged a double-double for her entire career, with 20 points and 14½ rebounds per game. Donovan's 50 points in a single game against Norfolk State on December 11, 1980 is still a school record, while her 801 career blocked shots is still best in NCAA history.
While at ODU, Donovan helped the Lady Monarchs win the 1980 AIAW national title (their second straight) with a 37-1 record. She has ten blocks and seventeen rebounds in their win over Tennessee. In 1981, ODU finished third in the AIAW National Tournament, having compiled a 28-7 record.
The first two NCAA Women's Final Fours (1982 and 1983) were hosted by ODU at Scope
in Norfolk, Va. In 1982, Old Dominion (28-7) lost to Kansas St. in the East Regional Semifinals
. In Donovan's senior year, the Lady Monarchs (29-6) advanced to the 1983 Final Four
in their home town, but lost 71-55 in the National Semifinals to their then arch rivals from Louisiana Tech.
and Modena, Italy from 1984 to 1989.
from 1995–1997, reaching the Colonial Athletic Association finals against her alma mater, Old Dominion. Her coaching career moved to the pro ranks via a brief stint with the American Basketball League's Philadelphia Rage
in 1997–1998. As the ABL folded, she joined the rival WNBA as an assistant coach for the expansion Indiana Fever
. With coach Nell Fortner
leading the U.S. Olympic team, Donovan served as interim head coach for the Fever for the 2000 season. She then led the Charlotte Sting
to the WNBA Finals
in 2001, losing to the Los Angeles Sparks
. In 2002, she led the Sting o an 18-14 record, losing to the Washington Mystics
in the first round of playoffs.
Donovan was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995, and as part of the inaugural class of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
In 2003, Donovan was hired as the second head coach of the Seattle Storm
, inheriting a team with two number one draft picks from 2001 and 2002, the Australian Lauren Jackson
and University of Connecticut
star Sue Bird
. In her first year, Donovan's team narrowly missed the playoffs, but in 2004, after Donovan became director of player personnel and added Betty Lennox
, the Storm earned the city of Seattle its first national championship in 25 years. As of this writing, Donavon is the only female coach in to win an WNBA championship since the league's inception in 1997.
In the 2005 season, in which Donovan became the first female coach to win 100 games, the Storm made the playoffs but lost in the first round. At season's end, Donovan's contract was extended to keep her in Seattle for several years.
With her 120th victory on August 6, 2006, she became the coach with the third most WNBA victories, passing former Los Angeles Sparks
coach Michael Cooper. She trails only Van Chancellor
and Richie Adubato
in victories.
On November 30, 2007 Anne resigned from her position of head coach of the Seattle Storm
.
On April 28, 2009 Anne was appointed as an Assistant Coach for the New York Liberty
. She assumed the title of Interim Head Coach of the Liberty on July 31, 2009, replacing former head coach Pat Coyle.
On March 31, 2010 Donovan was announced as the head coach of Seton Hall University woman's team.
On November 6, 2010 Donovan recorded her first win as the head coach of Seton Hall's women's team as the Pirates defeated the Temple Owls
by a score of 72-59 at Walsh Gymnasium
.
, she earned gold medal
s in 1984 and 1988. Her team did not go to the Olympics in 1980, due to the 1980 Olympic boycott
.
Donovon also played on two USA Women's Pan American Team
s. She played on the 1983 team, winning the gold in Venezuela, and on the 1987 team winning the gold in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Donovan was selected to represent the USA at the inaugural Goodwill games, held in Moscow
in July 1986. North Carolina State's Kay Yow
served as head coach. The team opened up with a 72–53 of Yugoslavia, and followed that with a 21 point win over Brazil 91–70, with Donovan leading the team scoring with 20 points. The third game was against Czechoslovakia and would be much closer. Donovan was one of the scoring leaders in this game, scoring 15 points to help the USA to a 78–70 victory. The USA faced Bulgaria in the semi-final match up, and again won, this time 67–58. This setup the final against the Soviet Union, led by 7-foot-2 Ivilana Semenova, considered the most dominant player in the world. The Soviet team, had a 152–2 record in major international competition over the prior three decades, including an 84–82 win over the USA in the 1983 World Championships. The Soviets held the early edge, leading 21–19 at one time, before the USA went on a scoring run to take a large lead they would never relinquish. The final score was 83–60 in favor of the USA, earning the gold medal for the USA squad. For the entire event, Donovan averaged eleven points, tied for third leading scorer with Katrina McClain Johnson
.
Donovan continued to represent the USA with National team at the 1986 World Championship, held in Moscow, a month after the Goodwill games in Moscow. The USA team was even more dominant this time. The early games were won easily, and the semifinal against Canada, while the closest game for the USA so far, ended up an 82–59 victory. At the same time, the Soviet team was winning easily as well, and the final game pitted two teams each with 6–0 records. The Soviet team, having lost only once at home, wanted to show that the Goodwill games setback was a fluke. The USA team started by scoring the first eight points, and raced to a 45–23 lead, although the Soviets fought back and reduced the halftime margin to 13. The USA went on a 15—1 run in the second half to out the game away, and ended up winning the gold medal with a score of 108–88. Donovan was one of five double-digit scorers in the game with 16 points.
In January 2006, USA Basketball
named Donovan head coach of the 2008 Beijing Olympics US women's team. She had been the assistant coach of the team four years earlier. Her USA team won the Gold medal, beating Australia.
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...
) is an American retired basketball player and the current head coach of the women's basketball team at Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
. She was formerly an assistant coach, then interim head coach of the New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
of the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
. She is the only person to have both played to a national women's college title and coached a team to a professional title. She is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
.
Donovan joined the New York Liberty as an assistant coach in the spring of 2009, then took over as interim head coach of the Liberty on July 31, 2009. She accepted the women's basketball head coaching position at Seton Hall on March 29, 2010, although she completed the 2010 season with the Liberty.
High school
Donovan attended Paramus Catholic High SchoolParamus Catholic High School
Paramus Catholic High School is a co-educational Roman Catholic high school located in Paramus in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The school, founded in 1965, is one of several high schools in the Archdiocese of Newark...
in Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
. The six-foot-one--at the time--Donovan led her high school team to consecutive undefeated seasons, including two state championships. She averaged 25 points per game and 17 rebounds her senior year.
College
Donovan, now 6' 8", was the most recruited player in the nation going into college. Only two years earlier, Anne's talented sister Mary received only a handful of offers before going to Penn State. In 1979, Anne would receive offers from more than 250 schools, including a recruiting pitch from Penn State's Joe PaternoJoe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
. Despite the personal plea, she chose to follow Nancy Lieberman
Nancy Lieberman
Nancy Elizabeth Lieberman , nicknamed "Lady Magic", is a former professional basketball player who played and coached in the WNBA.Lieberman is regarded as one of the greatest figures in women's basketball....
to ODU. At Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
(ODU), the center led the Lady Monarchs to the 1979-80 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women
Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women
The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships. It evolved out of the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women . The association was one of the biggest...
basketball championship. She was the first female Naismith College Player of the Year
Naismith College Player of the Year
The Naismith College Player of the Year is an annual basketball award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the top men's and women's collegiate basketball players. It is named in honor of the inventor of basketball , Dr. James Naismith....
in 1983. She set ODU career marks for points (2,719), rebounds (1,976), and blocked shots (801), and seasonal marks for most games played (38), most minutes played (1,159), most field goals (377), and field goal percentage (.640). She averaged a double-double for her entire career, with 20 points and 14½ rebounds per game. Donovan's 50 points in a single game against Norfolk State on December 11, 1980 is still a school record, while her 801 career blocked shots is still best in NCAA history.
While at ODU, Donovan helped the Lady Monarchs win the 1980 AIAW national title (their second straight) with a 37-1 record. She has ten blocks and seventeen rebounds in their win over Tennessee. In 1981, ODU finished third in the AIAW National Tournament, having compiled a 28-7 record.
The first two NCAA Women's Final Fours (1982 and 1983) were hosted by ODU at Scope
Norfolk Scope
Norfolk Scope is a multipurpose culture, entertainment, convention and sports arena at the northern perimeter of downtown Norfolk, Virginia, designed by Italian architect/engineer Pier Luigi Nervi in conjunction with the local firm of Williams and Tazewell...
in Norfolk, Va. In 1982, Old Dominion (28-7) lost to Kansas St. in the East Regional Semifinals
1982 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1982 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament was the first NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament ever held. It featured 32 teams. Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Cheyney, and Maryland met in the Final Four, held at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia and hosted by Old Dominion University,...
. In Donovan's senior year, the Lady Monarchs (29-6) advanced to the 1983 Final Four
1983 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1983 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament began on March 18 and concluded on April 3 with USC winning the title. The tournament consisted of 36 teams. The Final Four was held in Norfolk, Virginia and consisted of USC, Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, and Georgia...
in their home town, but lost 71-55 in the National Semifinals to their then arch rivals from Louisiana Tech.
Pro career
As there were few professional opportunities for women basketball players in the U.S., Donovan played pro ball in Shizuoka, JapanShizuoka, Shizuoka
is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in terms of both population and area. It became one of Japan's 19 "designated cities" in 2005.-Geography:...
and Modena, Italy from 1984 to 1989.
Coaching career
Upon her retirement as a player, she became an assistant coach at ODU from 1989–1995, then head coach at East Carolina UniversityEast Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
from 1995–1997, reaching the Colonial Athletic Association finals against her alma mater, Old Dominion. Her coaching career moved to the pro ranks via a brief stint with the American Basketball League's Philadelphia Rage
Philadelphia Rage
The Richmond Rage, which after one year relocated to become the Philadelphia Rage, were one of the eight original franchises of the American Basketball League , a women's professional basketball league...
in 1997–1998. As the ABL folded, she joined the rival WNBA as an assistant coach for the expansion Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
. With coach Nell Fortner
Nell Fortner
Nell Fortner is the current women's college basketball coach at Auburn. She is most well known for leading the 2000 Olympics team to a gold medal. She has received numerous awards including the 1997 National Coach of the Year, the 2000 USA Basketball Coach of the Year and the 2008 SEC Coach of the...
leading the U.S. Olympic team, Donovan served as interim head coach for the Fever for the 2000 season. She then led the Charlotte Sting
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
to the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
in 2001, losing to the 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...
. In 2002, she led the Sting o an 18-14 record, losing to the Washington Mystics
Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...
in the first round of playoffs.
Donovan was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995, and as part of the inaugural class of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
In 2003, Donovan was hired as the second head coach of the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, inheriting a team with two number one draft picks from 2001 and 2002, the Australian Lauren Jackson
Lauren Jackson
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. Jackson began her professional career at the Australian Institute of Sport in the WNBL before moving on to the Canberra Capitals. She is currently a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the Australian...
and University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
star Sue Bird
Sue Bird
Suzanne Brigit "Sue" Bird is an American professional women's basketball player for the Seattle Storm and WBC Spartak Moscow Region....
. In her first year, Donovan's team narrowly missed the playoffs, but in 2004, after Donovan became director of player personnel and added Betty Lennox
Betty Lennox
Betty Bernice Lennox is an American professional basketball player most recently playing for the Tulsa Shock in the WNBA. Her nicknames include "Betty Basketball," "Betty Big Buckets," and her most popular nickname "B-Money."-Childhood:Betty grew up in the small town of Grant, OK. Daughter of...
, the Storm earned the city of Seattle its first national championship in 25 years. As of this writing, Donavon is the only female coach in to win an WNBA championship since the league's inception in 1997.
In the 2005 season, in which Donovan became the first female coach to win 100 games, the Storm made the playoffs but lost in the first round. At season's end, Donovan's contract was extended to keep her in Seattle for several years.
With her 120th victory on August 6, 2006, she became the coach with the third most WNBA victories, passing former 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...
coach Michael Cooper. She trails only Van Chancellor
Van Chancellor
Van Chancellor is the former Louisiana State University women's basketball coach. He was named head coach on April 11, 2007, replacing Pokey Chatman. In 2001, Van Chancellor was elected to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Knoxville, Tennessee...
and Richie Adubato
Richie Adubato
Richard Adam "Richie" Adubato was a basketball coach in the National Basketball Association. He has served as head coach for three NBA teams: the Detroit Pistons, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Orlando Magic...
in victories.
On November 30, 2007 Anne resigned from her position of head coach of the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
.
On April 28, 2009 Anne was appointed as an Assistant Coach for the New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
. She assumed the title of Interim Head Coach of the Liberty on July 31, 2009, replacing former head coach Pat Coyle.
On March 31, 2010 Donovan was announced as the head coach of Seton Hall University woman's team.
On November 6, 2010 Donovan recorded her first win as the head coach of Seton Hall's women's team as the Pirates defeated the Temple Owls
Temple Owls
Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has a very long-running athletic program. The school's sports teams are called the Owls, originating from the university's early days as a night school. The current athletic director is Bill Bradshaw....
by a score of 72-59 at Walsh Gymnasium
Walsh Gymnasium
Walsh Gymnasium is a multi-purpose arena in South Orange, New Jersey. The arena opened in 1939 and can seat 2,600 people. It was home to the Seton Hall University Pirates men's basketball team before they moved to Continental Airlines Arena and then the Prudential Center...
.
USA Basketball
A three-time OlympianOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, she earned gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s in 1984 and 1988. Her team did not go to the Olympics in 1980, due to the 1980 Olympic boycott
American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott of the Moscow Olympics was a part of a package of actions initiated by the United States to protest the Soviet war in Afghanistan...
.
Donovon also played on two USA Women's Pan American Team
USA Women's Pan American Team
The Pan American Team is one of the teams under the auspices of the USA Basketball organization. The Pan American Games are held every four years in the year before the Olympics. The first Pan American Games were held in 1951, but those games were men only. The Second Pan American games in 1955...
s. She played on the 1983 team, winning the gold in Venezuela, and on the 1987 team winning the gold in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Donovan was selected to represent the USA at the inaugural Goodwill games, held in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in July 1986. North Carolina State's Kay Yow
Kay Yow
Sandra Kay Yow was an American basketball coach. She was the head coach of the NC State Wolfpack women's basketball team from 1975 to 2009. A member of the Naismith Hall of Fame, she had more than 700 career wins. She also coached the U.S...
served as head coach. The team opened up with a 72–53 of Yugoslavia, and followed that with a 21 point win over Brazil 91–70, with Donovan leading the team scoring with 20 points. The third game was against Czechoslovakia and would be much closer. Donovan was one of the scoring leaders in this game, scoring 15 points to help the USA to a 78–70 victory. The USA faced Bulgaria in the semi-final match up, and again won, this time 67–58. This setup the final against the Soviet Union, led by 7-foot-2 Ivilana Semenova, considered the most dominant player in the world. The Soviet team, had a 152–2 record in major international competition over the prior three decades, including an 84–82 win over the USA in the 1983 World Championships. The Soviets held the early edge, leading 21–19 at one time, before the USA went on a scoring run to take a large lead they would never relinquish. The final score was 83–60 in favor of the USA, earning the gold medal for the USA squad. For the entire event, Donovan averaged eleven points, tied for third leading scorer with Katrina McClain Johnson
Katrina McClain Johnson
Katrina McClain Johnson, born September 19, 1965 in Charleston, South Carolina, is a retired American basketball player.-College years:...
.
Donovan continued to represent the USA with National team at the 1986 World Championship, held in Moscow, a month after the Goodwill games in Moscow. The USA team was even more dominant this time. The early games were won easily, and the semifinal against Canada, while the closest game for the USA so far, ended up an 82–59 victory. At the same time, the Soviet team was winning easily as well, and the final game pitted two teams each with 6–0 records. The Soviet team, having lost only once at home, wanted to show that the Goodwill games setback was a fluke. The USA team started by scoring the first eight points, and raced to a 45–23 lead, although the Soviets fought back and reduced the halftime margin to 13. The USA went on a 15—1 run in the second half to out the game away, and ended up winning the gold medal with a score of 108–88. Donovan was one of five double-digit scorers in the game with 16 points.
In January 2006, USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
named Donovan head coach of the 2008 Beijing Olympics US women's team. She had been the assistant coach of the team four years earlier. Her USA team won the Gold medal, beating Australia.
Awards and honors
- Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American while at ODU.
- Inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-American Hall of Fame in 1994.
- Inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
- Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.
- Inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
- Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of FameWomen's Basketball Hall of FameThe Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
in 1999 - Inducted into the New Jersey Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 2000.
- Received the NCAA 25 Year Award on January 13, 2008.
- On October 24, 2004, she was named by the Sun Belt Conference as its All-Time Women's basketball Player.
- Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the 109th commencement ceremony (December 13, 2008) from Old Dominion University in recognition of her recent and past contributions to Women's Basketball.
- In May 2009, she was named to the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, which honors athletes, coaches and administrators who contributed to sports in southeastern Chicago.