Wake Forest head women’s basketball coach Jen Hoover announced that Lisa Cermignano has joined the Demon Deacon staff as an assistant coach.

Coming to Winston-Salem with over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, Cermignano will work primarily with the guards along with recently hired assistant coach Jermaine Woods.

“I am grateful to Jen Hoover for the opportunity to work in the most respected conference in basketball,” said Cermignano. “I am even more excited about joining the Wake Forest University family. For decades, the basketball programs at Wake Forest have established a reputation for their competitive play and graduating student-athletes with good character. I am proud to be associated with Wake Forest women’s basketball and this kind of legacy.”

Cermignano joins the Deacs following a four-year stint as the head coach at Wagner College in Staten Island, New York. Prior to her time at Wagner, Cermignano served stints as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois, Vanderbilt University and George Washington University, her alma mater. At those three schools, Cermignano’s teams played in the NCAA Tournament seven times, including a pair of Sweet 16 appearances while at Vanderbilt.

The 2010 Fighting Illini made a run to the quarterfinal of the 2010 WNIT as Cermignano coached three individuals to a total of four All-Big Ten honorees during her time in Champaign, including Jenna Smith, who ended her time as the all-time leading scorer in Illinois history and was a second-round draft pick in the 2010 WNBA draft by Washington.

 

Along with the Commodores’ three NCAA tournament appearances and two Sweet 16 berths, Cermignano helped lead Vanderbilt to a pair of SEC Tournament titles, claiming the 2007 and 2009 conference championships. Four student-athletes were taken in the WNBA draft during Cermignano’s tenure, including Carla Thomas who was the 10th overall selection in the 2007 WNBA Draft.

“We are thrilled to add Lisa to our staff at Wake Forest,” said Hoover. “She brings valuable experience, quality relationships and extensive knowledge to our program. Her success on the recruiting trail and in the NCAA Tournament speaks for itself.”

In her four years at George Washington as an assistant coach (2002-2006), Cermignano’s squads were both NCAA Tournament participants and Atlantic 10 regular season champions all four years, while also claiming the Atlantic 10 Tournament title in 2003. Cermignano guided Kimberly Beck to A10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the year honors prior to being drafted by the Seattle Storm in the third round of the 2008 WNBA Draft. She also coached Anna Montanana Gimeno, who played in the WNBA for the Minnesota Lynx and was a member of the fifth-place Spanish national team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Cermignano also spent the 2001-02 season as staff as the Director of Basketball Operations.

Prior to George Washington, Cermignano spent time at Monmouth University and the University of Maryland, serving as an assistant coach at each stop.

“I’ve known Lisa since she was a player at GW and I have a ton of respect for her, not only as a coach but as a person. Her work ethic and passion for developing the complete student-athlete is evident in all she does. Lisa is a wonderful person of high character and will fit our Wake Forest Family perfectly,” added Hoover.

One of the most decorated players in George Washington history, Cermignano was inducted into the George Washington Hall of Fame in 2008 following a career in which she led the team to NCAA appearances in all four years, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 1995 and to the Elite Eight in 1997. A member of the 1,000-point club (1,278), Cermignano was a three-year starter and a tri-captain for the 1997-98 season. During her four years of playing, the Colonials posted a record of 103-27.

http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/061517aab.html

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