Head coach Anthony Bozzella has announced a trio of additions to the Seton Hall women’s basketball coaching staff for the upcoming 2017-18 season. Longtime collegiate coach and 1989 Pirate Jose Rebimbas will join the program as the Director of Basketball Operations, while former Pirate Shakena Richardson and Pirate Sports Network alum Christian Pierre-Louis will serve as Coordinators of Basketball Operations.
“I am extremely pleased to be bringing home three Pirates to our women’s basketball family. Jose, Shakena and Christian all exemplify what it means to be a hard-working and dedicated Pirate and will be wonderful additions to the family atmosphere we are continuing to build at Seton Hall,” said Bozzella.
Rebimbas’ return to The Hall is a homecoming, as he was a men’s basketball student athlete from 1986-90. A walk-on out of Seton Hall Prep, Rebimbas made two NCAA Tournament appearances with the Pirates and saw time in the 1989 Final Four victory over Duke.
Following his playing career Rebimbas transitioned into coaching, spending three years as an assistant and interim coach at Montclair State before taking the head men’s basketball job at William Paterson University. In 20 years at the helm of WPU, Rebimbas developed the Pioneers into a Division-III power. From 1995-2015 he compiled an overall record of 384-168 and won six New Jersey Athletic Conference titles. Rebimbas guided William Patterson to the NCAA Tournament nine times, including a Final Four appearance in 1999 and a national title berth in 2001. He was a three-time NJAC Coach of the Year and a four-time Met Basketball Writers Coach of the Year.
Rebimbas made the transition to the women’s game last season, serving as an assistant coach at Fairleigh Dicksinson for the 2016-17 campaign. He graduated from Seton Hall in 1990 with a degree in marketing and earned his master’s degree in general professional education at The Hall in 1992.
Bozzella on Rebimbas: “I have known Jose since we were both undergraduates at Seton Hall nearly 30 years ago. His coaching experience speaks for himself and he has reached the highest peaks of basketball both as a player and a coach. His knowledge of the game will be a tremendous asset to our staff and players – plus it never hurts to have a member of our Final Four Team in the building.”
In his position with the Pirates, Rebimbas will assist the coaching staff with scouting and game plan preparation as well as video exchange and overall program operations.
Richardson returns to The Hall after starring for the Pirates as a graduate transfer during the 2015-16 campaign. The Neptune, N.J. native was an All-BIG EAST and All-Met selection during her lone season in Blue and White, averaging 12.4 points and 5.6 assists per game. She helped the Pirates to the 2016 NCAA Tournament and later became the first WNBA Draft pick in program history as a third round selection of the Dallas Wings.
After playing with the Wings in the WNBA Preseason, Richardson began her professional career in Lithuania before an injury cut her first season short. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida State in criminology and is pursuing a master’s in strategic communications at Seton Hall.
Bozzella on Richardson: “We were blessed to have Shakena in our program for her graduate season and are just as blessed that she will be returning to help mentor our current group of young ladies. Her experience playing for me at the highest level and professionally in the WNBA and overseas make her an ideal role model in our program. The determination, loyalty and hard work she showed during her playing career will continue to be on display as she makes the transition to our staff.”
Pierre-Louis graduated from The Hall in 2017 after serving in a variety of roles in the athletics department as an undergraduate. Most notably, he was a founding member of the Pirate Sports Network and hosted “Posting Up,” a weekly women’s basketball preview show. He also interned with the New York Liberty and New York Giants in video and media relations roles during his time as an undergraduate. Pierre-Louis holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and is pursuing a master’s in strategic communications.
Bozzella on Pierre-Louis: “Christian was one of the hardest working undergraduates I have ever seen in my 25 years as a collegiate coach, so bringing him aboard was a no-brainer. His variety of experience with Seton Hall Athletics through the Pirate Sports Network, the New York Liberty and the New York Giants give him a unique perspective in assisting our staff and players.”
In their roles as Coordinators of Basketball Operations, Richardson and Pierre-Louis will assist the program with travel and meal arrangements, gear distribution, practice planning and overall operations.
