Holy Family University women’s basketball head coach Bernadette Laukaitis has officially announced her coaching staff for the upcoming 2019-20 season. Laukaitis, in her first season as head coach, will bring in former alumni Carolyne Heston ’14 and Michael Nichols ’98, while retaining Shea Belte ’10.
“It brings me great joy to bring back three former alumni to Holy Family to serve on my staff,” said Laukaitis. “The three of them bring unique skill-set and knowledge of the game that will be valuable to our success on and off the court this season. I’m really looking forward to working with the three of them this season and beyond.”
Heston returns to Holy Family after spending the previous two seasons at Division I Lehigh University where she served as the Director of Basketball Operations, Assistant to the Director of Recruiting and Coordinator of Team Travel.
While at Lehigh, Heston was responsible for all aspects of day-to-day operations as well as team travel. In addition she helped manage alumnae relationships with current players and directed the women’s basketball Little Dribblers’ Club.
Prior to joining Lehigh she spent two seasons at Division III Penn State Abington as an assistant head coach and was named the interim head coach in October of 2015.
Heston was a four-year member of the women’s basketball team at Holy Family where she appeared in 101 games from 2010-2014. She totaled 516 points and 424 rebounds in her career. She was part of two Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship teams (2012 & 2013) and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament all four years.
Heston graduated from Holy Family in 2014 with a Bachelors Degree in Biology and went on to earn her Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Lehigh in 2018.
Nichols brings over 17 years of coaching experience to Holy Family. He was the head basketball coach of the PA Renegades Basketball Club from 2009-2015. Nichols coached a group of highly motivated and successful boys’ basketball players from various high schools in the Philadelphia Catholic League, Inter-Ac and Suburban Leagues. He assisted players with the NCAA recruiting process and established communications with NCAA Division I, II and III coaches.
Nichols also served as the Junior Varsity Coach and Assistant Varsity Coach at Northeast Catholic High School from 1998-2001. The team was the 2000 Catholic League Northern Division Semifinalist and while at Northeast Catholic coached five All-Catholic Players.
Nichols graduated from Holy Family in 1998 with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. He was a four-year member of the men’s basketball team and served as team captain from 1995-1997. Nichols was also the recipient of the Philadelphia Area Small College Association Sam Cozen Award Winner (1997). The Tigers won the 1995 NAIA Northeast Region Championship and advance to the NAIA National Tournament. Upon graduation, Nichols was part of the men’s basketball staff during the 1997-98 season.
Belte will enter her third season on the women’s basketball staff and has been elevated to assistant coach under Laukaitis after spending the previous two seasons as a volunteer assistant.
Belte was a five-year member of the women’s basketball team from 2005-2010. She was part of two CACC Championships in 2007 and 2008. The Tigers reached the NCAA Division II Tournament all five years of her career, including trips to the regional final in 2008 and 2010. Belte, along with her teammates from the 2007-08 squad, were inducted into the CACC Hall of Fame as part of the 2017-18 Class.
While at Holy Family, Belte served as President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was also the Secretary/Treasurer at the conference level SAAC board. In addition, she was President of the Social Behavioral and Sciences Club and was a member of the Psi Chi National Honor Society.
Belte graduated from Holy Family in 2010 with her Bachelors degree in Psychology with Minors in Sociology and Pre-Law. She also earned her Masters degree from Holy Family in Counseling Psychology. Belte later went on to earn another Masters degree in Higher Education at Drexel University in 2014.
Belte has coaching experience at the high school and AAU level, most recently coaching teams out of New Jersey.
