The Columbia women’s basketball program announced that it has hired Allie Bassetti to the position of assistant coach on Tuesday. Bassetti was most recently the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the women’s basketball program at Manhattan College.
“I am thrilled to welcome Allie to our Lion family,” Columbia head coach Megan Griffith ’07CC said. “She is a coach that I have had great admiration for because of her professionalism, passion for the game and belief in empowering women. She takes great pride in teaching, which is evident in the players she has coached and developed. Allie also has a great reputation as a recruiter and has strong regional ties. We are ready to get to work!”
In six years at Manhattan College, Bassetti helped head coach Heather Vulin develop a team that won eight games during her first season into a 21-game winner in the 2021-22 campaign. Bassetti was promoted to the roles of recruiting coordinator and defensive coordinator in 2019. In those new roles, she was responsible for managing and delegating all of the program’s recruiting efforts, as well as designing and implementing specific practice plans, film sessions and in-game adjustments focused on defense. With Bassetti leading the group, Manhattan ranked No. 19 in the country in scoring defense during the 2020-21 season at 55.9 points per game.
Bassetti was named to the WBCA’s Thirty Under 30 list in 2021, which recognizes 30 up-and-coming women’s basketball coaches age 30 and under at all levels of the game. Each honoree has exemplified their involvement in community service, mentorship and impact on others, professional manner, and attitude and professional association involvement.
During her time with the Jaspers, Bassetti focused on the development of the team’s point and combo guards. In 2019, Gabby Cajou became the first player in program history to be selected as the MAAC’s Sixth Player of the Year. Under Bassetti’s tutelage, Emily LaPointe earned 2020 MAAC Rookie of the Year honors, and freshman DeeDee Davis was named First Team All-MAAC and Second Team All-Met this past season.
Bassetti previously served three years as the director of basketball operations at American University. During her time in D.C., American made three postseason appearances. The Eagles won 22 games and qualified for the Women’s NIT in 2013-14 before posting a school-record 24 victories en route to their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth the following season.
Bassetti began her collegiate coaching career at her alma mater, Rowan University, working on practice planning, film breakdown and scouting reports. She also served as Rowan’s recruiting coordinator during the 2012-13 season. Additionally, Bassetti was the head coach of the Philadelphia Belles Nike Travel Team from 2008-12 and served as practice coordinator for the Philadelphia Belles AAU team from 2008-11.
Bassetti played point guard at Rowan from 2008-10, leading the Profs to consecutive New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) playoff appearances. While at Rowan, she was an assistant coach with national powerhouse Ss. Neumann-Goretti High School in South Philadelphia for two seasons (2010-12).
A 2013 graduate of Rowan, Bassetti holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology.
Photo Courtesy Columbia Athletics
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