Providence College Athletics Director Steve Napolillo announced today [March 20] that Erin Batth has been named head women’s basketball coach. Batth becomes the 11th coach in the program’s 49-year history, replacing Jim Crowley who led the program the previous seven seasons.
Batth will usher in the 50th season of Providence College women’s basketball during her first stint on the sidelines in 2023-24. She becomes the first Black female head coach in program history and the eighth Black female head coach in BIG EAST Conference women’s basketball all-time.
A press conference to formally introduce Batth will be held at a later date.
“I am extremely excited to welcome Erin and her fiancé, Eric, to the Providence College family,” Napolillo said. “Throughout the search process, I was focused on finding a coach that would bring energy, passion and a strategic plan for success to Providence. Erin will help transform the lives of our student-athletes on the court, in the classroom and in their overall development. I look forward to working with Erin as she builds a championship program.”
Batth comes to Providence with 17 years of coaching experience at the NCAA Division I level. She spent the 2022-23 season at Michigan, where she served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Wolverines. In her lone season in Ann Arbor, Batth helped guide Michigan to its 11th NCAA Tournament appearance. The Wolverines claimed a No. 6 seed in the tournament, equaling the second-best seed in program history. Michigan finished the season with a 23-10 overall record (11-7 Big Ten) and was ranked in the national polls for 19-consecutive weeks. Michigan was ranked as high as No. 12 during the 2022-23 campaign and checked in at No. 18 in the final poll heading into the NCAA Tournament. Michigan advanced to the Second Round, before falling to ninth-ranked and No. 3 seed LSU, 66-42, on March 19.
Prior to her arrival in Ann Arbor, Batth spent four seasons at NC State (2018-22), helping the Wolfpack to three-straight ACC Tournament titles for the first time in program history. In her four seasons, NC State compiled a 110-17 record, reached the NCAA Sweet 16 three times and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2022. Additionally, NC State finished inside the top-10 of the national rankings each of her four seasons with the program. Batth worked with the post players, including ACC Tournament MVP and All-American center Elissa Cunane. The 2021-22 team won a program-record 32 games and finished the year ranked No. 3 in the final Associated Press poll.
Prior to joining NC State, Batth was an assistant coach at Liberty (2017-18). The Lady Flames swept the Big South regular season and tournament titles and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. She worked with 2018 Big South Player of the Year Keyen Green and helped Liberty finished the season ranked No. 18 among NCAA Division I programs in rebounding margin (+8.4).
Batth also spent time at Georgia State (2014-17), Tennessee Tech (2012-14) and Towson (2010-12) as an assistant coach. She was the director of operations for Hall of Fame inductee Debbie Ryan at Virginia for three seasons (2007-10) after spending the 2006-07 season as an executive assistant to the general manager and operations specialist for both the NBA’s Sacramento Kings and the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs. She began her coaching career as an assistant coach at VCU in 2004-05.
“I am humbled and excited to lead Providence College women’s basketball,” Batth said. “I want to thank Steve Napolillo, Jill LaPoint and the rest of the Providence Friar family for this opportunity. I’m thrilled to be a Friar and confident that we will build a program that the community is proud of and excited to support. The sky is the limit on what can be accomplished at Providence.”
Batth played collegiately at Clemson and graduated in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in management. She earned Second-Team Defensive All-America honors and All-ACC Second Team honors during her career. As a senior, she averaged 12.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and finished her impressive four-year career with 972 points, 722 rebounds and 116 blocked shots. She helped the Tigers to four-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, and helped Clemson advance to the Sweet 16 in 1999.
Off the court, Batth served as Clemson’s representative to the ACC Student-Athlete Academic Board, the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Board and was a Clemson Minority Council representative. Batth was nominated, twice, for the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership award, was recipient of the 2001 ACC “Top Six” community service award and was inducted to the Clemson Tiger Brotherhood.
Batth was the first player from Clemson drafted into the WNBA, going to the Cleveland Rockers in 2001. She played professionally with Panithnaikos and Appollon (in Greece) and Migros (in Turkey). Her WNBA experience also included time with the San Antonio Silver Stars and the Sacramento Monarchs.
Batth, a native of Marietta, Ga., has one daughter, Sierra, and will be joined in Friartown by her fiancé, Eric.
ERIN BATTH EXPERIENCE
Head Coach at Providence College | 2023-present
Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator at Michigan | 2022-23 (1 season)
Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator at NC State | 2018-22 (4 seasons)
Assistant Coach at Liberty | 2017-18 (1 season)
Assistant Coach at Georgia State | 2014-17 (3 seasons)
Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator at Tennessee Tech | 2012-14 (2 seasons)
Assistant Coach at Towson | 2010-12 (2 seasons)
Director of Operations at Virginia | 2007-10 (3 seasons)
Exec. Assistant to the General Manager Sacramento Kings & Sacramento Monarchs | 2006-07 (1 season)
Assistant Coach at VCU | 2004-05 (1 season)
https://friars.com/news/2023/3/20/erin-batth-named-head-coach-of-womens-basketball-program.aspx
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