Providence College Athletics Director Bob Driscoll announced that Susan Robinson Fruchtl has been named head women’s basketball coach. Robinson Fruchtl becomes the ninth head coach in the program’s 38-year history, and replaces Phil Seymore, who resigned in March to pursue other options.
Robinson Fruchtl comes to Providence College after spending the last five seasons at St. Francis University (Pa.) from 2007-12. She guided the Red Flash to three-consecutive Northeast Conference Championship Games, captured two conference titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2010 and 2011.
She garnered Northeast Conference Coach of the Year honors at the completion of the 2011 campaign after leading St. Francis to a 22-11 overall record and a 14-4 mark in the NEC. That same year, the Red Flash won the NEC regular-season title and the tournament title. The team’s 22 victories in 2011 are tied for third-most in program history.
Robinson Fruchtl spent eight seasons as an assistant coach at Penn State University (1993-98, 2004-07). The 1992 Penn State graduate helped guide her alma mater to a 161-83 record (.660) during her eight seasons, including four, 20-win seasons.
A former All-America selection and Penn State’s only recipient of the Wade Trophy, which is presented annually to the best women’s college basketball player in NCAA Division I, Robinson Fruchtl rejoined the Penn State staff in May of 2004 after serving as an assistant from 1993 to 1998. During her time at Penn State, she worked primarily with post players and assisted with the recruitment of student-athletes. It was under her guidance that former Nittany Lion Amanda Brown became a third-round selection in the 2007 WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks.
Robinson Fruchtl will be formally introduced at a news conference on Wednesday, April 11 at 2:00 p.m. The press conference will take place in the College’s Concannon Fitness Center conference room (second floor). The news conference is open to all Providence College fans and the media. The doors to the Concannon Fitness Center conference room will open at 1:30 p.m. for fans and media.
