Story Courtesy: Matt Paras, Louisville Athletics
Head coach Jeff Walz is pleased to announce the hiring of Joanna Bernabei-McNamee as an assistant coach to his staff. Bernabei-McNamee spent the previous eight seasons as the head coach at Boston College. Walz and Bernabei-McNamee both worked together under Brenda Frese at Maryland and were a part of the 2006 National Championship team.
“I’m excited to welcome Joanna McNamee to our staff here at the University of Louisville,” said Walz. “Joanna and I go way back to our time together at the University of Maryland, where we were part of the 2006 national championship staff. Having shared that experience, I’ve seen firsthand the level of preparation, passion, and basketball IQ she brings every single day. There’s a trust and familiarity there that you can’t manufacture, and I know she’ll make an immediate impact on our program.”
Joanna has proven herself as a leader and a teacher of the game, and she brings a tremendous ability to connect with our players while continuing to push them to grow. Her experience as a head coach and her understanding of what it takes to win at the highest level will be a huge asset for us. I’m thrilled to be reunited with her and confident she’ll play a key role in helping us compete for championships.”
“I’m incredibly honored and energized to join Jeff Walz and the outstanding staff at the University of Louisville,” said Bernabei-McNamee. “Coach Walz has built a culture defined by excellence, toughness, and a relentless commitment to winning, and I’m excited to become a part of that standard every single day. This is a program that competes at the highest level while developing people the right way, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute. I can’t wait to get to work and help continue the success that has become the expectation here.”
Joanna Bernabei-McNamee led Boston College to its best ACC finish in program history and a 20-win season in 2019-20, when she was named ACC Coach of the Year. That team set a program record with 11 ACC wins and finished fourth in the league. She also guided the Eagles to a 21-win season and WNIT berth in 2021-22, with multiple All-ACC selections, while developing standout players like Taina Mair, Dontavia Waggoner, Taylor Soule and Maria Gakdeng, who set program or conference-best marks during their time under Bernabei-McNamee.
Prior to Boston College, Bernabei-McNamee went 45-20 in two seasons at Albany, leading the program to an NCAA Tournament appearance and a WNIT berth, while earning 2017 New York Division I Coach of the Year honors. She also found success at Pikeville, winning 63 games, reaching an NAIA Final Four, and earning multiple Coach of the Year awards.
Earlier in her career, she served as an assistant at Maryland, contributing to the 2006 national championship, along with stops at West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky.
A standout player at West Liberty State, Bernabei-McNamee was a Division II All-American, the 1997 WVIAC Player of the Year, and still holds NCAA Division II records for career assists (1,107) and assists per game (9.5).
Bernabei-McNamee earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology in 1997 from West Liberty and a master’s degree in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 1999. Bernabei-McNamee and her husband Joe McNamee have two sons, Luke and Caden.
Tagged with: ACC
