Saint Michael’s College women’s basketball head coach Jennifer Niebling announced her resignation on Monday. In Niebling’s 10 seasons at the helm of the program, the Purple Knights posted 121 victories while qualifying seven times for the Northeast-10 Conference Championship. The plan to fill the vacated position moving forward will be determined early next week.
"It is with a significant dose of sadness that I announce my resignation as head coach of the Saint Michael’s College women’s basketball program," said Niebling, the fifth head coach in program history. "To serve in this position for the past 10 years has been an honor I could never have imagined." Citing her recent marriage, Niebling has decided to relocate to Arizona, where she currently has family, and to be with her husband full time. She is uncertain about coaching in the future.
"My sincerest thanks go to former President Marc vanderHeyden, current President Jack Neuhauser, and Athletic Director Geri Knortz for affording me this opportunity," Niebling added. "Leading the Purple Knights has been an experience full of growth, challenge and rewards."
During the 2011-12 campaign, the Purple Knights held a school-record 18 opponents to 60 points or fewer, and Niebling became the 13th head coach in the history of athletics at the College to pick up her 100th victory. The previous winter, Saint Michael’s was picked to finish 15th in the NE-10 Preseason Coaches’ Poll before going 16-11, taking seventh in the league at 13-9 with a program record for NE-10 wins, and earning the squad’s first postseason triumph in 19 seasons.
"Jen has done an exceptional job of leading the basketball program to consistent contention in the very competitive NE-10," said Knortz. "Beyond the court, Jen has done a great job of becoming fully integrated into the Saint Michael’s College community. She has contributed as chair of the campus Phi Beta Kappa chapter, directed the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), and spearheaded numerous department and team initiatives. It is with sadness that we bid her farewell, as we wish her well in her new life and endeavors in Arizona."
This past winter, Niebling’s squad went 8-7 down the stretch to rebound from a rocky start and finish the year 10-16 overall. The Purple Knights held 14 more opponents to 60 points or fewer. This year marked the eighth time Saint Michael’s won at least 10 contests under Niebling’s guidance, with the 2005-06 team coming within one victory of a school mark during a 17-11 campaign. Saint Michael’s finished that season ranked among the top 10 in the region.
Two of the top three NE-10 victory totals in program history were registered during Niebling’s tenure, and the Purple Knights’ three best defensive scoring averages since the early 1980s were posted by Niebling squads. Among the laurels earned by her teams were the NE-10 Sportsmanship Award in 2007-08 and an NE-10 Academic Excellence Award in 2009-10. In Niebling’s decade at Saint Michael’s, one player was named Capital One Academic All-America, and Purple Knights drew five Academic All-District and 11 NE-10 Academic All-Conference accolades.
"The Saint Michael’s College community is simply second to none," said Niebling. "Its support of not only me but our student-athletes and our program has been nothing short of inspiring. There will always be a part of Saint Michael’s College in my heart. Thank you to all who have made my experience here at Saint Michael’s so formative and memorable."
A 2007 graduate of the NCAA Women’s Coaches’ Academy, Niebling received her master’s degree in theology and pastoral ministry from Saint Michael’s in 2010, and was the top assistant for the highly successful Division I University of Vermont women’s basketball program for the six seasons prior to joining the Purple Knights. She helped guide her alma mater to three America East Conference regular-season championships, one America East Tournament title, the 2000 NCAA Division I Tournament, and the 2002 Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
A four-year letter-winner at Vermont between 1989-90 and 1992-93, Niebling’s storied collegiate career includes leading the Catamounts to back-to-back undefeated regular seasons and NCAA Tournament bids over her final two years, during which time Vermont went 57-2. She ranked eighth in program history with 1,435 points upon her hire at Saint Michael’s. A 1993 GTE Academic All-America pick, she was chosen as one of the Top 50 Vermont athletes of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated magazine.
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