A rising star in the collegiate coaching ranks, Bridgette Mitchell will take over the reins of the Fordham women’s basketball program as its next head coach, it was announced on Friday by Athletic Director Ed Kull.
“I am thrilled and honored to become the next head women’s basketball coach of Fordham University!” said Mitchell. “I believe in the mission of this university and am excited to jump on board with the athletics department. I want to thank President Tetlow, Ed Kull, and the entire search committee for believing in my vision and affording me the opportunity to lead this team. I can’t wait to get in the gym with this incredible group of student-athletes and continue to build upon the great tradition that already exists for Fordham Women’s Basketball. We are going to compete every day with a level of toughness and passion that will be a fun and exciting brand of basketball that makes our Ram family proud!”
An introductory press conference will be held on Tuesday, April 11, at 2 p.m. on the third floor of the Joseph McShane Campus Center.
“I’m delighted to announce this new era in women’s basketball at Fordham,” said Tania Tetlow, president of the University. “We welcome Bridgette Mitchell to the Rams—she is the right coach and mentor for our student athletes, and the right person to continue the team’s upward trajectory.”
“From the beginning of our national search, I have been so thoroughly impressed with Coach Mitchell,” said Kull. “Not only does she carry a tremendous pedigree as both a coach and player, but she possesses a passion for the job that’s evident to everyone she meets. I know that she’s going to approach this new position with a relentless energy that will elevate our women’s basketball program to new heights.”
Mitchell comes to Rose Hill following two seasons as the head coach at Northeastern, where her teams consistently outperformed expectations.
Picked to finish eighth in this year’s preseason poll, Mitchell promptly led the Huskies to a share of their first-ever CAA regular season title with a 13-5 league mark as part of a 19-12 overall record. For her efforts, Mitchell’s peers recognized her with CAA Coach of the Year honors. Highlighting the Huskies 2022-23 campaign was a Feb. 17 road win over fellow regular season co-champion Drexel, which snapped a 17-game losing streak against the Dragons and handed Drexel its first home loss of the season. A top-three seed in the CAA Tournament for the first time since joining the conference in 2005-06, Northeastern downed sixth-seeded Stony Brook to advance to the semifinals for just the third time in the school’s CAA tenure.
“Bridgette is a talented coach and a terrific hire for a storied A-10 program like Fordham,” stated Bernadette V. McGlade. “From her days as a student-athlete leading Duke to an ACC title and Elite 8 appearance to her most recent campaign with Northeastern where she earned CAA Coach of the Year accolade, she has an impressive list of accomplishments. I’d like to welcome her to the Atlantic 10 and Fordham women’s basketball.”
In addition to Mitchell’s coaching accolade, three Huskies received all-conference recognition this March. Derin Erdogan earned a spot on the All-CAA First Team, Gemima Motema garnered Third Team All-CAA and CAA All-Defensive Team honors and Deja Bristol was named the CAA Sixth Player of the Year.
As a first-year head coach in 2021-22, Mitchell inherited a team that was picked last in the 13-team CAA and finished inside the top half of the conference. Led by First Team All-CAA selection Kendall Currence and CAA Rookie of the Year Claudia Soriano, the Huskies advanced to the Women’s Basketball Invitational for just the second time in program history after ending the regular season with a 14-14 record.
Prior to taking over at Northeastern, Mitchell spent two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the Pittsburgh. With the Panthers, she helped land class of 2020 four-star Tracey Hueston, Pitt’s highest-rated recruit of its ACC tenure. She also signed New Mexico transfer Jayla Everett, an honorable mention All-ACC selection in 2021 who averaged a team-high 16.0 points and shot 43.1 from beyond the arc for St. John’s this past season.
From 2016-19, Mitchell spent three highly successful seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at James Madison University. During Mitchell’s three seasons on staff in Harrisonburg, the Dukes went 78-26 (.750), qualified for three WNITs and claimed a pair of CAA Regular Season titles (2017-18, 2018-19). JMU won at least two games in each of those three WNIT berths, including a run to the semifinals in 2019. That season, the Dukes finished with a record of 29-6, including a 17-1 mark in CAA play, and turned in the nation’s third best scoring defense at 51.6 points per game.
From 2014-16, Mitchell served as an assistant coach at Siena. During her first year with the program in 2014-15, the Saints turned in a final record of 22-13 and advanced to the championship game of the WBI.
Mitchell undertook her first coaching assignment as an assistant at Wagner in 2013-14 after wrapping a prolific playing career. A former McDonald’s All-American and New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year at the Peddie School, Mitchell went on to play four successful years at Duke, starting 43 of her 131 career appearances. During her four years on the squad (2006-10), the Blue Devils turned in a combined record of 109-22 and made four NCAA Tournaments, qualifying for the Sweet 16 twice before reaching the Elite Eight in Mitchell’s senior season. As a senior, Mitchell averaged career-highs of 8.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
At Duke, Mitchell majored in sociology with a minor in African American studies. She also earned a certificate in markets and management studies while in Durham.
A native of Trenton, N.J., Mitchell played overseas before returning home to begin her coaching career. She initially played with Villeneuve d’Ascq in France before signing on with Energa Torun in Poland, with whom she earned a bronze medal in the European Championships.
“I want to thank Katy Young Staudt, our search consultant with TurnkeyZRG, for helping us run a smooth and pristine search process which resulted in a number of impressive candidates for the role,” added Kull.
