We first reported this as a rumor yesterday – it’s now official. Jeri Porter has resigned as the head coach at George Mason. Here is the official statement:
George Mason women’s basketball head coach Jeri Porter resigned from her position, assistant vice president/director of athletics Tom O’Connor announced today. Porter completed her fifth year at the helm of the program this past season.
"I want to thank Jeri for her hard work and dedication as head coach of the women’s basketball program for the past five seasons," said O’Connor. "She is a first-class individual and was a terrific ambassador for George Mason University. I am confident she will be successful in her pursuit of future professional goals."
Porter ends her tenure at George Mason with an overall record of 51-100 and a conference mark of 24-66. In 2011-12, Porter guided the Patriots to their first CAA Tournament victory since 2006, defeating Northeastern in the opening round, while also mentoring All-CAA First Team selection Taleia Moton. Moton finished her two-year playing career setting the program’s all-time single season scoring record in 2011-12, amassing 642 points.
Porter coached two players to All-CAA honors in Moton’s first team selection in 2011, the first for a Patriot since 2004, and an All-Rookie accolade in 2010 given to Amber Easter. The all-rookie honor marked the first for a Patriot since 2001. Porter also mentored two student-athletes to First Team All-Academic CAA honorees, one Second Team All-Academic recipient and six All-Academic Honorable Mentions.
Three players surpassed the 1,000-career points mark during Porter’s tenure, most recently by Easter this past season.
Mason finished this past season with a 9-21 overall record and finished 10th in the Colonial Athletic Association with a 4-14 record. Before arriving at Mason in 2008, Porter spent six seasons at Radford (2002-08) and four at North Alabama (1998-2002). Porter recorded her 200th career win this season with a home victory over UMES on November 13.
A national search will begin immediately.
