After 25 seasons on the sideline, Northampton Women’s Basketball Coach Art Wolfe has decided to step down from his position, effective immediately. Wolfe, who took the reigns of the program prior to the 1990-91 campaign, compiled an overall record of 462 wins and 179 losses (72%). Wolfe helped guide the program into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) in 2009-2010 and promptly made a run to the Region championship game the next season. During his six year tenure in the NJCAA, Wolfe finished 120-45, including a 78-17 mark in Region XIX play and a perfect 28-0 record in conference.

While 25 years of coaching at the same institution is a rarity, it is even more rare on the 2-year level where coaches come and go quicker than players in many cases. Wolfe was the epitome of consistency during his tenure at Northampton, winning nine Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (EPCC) titles, five Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association (PCAA) state championships, three Eastern Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (EPAC) titles, three Region XIX Final Four appearances and a Region XIX championship and 6th place finish at the national tournament in 2012. A relentless recruiter, Wolfe won more than 17 games in 21 of his 25 seasons at Northampton.

"I want to thank Coach Wolfe, and his wife Joan, for their dedication and commitment to Northampton," remarked Director of Athletics Troy Tucker, "Art’s name is synonymous with Northampton women’s basketball … he has been the face of this program for a quarter of a century and has built this program into a conference, regional and national power in the NJCAA."

Coach Wolfe’s 25th season saw the Spartans finish with an overall record of 19-9, including a perfect 8-0 mark in conference play. The Spartans earned the #4 seed for the Region XIX playoffs, where they advanced to their third Region Final Four before falling to #1 Cumberland. Lauren Thompson (Pine Grove, PA/Pine Grove HS), Nicole Amann (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) and Julia Craig (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley HS) each earned All-Conference accolades as the Spartans captured their third consecutive EPAC championship.

The Spartans finished 2013-14 with an overall record of 18-6, earning the #4 seed for the Region XIX playoffs. Northampton won their second consecutive EPAC Championship, going 10-0 in conference play. Katie Schickling (Pocono Lake, PA/Pocono Mt. West) and Brianna Morales (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) earned First Team All-Conference honors, while Lauren Thompson (Pine Grove, PA/Pine Grove HS) was named to the Second Team.

2012-13 had a number of highlights for Wolfe and Northampton as the Spartans earned their first-ever #1 national ranking, one which they kept for six consecutive weeks. Tiara Aziz was named Player of the Year by both Region XIX and the Eastern Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (EPAC), in addition to setting the career record for points scored at NCC with 908. The Spartans finished the season with a record of 24-2 and 10-0 in conference play. Aziz was also recognized by the NJCAA as a All-American.

The 2011-12 season was a magical one for Wolfe and the Spartans as they went 20-2 in Region XIX, 25-6 overall, spent the entire season nationally-ranked, won the college’s first-ever Region XIX championship and competed in the NJCAA National Tournament in Rochester, Minnesota, in just their 3rd season of NJCAA competition. Along the way, Wolfe won his 400th career game. was named Region XIX Coach of the Year and NJCAA District Coach of the Year.

In 2010-11 Wolfe led Northampton to a 23-6 overall record, a second place regular season finish in conference play, their first playoff victory and an appearance in the Region XIX championship game.

During their first season of National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) competition in 2009-10, Wolfe led NCC to the Regional playoffs, finishing with a 10-10 mark in conference play.

Wolfe, who was inducted in the Northampton Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008, was named Region XIX and NJCAA District Coach of the Year in 2012.

Long-time Assistant Coach Tara Belfield has been named interim head coach.

Stay with HoopDirt for the latest college basketball coaching news and rumors.