Pioneers announce Suzy Barcomb as new women's basketball coach
Suzy Barcomb, formerly of the University of Puget Sound, was named as Cal State East Bay's new women's basketball head coach. (Photo: Puget Sound Athletics)
- June 14, 2010
Suzy Barcomb, a 200-game winner at the University of Puget Sound, has been named the head women's basketball coach at Cal State East Bay, Director of Athletics Debby De Angelis announced on Monday. A former player at Washington, Barcomb joins the Pioneer staff as the all-time winningest women's basketball coach at Puget Sound and the reigning Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division III West Region Coach of the Year.
"Suzy Barcomb brings a level of experience to our program that we expect will create success in Division II and the CCAA and a great experience for our student-athletes," De Angelis said. "We are excited to add such a successful experienced head coach to the Pioneer family."
In 12 seasons at the helm for the Loggers, Barcomb accumulated an overall record of 237-87, ranking her among the top 50 active coaches in Division III in career winning percentage. Barcomb has guided her teams to four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances in the last five years and five straight Northwest Conference (NWC) Tournament title games.
During the 2009-10 season, Barcomb led the Loggers to their best record in program history (24-5) and saw Bay Area product Claire Ely collect NWC Player of the Year, D3Hoops.com West Region Player of the Year and D3Hoops.com First-Team All-America honors. She was also named a WBCA All-America Honorable Mention selection and was one of 12 finalists for Jostens Trophy, awarded to the Division III Player of the Year.
"I believe my last 12 years battling in the trenches in the Northwest Conference will serve me well as we look to build an outstanding women's basketball program at Cal State East Bay," Barcomb said. "The environment of the entire athletic department was so welcoming, I knew I could make a new home at Cal State East Bay."
Barcomb has a proven track record of success following a transition to a more competitive environment, having guided the Loggers through a move from the NAIA to NCAA Division III. Puget Sound experienced just one losing season during its move, but quickly rebounded to rank among the top teams in Division III and make its first NCAA Tournament appearance in just its fifth season after the move.
"As we make the move to Division II, having a coach with successful head coaching experience moves us toward becoming a competitive program in our conference," De Angelis said.
The Springfield, Mo., native will take over a program that went 2-25 overall and 2-20 in its first season in Division II and the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The Pioneers saw freshman center Lauren Lucchesi earn CCAA Freshman of the Year honors and posted an impressive upset of eventual CCAA Tournament champions Humboldt State in the final week of the season.
"Although the CCAA will present enormous challenges, I have confidence we can achieve a level of success that will make all Pioneers, past and present, proud," Barcomb said. "I look forward to growing with Cal State East Bay and the women's basketball program. I am anxious to talk with all of the returning athletes and the incoming class to get to know them on a personal level. I think it is critical we develop a level of trust and confidence in one another so that we can move forward together and establish a plan of action."
Barcomb's teams at Puget Sound have also been successful off the court, garnering 28 Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Conference selections and regularly ranking among the top Logger programs in team grade point average. Last season, Ely was named an ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American and earned four Dean's List distinctions during her career at Puget Sound.
"We are looking forward to Suzy continuing to build positive experiences for our student-athletes in women's basketball as we build new traditions in Division II," De Angelis said. "I eagerly await the new season and building new rivalries in the CCAA with a successful women's basketball program."
Barcomb got her coaching start as an assistant at Puget Sound from 1995-98, when she was responsible for recruitment, scouting and defensive strategy. In addition to her duties as the head coach, Barcomb has worked in every aspect of athletics administration, assisting with event management, sports information, academic advising and recruitment. Barcomb is also a member of the USA Today/ESPN Board of Coaches National Committee and the WBCA, and was previously the NWC representative for West Region rankings and a site representative for the NCAA Tournament. She has also worked as a coach and an official at both the camp and high school levels.
Barcomb began her collegiate playing career as a two-year middle hitter on the volleyball team at Central Missouri State, where she was named first-team all-district. She also played small forward for the Central Missouri State basketball team for one season before moving on to Washington. Barcomb walked on for the Huskies and played one season there.
"I am thankful to Director of Athletics Debby De Angelis and the hiring committee to entrust me with the women's basketball program," Barcomb said. "The moment I stepped onto campus I felt a vibrancy, a competitive spirit, and I could sense the excitement of the entire athletic department."