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Women's Basketball
Jim Crowley enters his ninth season as head coach and 13th overall year on the St. Bonaventure bench. Under Crowley's guidance, the Bonnies have developed into a consistently competitive and hard-working unit on and off the court. His dedication and commitment to the program has established a strong foundation of future success for the Brown and White. Crowley's passion for the game has proved to be contagious as his energy and desire to win is evident every time his team steps on the floor. Following a season in which the club tallied an all-time school record with 18 wins, Crowley and the Bonnies have launched themselves into a promising position for the future.
Crowley has turned in his finest coaching performances on the sidelines in the last two seasons after directing the Bonnies to a combined 34 victories since the beginning of the 2006-07 campaign. Last year's 18-12 campaign shattered numerous school records and secured the program's second straight winning season. The Brown and White exploded out of the 2007-08 opening tip to the tune of a program-best 11-2 start before finishing non-conference play with an all-time high of 12 victories heading into Atlantic 10 action. Crowley led the Bonnies to their highest league finish since 1996-97 as the team exceeded preseason expectations with a seventh place finish. The club's six league triumphs were the most since 2001-02. Crowley and Bonnies achieved great success despite taking on a heavy-road schedule, including a 10-game span away from the Reilly Center. The Brown and White notched the fifth most true road triumphs in the nation with 10 and matched the longest road winning streak in school history of six. The club's 18-win season was highlighted by a 63-60 upset of #14/13 George Washington on Bob Lanier Court. The victory marked the program's second ever win over a nationally ranked opponent in the 37-year history of women's basketball at St. Bonaventure. Following a record-setting season on the court, a pair of Bonnies received postseason recognition from the Atlantic 10. Dana Mitchell followed up an All-Rookie campaign with a selection to the All-Conference second team, while Katelyn Murray earned a spot on the Academic All-Conference squad. During the 2006-07 season, Crowley navigated the team to a program record six-straight wins away from the Reilly Center, including a victory at Big Ten affiliate Michigan and a Wagner Holiday Tournament championship. Following the lead of their coach, the Brown and White reeled off seven road wins and 11 away from the St. Bonaventure campus. Crowley and his club entered the Atlantic 10 Conference schedule with 10 victories. Crowley steered the Bonnies to a 5-9 mark in conference play two years ago, including a four-spot jump in the final standings from the previous season. The club advanced to the second round of the 2007 A-10 Tournament with a victory over Massachusetts in the opening round.
At the conclusion of the season, two members of the team received All-Conference accolades for their stellar performances. Forward Dana Mitchell was named to the A-10's All-Rookie team, while senior forward Audrey Latendresse was an A-10 Academic All-Conference selection. Throughout his career on the southwestern New York campus, Crowley has displayed the capability of developing his players to maximize their potential. His motivational and teaching skills have facilitated the advancement of his kids into all-around and fundamental students of the game. Under the tutelage of Crowley, Mitchell has developed into one of the premier players in the conference. Through her growth during the last two seasons, Mitchell became the third Bonnie and fifth sophomore ever to lead the conference in scoring thanks to an 18.1 point per game average. She already ranks 17th on the all-time Bona scoring chart with 936 career points following two seasons. Latendresse matured into one of the upper echelon forwards in the Atlantic 10 by her final season under the watchful eye of Crowley. The Repentigny, Quebec native arrived on campus with little experience outside of the paint, but soon established a smooth stroke from behind the arc. In the company of Crowley, Latendresse left the school as only the seventh player in program history to post 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. She sits 11th on the school's all-time scoring list. In 2005-06, Crowley piloted his team to a quick start as the Bonnies were triumphant in their first five contests, including a tournament title at the St. Bona Shootout. Following the season, senior guard Stefanie Collins received honorable mention All-Conference honors and freshman forward Ashley Edwards was named to the All-Rookie team. Throughout her career at St. Bonaventure, Crowley helped mold Collins into a perennial All-Conference selection. The 2001-02 A-10 Rookie of the Year became the only player in program history to receive All-Conference honors in each of her four seasons in the Brown and White. She developed into a dangerous scoring threat that vaulted her into sixth place on the school's all-time scoring chart with 1,421 career points. After her college eligibility expired in 2005-06, Collins continued with basketball as a professional in Europe. Crowley escorted his team to several impressive victories in the 2003-04 campaign. The Brown and White posted an incredible victory over former Conference-USA member and current Big East affiliate Marquette. Following their defeat to the Bonnies, the Golden Eagles advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bonnies also picked up five conference victories, including a sweep of Massachusetts.
In 2001-02, the Brown and White closed with a 13-15 record and a 7-9 mark in the competitive A-10 conference slate. Mattingly was named to the All-Conference second team following her role in the team's resurgence after recording averages of 13.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Following the season, the Bonnies were pegged as a program on the rise by Women'scollegehoops.com for their rapid improvement. Since Crowley's appointment as head coach, the women's basketball program has made major strides in the classroom. His ability to find student-athletes who excel both on and off the court has proved to be a tremendous asset to the University and has helped prepare his players for life after basketball. Led by the Academic All-America selection of Murray multiple members of the Brown and White enjoyed individual success in the academic arena during the past year. The Harrisburg, Pa. product become the second player in program history to earn Academic All-America as she was named to the ESPN the Magazine third team with a 4.0 grade point average in biology. For the fifth time in the last six academic years, St. Bonaventure earned a spot on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Team Honor Roll as the Bonnies ranked 15th in the country with a cumulative team grade point average of 3.352. The Brown and White earned their highest academic ranking in school history following the 2006-07 season with a GPA of 3.594, which ranked third in the nation. Five Bonnies capped the 2007-08 academic year with perfect grade point averages in the classroom and eight of next season's returning letterwinners head into the fall with cumulative GPA's of over 3.0. Furthermore, six members of last year's squad earned a spot on the fall and spring Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll (3.5 GPA or better), while five qualified for the Dean's List (3.25 GPA or better) during the spring session. From the time he has taken over the reins of the program in 2000, each of Crowley's teams have posted a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Current Bonnies assistant coach Courtney Mattingly was a two-time A-10 Academic All-Conference selection during her playing days under Crowley. His efforts in providing players with the proper guidance and support in pursuit of academic excellence has led to the graduation of every senior to wear the Brown and White since he has been in charge.
In past summers, Crowley has provided his coaching skills for the Western New York region in the Empire State Games. In 2005, he guided the WNY open division women's team to a bronze medal. Crowley coached current juniors Katelyn Murray and Erica Schiefen in the summer of 2006. Crowley spent four years as an assistant women's coach on the Bonnies' bench before taking the lead role in March of 2000. As an assistant under Marti Whitmore, he helped secure double-digit winning seasons for the Brown and White in each of his four seasons as Whitmore's top aid. In two of his four years in the second seat, St. Bonaventure advanced to the second round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Prior to his arrival at St. Bonaventure, Crowley spent three seasons as the head women's basketball coach at his alma mater, Keuka College. The Windsor, N.Y. native compiled a 39-38 record at the Division III school. In his second season, the Storm posted a record of 18-10 en route to a spot in the ECAC Tournament championship. To display his versatility as a coach, Crowley also served as the head men's and women's cross country coach in 1994 and 1995. A 1993 graduate of Keuka, Crowley received a bachelor's degree in secondary English education. As an undergraduate student, he was a four-year letterman in men's basketball and captained the club in his final three seasons on the court. The Jim Crowley File Hometown: Windsor, N.Y.
Coaching Experience (15 seasons)
Playing Experience
Years as a Head Coach: 11
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