George Washington University Athletics
Rizzotti Returns as USA Women's National Team Assistant Through 2020 Olympics
6/20/2019 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
GW bench boss to represent the Red, White & Blue for eighth time in her career
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - GW women's basketball head coach Jennifer Rizzotti will once again don the Red, White & Blue on the international stage, returning to the USA Basketball Women's National Team as an assistant coach for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
After helping guide Team USA to an overall 12-0 record in 2018, including a gold medal at the FIBA World Cup and six exhibition wins, USA Basketball selected Rizzotti along with Dan Hughes (Seattle Storm) and Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) to return as assistant coaches for the team through the 2020 Olympics.
"I'm extremely excited to have Cheryl, Dan and Jennifer return as assistant coaches to the USA National Team staff for the 2020 Olympics," said USA head coach Dawn Staley (South Carolina). "Chemistry was an important part of our success at the 2018 World Cup, and we worked well together. Each of them has impressive resumes and prior USA Basketball experience.
"Jennifer has experienced success as a player and coach and knows what it takes to win. They all have a strong work ethic and are respected by our players. I am ecstatic to have these three proven and accomplished coaches on the bench alongside me providing leadership and representing our country on the world stage."
"This set of coaches worked well together with Dawn during the 2018 FIBA World Cup," said Carol Callan, chair of the USA Women's National Team Steering Committee and USA Basketball Women's National Team director. "Additionally, each coach has served USA Basketball for so many years that they understand the culture, the players and what it takes to win on the grandest stage. These coaches are the obvious choice by the steering committee to assist Dawn and our USA National Team through 2020."
A member of seven USA Basketball coaching staffs and the 2011 USA Basketball National Coach of the Year, Rizzotti served as an assistant coach to the 2018 USA World Cup Team that captured gold in Tenerife, Spain.
"I am extremely honored to be a part of the USA National Team staff through the 2020 Olympic Games and I'm tremendously excited to build upon this group's chemistry from the 2018 World Cup in Spain," said Rizzotti. "Dawn has been a mentor to me and a myriad of other former players in the coaching profession. It is a unique privilege to work side by side with a three-time Olympian, as well as the past two WNBA championship coaches in Cheryl Reeves and Dan Hughes.
"Having worked as a scout during the 2016 Olympics and 2014 World Cup, I am aware of the preparation, hard work and dedication the athletes and coaching staff put into winning an Olympic gold medal. I am thrilled to don the red, white and blue once again to help the USA National Team in its quest to win a seventh consecutive gold medal in Tokyo next year."
Rizzotti served as an advance scout/court coach for the gold-medal winning 2016 U.S. Olympic and 2014 USA World Cup teams, and she also served as court coach during USA National Team training camps from 2014-17.
Rizzotti began coaching with USA Basketball as an assistant for the 2006 USA U18 National Team that claimed gold and as a head coach led the 2010 USA U18 National Team and 2011 USA U19 World Cup Team to gold medals. As an athlete, Rizzotti was a member of the 1996 USA R. William Jones Cup that earned the gold medal with a 9-0 slate.
Rizzotti completed her first season at George Washington in 2016-17 with a 20-10 slate, including 13-3 in the Atlantic 10 Conference for a share of the A-10 regular season title, and earned a berth in the WNIT.
In her second year at GW, she piloted her squad to a 19-14 slate, the 2018 A-10 Tournament title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
In all, Rizzotti owns a 49-44 (.527 winning percentage) record in her three years at George Washington.
Prior to arriving at GW, Rizzotti spent 17 seasons (1999-2000 through 2015-16) at the helm of the University of Hartford where she compiled a 316-216 record (.594 winning percentage), including 183-97 (.654) in America East Conference play, won five conference championships and four regular-season titles. She was named America East Coach of the Year three times (2006, 2007, 2010) and advanced her teams to six NCAA Tournaments and the 2007 WNIT.
After helping guide Team USA to an overall 12-0 record in 2018, including a gold medal at the FIBA World Cup and six exhibition wins, USA Basketball selected Rizzotti along with Dan Hughes (Seattle Storm) and Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) to return as assistant coaches for the team through the 2020 Olympics.
"I'm extremely excited to have Cheryl, Dan and Jennifer return as assistant coaches to the USA National Team staff for the 2020 Olympics," said USA head coach Dawn Staley (South Carolina). "Chemistry was an important part of our success at the 2018 World Cup, and we worked well together. Each of them has impressive resumes and prior USA Basketball experience.
"Jennifer has experienced success as a player and coach and knows what it takes to win. They all have a strong work ethic and are respected by our players. I am ecstatic to have these three proven and accomplished coaches on the bench alongside me providing leadership and representing our country on the world stage."
"This set of coaches worked well together with Dawn during the 2018 FIBA World Cup," said Carol Callan, chair of the USA Women's National Team Steering Committee and USA Basketball Women's National Team director. "Additionally, each coach has served USA Basketball for so many years that they understand the culture, the players and what it takes to win on the grandest stage. These coaches are the obvious choice by the steering committee to assist Dawn and our USA National Team through 2020."
A member of seven USA Basketball coaching staffs and the 2011 USA Basketball National Coach of the Year, Rizzotti served as an assistant coach to the 2018 USA World Cup Team that captured gold in Tenerife, Spain.
"I am extremely honored to be a part of the USA National Team staff through the 2020 Olympic Games and I'm tremendously excited to build upon this group's chemistry from the 2018 World Cup in Spain," said Rizzotti. "Dawn has been a mentor to me and a myriad of other former players in the coaching profession. It is a unique privilege to work side by side with a three-time Olympian, as well as the past two WNBA championship coaches in Cheryl Reeves and Dan Hughes.
"Having worked as a scout during the 2016 Olympics and 2014 World Cup, I am aware of the preparation, hard work and dedication the athletes and coaching staff put into winning an Olympic gold medal. I am thrilled to don the red, white and blue once again to help the USA National Team in its quest to win a seventh consecutive gold medal in Tokyo next year."
Rizzotti served as an advance scout/court coach for the gold-medal winning 2016 U.S. Olympic and 2014 USA World Cup teams, and she also served as court coach during USA National Team training camps from 2014-17.
Rizzotti began coaching with USA Basketball as an assistant for the 2006 USA U18 National Team that claimed gold and as a head coach led the 2010 USA U18 National Team and 2011 USA U19 World Cup Team to gold medals. As an athlete, Rizzotti was a member of the 1996 USA R. William Jones Cup that earned the gold medal with a 9-0 slate.
Rizzotti completed her first season at George Washington in 2016-17 with a 20-10 slate, including 13-3 in the Atlantic 10 Conference for a share of the A-10 regular season title, and earned a berth in the WNIT.
In her second year at GW, she piloted her squad to a 19-14 slate, the 2018 A-10 Tournament title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
In all, Rizzotti owns a 49-44 (.527 winning percentage) record in her three years at George Washington.
Prior to arriving at GW, Rizzotti spent 17 seasons (1999-2000 through 2015-16) at the helm of the University of Hartford where she compiled a 316-216 record (.594 winning percentage), including 183-97 (.654) in America East Conference play, won five conference championships and four regular-season titles. She was named America East Coach of the Year three times (2006, 2007, 2010) and advanced her teams to six NCAA Tournaments and the 2007 WNIT.
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