McCombs Announces Coaching Staff
4/28/2021 1:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Call, Hutchen, Lazo and Isler round out staff additions
WASHINGTON - GW women's basketball head coach Caroline McCombs has announced her full coaching staff with the additions of Adam Call, Bri Hutchen, Gabe Lazo and Caitlyn Isler.
Call, Hutchen and Lazo will all serve as assistant coaches while Isler has been named the director of basketball operations.
"I'm thankful to bring such a dynamic staff and welcome each one of them to our George Washington family," McCombs said. "Adam, Bri, Gabe and Caitlyn are incredible people and exemplify qualities in which we will instill in our program. They have a passion for building relationships and are committed to being a part of something bigger than themselves. I feel fortunate to have this group alongside me."
Adam Call
Call, Hutchen and Lazo will all serve as assistant coaches while Isler has been named the director of basketball operations.
"I'm thankful to bring such a dynamic staff and welcome each one of them to our George Washington family," McCombs said. "Adam, Bri, Gabe and Caitlyn are incredible people and exemplify qualities in which we will instill in our program. They have a passion for building relationships and are committed to being a part of something bigger than themselves. I feel fortunate to have this group alongside me."
Adam CallCall rejoins Coach McCombs' staff after spending last year as a volunteer assistant at Stony Brook and the prior four seasons at Eastern Michigan, including two as the Associate Head Coach. At EMU, Call was responsible for the posts in 2019-20 and helped Eastern finish the season fourth in the MAC and rebounds per game, and post the 10th-most blocks in EMU history with 84.
"I am honored and excited to be joining Coach McCombs and the George Washington University community," Call said. "I'm ready to get to work in restoring the program to its proud history of the legendary Joe McKeown era. The student-athlete experience will be the number one priority as we begin this process."
Call was crucial in the development of EMU's guards in 2017-18. Most notably, he guided Danielle Minott and Courtnie Lewis to All-MAC honors. Minott, after rewriting the single-game record book, landed on the All-MAC Third Team, while Lewis put together one of the greatest freshman campaigns in program history. Lewis scored the second-most points by a freshman Eagle en route to All-MAC Honorable Mention and MAC All-Freshmen honors, while also finishing top-10 nationally in scoring among freshmen.
Call came to Ypsilanti after spending two seasons as an assistant with Coach McCombs at Stony Brook working with the guards, while also aiding in scouting, practice planning and game planning.
In two years with the Seawolves, he was part of a team that made back-to-back appearances in the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) while posting 17 victories in each season. In 2015-16, he helped mentor freshman point guard Davion Wingate to All-Rookie Team honors.
In Call's first season, he assisted with the development of America East second team guard Kori Bayne-Walker and All-Defensive Team selection Jessica Ogunnorin.
The Norman, Okla., native arrived at Stony Brook after spending the 2013-14 campaign as the Director of Player Development at the University of Washington, where he helped guide the Huskies to a 20-win season and berth in the WNIT Quarterfinals.
Call was the Director of Basketball Operations at Northwestern from 2011-13, where he ran Joe McKeown Basketball Camps and supervised managerial staff, the video coordinator, and interns.
Call previously spent three seasons as video coordinator at TCU, including two trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2009 and 2010. TCU claimed the Mountain West Conference regular season title in 2009-10 and played in the WNIT in 2010-11. He began his career as a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma, where he served three seasons as the student manager from 2004-07. The Sooners claimed two Big XII Conference Tournament and regular season championships and went to the NCAA Tournament every year.
Call holds a bachelor's degree in international area studies from the University of Oklahoma and a master's degree in liberal arts from TCU.
Bri Hutchen
"I am honored and excited to be joining Coach McCombs and the George Washington University community," Call said. "I'm ready to get to work in restoring the program to its proud history of the legendary Joe McKeown era. The student-athlete experience will be the number one priority as we begin this process."
Call was crucial in the development of EMU's guards in 2017-18. Most notably, he guided Danielle Minott and Courtnie Lewis to All-MAC honors. Minott, after rewriting the single-game record book, landed on the All-MAC Third Team, while Lewis put together one of the greatest freshman campaigns in program history. Lewis scored the second-most points by a freshman Eagle en route to All-MAC Honorable Mention and MAC All-Freshmen honors, while also finishing top-10 nationally in scoring among freshmen.
Call came to Ypsilanti after spending two seasons as an assistant with Coach McCombs at Stony Brook working with the guards, while also aiding in scouting, practice planning and game planning.
In two years with the Seawolves, he was part of a team that made back-to-back appearances in the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) while posting 17 victories in each season. In 2015-16, he helped mentor freshman point guard Davion Wingate to All-Rookie Team honors.
In Call's first season, he assisted with the development of America East second team guard Kori Bayne-Walker and All-Defensive Team selection Jessica Ogunnorin.
The Norman, Okla., native arrived at Stony Brook after spending the 2013-14 campaign as the Director of Player Development at the University of Washington, where he helped guide the Huskies to a 20-win season and berth in the WNIT Quarterfinals.
Call was the Director of Basketball Operations at Northwestern from 2011-13, where he ran Joe McKeown Basketball Camps and supervised managerial staff, the video coordinator, and interns.
Call previously spent three seasons as video coordinator at TCU, including two trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2009 and 2010. TCU claimed the Mountain West Conference regular season title in 2009-10 and played in the WNIT in 2010-11. He began his career as a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma, where he served three seasons as the student manager from 2004-07. The Sooners claimed two Big XII Conference Tournament and regular season championships and went to the NCAA Tournament every year.
Call holds a bachelor's degree in international area studies from the University of Oklahoma and a master's degree in liberal arts from TCU.
Bri HutchenHutchen follows Coach McCombs from Stony Brook where she served as an assistant coach for the last three seasons.
Alongside McCombs, Hutchen helped lead the Seawolves to a 66-17 overall record in three seasons, the 2020 America East Regular Season Championship and the 2021 America East Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.
"It is an honor to join Coach McCombs at the George Washington University," Hutchen said. "Our past three seasons together give me confidence that we will build a culture here based on the values we work hard to demonstrate in our daily lives. Being a Baltimore native, I am proud to now be a part of a program with such a rich history of success not only in the DMV but on a national level. I would like to thank Tanya Vogel, John Square and the rest of the GW staff for providing me with the opportunity to join Coach McCombs in Foggy Bottom. D.C. is a great place to be with a hotbed of talent up and down I-95. As we continue to focus on the process I know the results will take care of itself."
Hutchen assisted with the development of five all-conference selections in 2019-20, including first team honoree India Pagan. She also served as the program's liaison for the Black Student Athlete Huddle Committee.
Alongside McCombs, Hutchen helped lead the Seawolves to a 66-17 overall record in three seasons, the 2020 America East Regular Season Championship and the 2021 America East Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.
"It is an honor to join Coach McCombs at the George Washington University," Hutchen said. "Our past three seasons together give me confidence that we will build a culture here based on the values we work hard to demonstrate in our daily lives. Being a Baltimore native, I am proud to now be a part of a program with such a rich history of success not only in the DMV but on a national level. I would like to thank Tanya Vogel, John Square and the rest of the GW staff for providing me with the opportunity to join Coach McCombs in Foggy Bottom. D.C. is a great place to be with a hotbed of talent up and down I-95. As we continue to focus on the process I know the results will take care of itself."
Hutchen assisted with the development of five all-conference selections in 2019-20, including first team honoree India Pagan. She also served as the program's liaison for the Black Student Athlete Huddle Committee.
In Hutchen's first season in 2018-19, Stony Brook touted two first team all-conference selections that year in senior guards Shania Johnson and Jerell Matthews. The team also broke two program records in single-season 3-pointers and assists and earned its first victory over a Power Five opponent.
Hutchen joined the Stony Brook women's basketball staff in August of 2018, after spending three seasons on staff at Iona College.
Hutchen arrived at Iona in 2015 and spent two seasons as the director of operations, before being promoted to assistant coach prior to the 2017-18 season. Throughout her time with the Gaels, Hutchen assisted with practice and scouting, film breakdown, recruiting and camp coordination.
Hutchen played her collegiate ball at the University of Alabama. In 91 games with the Crimson Tide she averaged 4.3 ppg and 4.2 rpg. She connected on 154 career field goals. As a senior, Hutchen recorded five double-digit scoring games and five contests with 10-or-more rebounds.
With the Crimson Tide, Hutchen was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times. She was a member of the Alabama Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Athletes in Action. In June 2015, she attended the NCAA Career In Sports Forum in Indianapolis. The four-day event provided college athletes with a broader scope of career tracks available within the sports industry. The forum allowed student-athletes interactive experiences with successful individuals in the sports business and a peek into their day-to-day duties and responsibilities.
Hutchen earned both a Bachelor's degree in communications and Master's in human environmental science from Alabama. She is the developer of U.S.E. Basketball, a mentoring program based out of the DMV area giving young girls opportunity to connect with people from a familiar background and help set and achieve life goals.
Hutchen has a daughter, Charlee.
Gabe LazoLazo also joins the Buff & Blue from Coach McCombs' staff at Stony Brook, where he spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach.
"I am extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity to join Coach McCombs and the GW family," Lazo said. "George Washington is a special place with a strong basketball tradition. I can't wait to get on campus and pound the stone."
Lazo was on staff for two of the most successful seasons in Stony Brook history, guiding the Seawolves to an America East Regular Season Championship in 2020 and a conference tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021.
Lazo assisted with the development of five all-conference selections in 2020, including first team honoree India Pagan.
Lazo joined the Seawolves from Miami, Fla., where he was an assistant with the women's basketball program at Florida International University for two seasons. In his first year with the Panthers, Lazo assisted the team to its best record in four seasons and most Conference USA wins since the institution joined the conference.
Prior to his time at FIU, Lazo was the head women's varsity coach for five years at John A. Ferguson High School in Miami. The three-time Miami Herald Dade County Coach of the Year led the Falcons to two straight runner-up finishes at state and a No. 2 overall Florida state ranking in class 8A.
While at Ferguson, Lazo coached during the summers for the Miami Suns of the Nike Girls Elite Youth Basketball League. His 2014 summer squad, Team Larkins, achieved a top-10 national ranking and was invited to Nike Nationals.
Lazo played collegiately at FIU (2004-06) and Barry University (2006-08), earning his Bachelor's Degree in Education from Barry. Lazo also played professionally for two years with Cariduros de Fajardo BSN in Puerto Rico.
Caitlyn Isler
"I am extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity to join Coach McCombs and the GW family," Lazo said. "George Washington is a special place with a strong basketball tradition. I can't wait to get on campus and pound the stone."
Lazo was on staff for two of the most successful seasons in Stony Brook history, guiding the Seawolves to an America East Regular Season Championship in 2020 and a conference tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021.
Lazo assisted with the development of five all-conference selections in 2020, including first team honoree India Pagan.
Lazo joined the Seawolves from Miami, Fla., where he was an assistant with the women's basketball program at Florida International University for two seasons. In his first year with the Panthers, Lazo assisted the team to its best record in four seasons and most Conference USA wins since the institution joined the conference.
Prior to his time at FIU, Lazo was the head women's varsity coach for five years at John A. Ferguson High School in Miami. The three-time Miami Herald Dade County Coach of the Year led the Falcons to two straight runner-up finishes at state and a No. 2 overall Florida state ranking in class 8A.
While at Ferguson, Lazo coached during the summers for the Miami Suns of the Nike Girls Elite Youth Basketball League. His 2014 summer squad, Team Larkins, achieved a top-10 national ranking and was invited to Nike Nationals.
Lazo played collegiately at FIU (2004-06) and Barry University (2006-08), earning his Bachelor's Degree in Education from Barry. Lazo also played professionally for two years with Cariduros de Fajardo BSN in Puerto Rico.
Caitlyn IslerIsler was Coach McCombs' director of operations for each of the last three seasons at Stony Brook, helping the program achieve new heights with an America East Regular Season Championship, tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance.
"I am very excited to be joining the family here at George Washington and to have the opportunity to work with Coach McCombs and the rest of the staff," Isler said. "I want to thank the administration, including Tanya Vogel and John Square, as well as the entire athletic department for being so welcoming and supportive. I can't wait to build something special here at GW!"
Isler joined the Seawolves following a two-year stint serving as a Graduate Assistant in Operations for the Ohio State women's basketball program. While serving as a graduate assistant at Ohio State, Isler worked directly with the program's Director of Operations helping with daily tasks.
She spent the previous two-plus years as a Student Manager for Ohio State women's basketball, gaining experience in many different facets of day-to-day operations.
Isler graduated from Ohio State in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Industry, then received a Masters of Science in Kinesiology (Sports Management) from the University in 2018.
"I am very excited to be joining the family here at George Washington and to have the opportunity to work with Coach McCombs and the rest of the staff," Isler said. "I want to thank the administration, including Tanya Vogel and John Square, as well as the entire athletic department for being so welcoming and supportive. I can't wait to build something special here at GW!"
Isler joined the Seawolves following a two-year stint serving as a Graduate Assistant in Operations for the Ohio State women's basketball program. While serving as a graduate assistant at Ohio State, Isler worked directly with the program's Director of Operations helping with daily tasks.
She spent the previous two-plus years as a Student Manager for Ohio State women's basketball, gaining experience in many different facets of day-to-day operations.
Isler graduated from Ohio State in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Industry, then received a Masters of Science in Kinesiology (Sports Management) from the University in 2018.
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