A New Era
4/8/2021 6:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
With nod to past, McCombs takes women's basketball reins
Laying out her vision for the future of GW women's basketball on Thursday afternoon, Head Coach Caroline McCombs made sure to give a nod to the program's illustrious past.
The veteran coach directed the socially-distanced Smith Center crowd and many more watching her official introduction at home toward the rafters above packed with ever-present reminders of the Buff and Blue's success within the Atlantic 10 and on the national scene.
"It's no secret that GW has a storied tradition of basketball as you can see from the banners hanging in the Smith Center," McCombs said. "There are so many women that helped to hang these banners, and we want to make our alumni proud and get back to that level of competition and winning that you deserve and want to see."
Indeed, McCombs is excited about what's possible, in part, because of the program's sustained history of competing among the nation's best, and she knows what it takes to reach that level after helping five different programs qualify for the NCAA Tournament over more than two decades on the sideline, most recently leading Stony Brook into the national tournament last month.
Introducing the 11th leader in program history, Director of Athletics Tanya Vogel said the next era of GW women's basketball begins with an ideal match between coach and program.
"We needed to find a proven winner who had worked throughout their career to better themselves," Vogel said. "Caroline McCombs is that proven winner, but more importantly, she's a lifelong learner who is in the very gritty pursuit of mastery in her craft."
Vogel said the coaching search was focused on finding a candidate who prized discipline and excellence while embodying the Ideal Team Player qualities of humble, hungry and smart.
McCombs checked every box. The Medina, Ohio, native built her career working under a Who's Who of decorated coaches, most notably GW Athletic Hall of Famer Joe McKeown for two seasons at Northwestern, before getting her first chance as head coach at Stony Brook seven years ago.
After 130 wins and the Seawolves' first-ever NCAA berth, McCombs is ready for the next challenge, bringing her value-oriented, people-first philosophy and blue-collar, defense-focused brand of basketball to the Buff and Blue.
Her favorite mantra "Pound the Stone" is a reminder of the daily work, both on and off the court, required for excellence, that comes along with a real rock in the locker room and a smaller version for road trips.
"We will be a program of transformation, growth and development," McCombs said. "We want to create an atmosphere and environment where our players have a better chance of being successful in life because they were involved in our program."
On Thursday, McCombs' introduction included a welcome from President Thomas J. LeBlanc and featured cameos from a pair of luminaries who helped fill the Smith Center with those championship banners.
Sarah-Jo Lawrence, who was a key part of GW's last Sweet 16 run in 2008, welcomed the new coach on behalf of the alumni, while Lauren (Chase) Cooper, a veteran of NCAA runs in 2015 and 2016, contributed a question to the Q-and-A portion about the importance of attracting local talent like herself.
"I think it's definitely just an exciting time," Cooper said. "Because GW women's basketball just has such a history of being winners, being champions, being respected across the D.C. area as a dominant team. I'm definitely excited for Coach McCombs to restore that feeling and for the program to be back in that light again."
In her remarks, McCombs made sure to thank all her mentors while making special mention of McKeown, who guided the Buff and Blue to its greatest heights with 15 NCAA appearances in his 19 seasons.
Beyond the Xs and Os, she learned the importance of running a program focused on family. That was evident from her first recruiting trip when McKeown sent her looking for a point guard in Toulouse, France, and enlisted GW Athletic Hall of Famer Debbie Hemery to help her around the city.
McCombs called it an honor to get the chance to build on the tradition that he started in Foggy Bottom.
"To have heard probably every GW story imaginable (from McKeown), I have so much pride in this university and women's basketball program and what we can do," McCombs said. "To me, I have a huge sense of responsibility to everybody in guiding and leading our young women to success."
The veteran coach directed the socially-distanced Smith Center crowd and many more watching her official introduction at home toward the rafters above packed with ever-present reminders of the Buff and Blue's success within the Atlantic 10 and on the national scene.
"It's no secret that GW has a storied tradition of basketball as you can see from the banners hanging in the Smith Center," McCombs said. "There are so many women that helped to hang these banners, and we want to make our alumni proud and get back to that level of competition and winning that you deserve and want to see."
Indeed, McCombs is excited about what's possible, in part, because of the program's sustained history of competing among the nation's best, and she knows what it takes to reach that level after helping five different programs qualify for the NCAA Tournament over more than two decades on the sideline, most recently leading Stony Brook into the national tournament last month.
Introducing the 11th leader in program history, Director of Athletics Tanya Vogel said the next era of GW women's basketball begins with an ideal match between coach and program.
"We needed to find a proven winner who had worked throughout their career to better themselves," Vogel said. "Caroline McCombs is that proven winner, but more importantly, she's a lifelong learner who is in the very gritty pursuit of mastery in her craft."
Vogel said the coaching search was focused on finding a candidate who prized discipline and excellence while embodying the Ideal Team Player qualities of humble, hungry and smart.
McCombs checked every box. The Medina, Ohio, native built her career working under a Who's Who of decorated coaches, most notably GW Athletic Hall of Famer Joe McKeown for two seasons at Northwestern, before getting her first chance as head coach at Stony Brook seven years ago.
After 130 wins and the Seawolves' first-ever NCAA berth, McCombs is ready for the next challenge, bringing her value-oriented, people-first philosophy and blue-collar, defense-focused brand of basketball to the Buff and Blue.
Her favorite mantra "Pound the Stone" is a reminder of the daily work, both on and off the court, required for excellence, that comes along with a real rock in the locker room and a smaller version for road trips.
"We will be a program of transformation, growth and development," McCombs said. "We want to create an atmosphere and environment where our players have a better chance of being successful in life because they were involved in our program."
On Thursday, McCombs' introduction included a welcome from President Thomas J. LeBlanc and featured cameos from a pair of luminaries who helped fill the Smith Center with those championship banners.
Sarah-Jo Lawrence, who was a key part of GW's last Sweet 16 run in 2008, welcomed the new coach on behalf of the alumni, while Lauren (Chase) Cooper, a veteran of NCAA runs in 2015 and 2016, contributed a question to the Q-and-A portion about the importance of attracting local talent like herself.
"I think it's definitely just an exciting time," Cooper said. "Because GW women's basketball just has such a history of being winners, being champions, being respected across the D.C. area as a dominant team. I'm definitely excited for Coach McCombs to restore that feeling and for the program to be back in that light again."
In her remarks, McCombs made sure to thank all her mentors while making special mention of McKeown, who guided the Buff and Blue to its greatest heights with 15 NCAA appearances in his 19 seasons.
Beyond the Xs and Os, she learned the importance of running a program focused on family. That was evident from her first recruiting trip when McKeown sent her looking for a point guard in Toulouse, France, and enlisted GW Athletic Hall of Famer Debbie Hemery to help her around the city.
McCombs called it an honor to get the chance to build on the tradition that he started in Foggy Bottom.
"To have heard probably every GW story imaginable (from McKeown), I have so much pride in this university and women's basketball program and what we can do," McCombs said. "To me, I have a huge sense of responsibility to everybody in guiding and leading our young women to success."
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