CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Boston College women's basketball head coach
Joanna Bernabei-McNamee was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year as announced by the league this morning. Bernabei-McNamee earned the honor from both the ACC coaches and Blue Ribbon Panel.
Bernabei-McNamee is the first BC women's head coach to earn Coach of the Year accolades since Cathy Inglese won the honor in the Big East in the 1998-99 season. This is Bernabei-McNamee's second season at Boston College. Last season, BC finished the season with a 14-16 record and went 3-13 in the ACC.
Prior to this season, the Eagles were selected to finish 13
th in the ACC by both the Coaches and Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason Polls. Boston College is currently 18-11 overall and 11-7 in the ACC.
The Eagles finished the season tied with Florida State and Virginia Tech in fourth place and secured a six seed in the ACC Tournament. The Eagles will play the winner of Miami/Clemson on Thursday at Greensboro Coliseum (8 p.m.)
The 18 wins stands as the most victories since 2010-11 when BC finished the season at 20-13. The 11-7 conference record set a new program record for most ACC wins. It is also the most in-conference victories since BC went 11-5 in 2003-04 in the Big East.
The Eagles fourth place finish is the best in program history since BC joined the ACC in 2005-06. Bernabei-McNamee also led the team to six ACC road wins, a new program record. One of the road wins was her first victory over a ranked team, No. 14 Florida State on Jan. 30, since she arrived at the Heights.
The team also defeated Notre Dame on the road and twice in one season for the first time in program history. The Eagles defeated long-time rival Syracuse on the road in the final regular season game. It was the first win over the Orange since the 2005-06 season.
Under Coach Bernabei-McNamee's tutelage, senior
Emma Guy has led the ACC in field goal percentage and is 15
th in the country (58.8). Guy was named an All-ACC First-Team selection by the Coaches and earned second-team honors from the Blue Ribbon panel yesterday.
Sophomore
Taylor Soule was named the ACC's Most Improved Player, All-ACC honorable mention by the coaches and a second-team selection from the Blue Ribbon Panel. The 5-foot-10 forward leads BC in scoring (14.2) and rebounding (8.0). She is fourth in the ACC in field goal percentage (55%) and eighth in rebounding.
Boston College (18-10, 11-7 ACC) will leave for the 2019-20 ACC Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina on Tuesday. The Eagles finished tied in fourth place in the ACC and earned a six seed in the tournament. BC will play the winner of Miami/Clemson on Thursday at 8 p.m. (RSN/NESN Plus).
Fans can follow the team via its social channels. Twitter and Instagram (@BC_WBB) and Facebook (Boston College Women's Basketball).
2019-20 Blue Ribbon Panel/Head Coaches Awards
ACC Player of the Year: Dana Evans, Jr., G, Louisville
ACC Rookie of the Year: Elizabeth Kitley, Fr., C, Virginia Tech
ACC Coach of the Year:
Joanna Bernabei-McNamee, Boston College
2019-20 Head Coaches Awards
ACC Defensive Player of the Year: Kylee Shook, Sr., F, Louisville
ACC Sixth Player of the Year: Trinity Baptiste, Jr., F, Virginia Tech
ACC Most Improved Player:
Taylor Soule, So., F, Boston College
