DEBBIE RYAN NAMED USA BASKETBALL'S DEVELOPMENTAL COACH OF THE YEAR

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Nov. 20, 2001

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team and University of Virginia head coach Debbie Ryan was chosen as the USA Basketball 2001 Developmental Coach of the Year, USA Basketball announced today.

Ryan coached the United States to the gold with a 6-1 record and an impressive victory over host China in the 2001 World University Games, final contest in Beijing.

“USA Basketball could not have asked for better results from Debbie Ryan,” said USA Basketball Executive Director Jim Tooley. “Debbie has been extremely committed to USA Basketball throughout the years. We were very fortunate to have such great coaches guiding our teams.”

USA Basketball’s Coach of the Year awards were established in 1996 to recognize USA Basketball head coaches who, during the year of the award, made significant impact on the success of individual athlete and team performance at the highest level of competition and at the developmental level. Ryan added her name to the list of USA Basketball Developmental Coach of the Year award recipients which includes Geno Auriemma (2000) of the University of Connecticut, Oliver Purnell (1999) of the University of Dayton (Ohio), Boeheim (1998), Rene Portland (1997) of Penn State University and Mike Montgomery (1996) of Stanford University. bettering the USA’s 1997 fifth place finish at the event and winning the gold medal.

2001 USA Basketball Developmental Coach of the Year, Ryan returned to the USA Basketball sidelines after a 12-year hiatus to guide the U.S. to the top of the podium at the World University Games. The Ryan-coached United States team opened play with a record-setting 134-37 victory over South Africa, before being stunned by Canada 68-67 in its second game. However, Ryan,s USA team still had a shot at the gold and rebounded to close out preliminary round play with a 106-66 win over Japan to advance to the medal quarterfinals round. From there the USA never looked back, collecting victories over Russia (79-68), China (89-78) and Brazil (82-62) to move into the semis. Dominating Lithuania 70-49 in the medal semifinal, Ryan and the Americans were set to face host China for the second time in the 2001 Games. Continuing its streak, the United States earned an 18-point, 87-69 victory over China to claim the gold medal, which was last won by the United States in 1997.

The Ryan-led American squad scored an average of 89.3 points per game and held its challengers to 62.0 ppg., while outrebounding opponents by a 9.3 margin, recording 34.3 rpg. to its foes, 25.0 rpg. The U.S. squad set two USA World University Games single game records on Aug. 25 against Japan by recording 13 3-pointers and shooting 69.6 percent (39-56 FGs) from the field. Also, the USA team tallied 25 blocked shots to tie the USA World University Games Team competition record of most blocked shots.

Earning the USA Basketball Development Coach of the Year honor in her fourth USA Basketball coaching assignment, Ryan first piloted the 1987 U.S. Olympic Festival West Team to a 31 record and the gold medal and then led the 1988 USA Junior World Championship Qualifying Team to a 70 record and a gold medal finish. Returning the following summer to coach the 1989 USA Women’s Junior World Championship Team, Ryan’s team finished 34 and in seventh place. Additionally, Ryan served as a member of the USA Basketball Games Committee for Women and the USA Basketball Women’s Player Subcommittee during the 19881992 quadrennium, helping to select athletes for numerous competitions including the 1990 World Championship and 1992 Olympic teams.

A fixture on the Virginia sidelines for nearly a quarter of a century (197778 to 200001) , Ryan has compiled a stellar 544197 (73.0 winning percentage) record overall, 23386 (73.0 winning percentage) in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play and her 544 triumphs lists No. 12 among active NCAA Division I coaches. Notching 20 post-season berths, including 18 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (198401), Ryan’s teams have reached at least the Sweet Sixteen 12 times, including four Elite Eight appearances (1988, 1993, 1995, 1996), three final fours (1990, 1991, 1992), and advanced to the 1991 NCAA Tournament championship game. Additionally, with the exception of her first year at UVa, Ryan’s Wahoos have never posted a losing season.

Ryan’s sideline successes have not gone unnoticed. A seventime recipient of the ACC Coach of the Year award (1984, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2000), Ryan was also tabbed the 1986 and 1987 Converse District III Coach of the Year. In 1991, when she led the Wahoos to a 313 overall finish, a perfect 140 ACC record, and a trip to the NCAA championship game, Ryan was selected the 1991 Naismith National Coach of the Year by the Atlanta TipOff Club.

USA Basketball Coach of the Year Award Recipients

National Coach of the Year2001 – Jim Boeheim, Syracuse University2000 – Nell Fortner, USA Basketball1999 – Larry Brown, Philadelphia 76ers1998 – Clem Haskins, University of Minnesota1997 – Mo McHone, Sioux Falls Skyforce1996 – Tara VanDerveer, Stanford University

Developmental Coach of the Year2001 – Debbie Ryan, University of Virginia2000 – Geno Auriemma, University of Connecticut1999 – Oliver Purnell, University of Dayton1998 – Jim Boeheim, Syracuse University1997 – Rene Portland, Penn State University1996 – Mike Montgomery, Stanford University

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