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Aug. 18, 2003
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia has named Jennifer Hoover as the Director of Women’s Basketball Operations, head coach Debbie Ryan announced on Monday.
As assistant coach at the University of Memphis last season, Hoover will organize travel plans, arrange personal appearances, exchange video with opponents, and supervise the team managers at UVa. She replaces former Cavalier Lauren Swierczek, who resigned last month to pursue personal interests.
“We are very proud and pleased that Jen has joined our staff,” said Ryan. “Jen is an accomplished coach with many years of experience in the coaching profession. Jen is also familiar with the ACC as she was an outstanding player at Wake Forest. Finding the right person to fill Lauren’s position was difficult, but we feel we have a good match.”
At Memphis, Hoover was responsible for the on-court instruction of the Lady Tiger post players, and was one of the leading recruiters for the program.
During her nine years of Division I coaching experience, Hoover also served as an assistant coach at James Madison for two seasons. While at JMU, she helped the squad to a second-place showing in the league as well as an appearance in the WNIT Final Four.
“I am extremely excited to be a part of the University of Virginia and the women’s basketball program,” Hoover said. “I feel blessed to work with such a great group of individuals, and it is an honor to work in one of the top athletic programs across the country.”
Hoover, who played under her maiden name Jenny Mitchell, is still Wake Forest’s career leader in points with 1,728 and in rebounds with 1,006. A player from 1988-91, Hoover is the only women’s basketball player at Wake Forest to total more than 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 points in a career. While at WFU, Hoover was a three-time All-ACC honoree, and was also named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll. She was named a Fast Break All-American during her junior and senior years, and was a member of the South team which won the bronze medal in the 1989 Olympic Festival in Oklahoma City.
Following her collegiate career, Hoover was a professional player for the Solna IF Basketball team in Stockholm, Sweden for the 1991-92 season. She played in 1993 on the Athletes in Action USA Fall Exhibition tour, and the Australian Spring tour. She joined the coaching ranks in 1994 as an assistant at Missouri-Kansas City for two years.
She also was an assistant coach for two years each at Virginia Commonwealth (1996-98) and East Carolina (1998-2000) before joining the staff at JMU.
A native of Roanoke, Va., and a graduate of William Byrd High School, Hoover is a 1991 graduate of Wake Forest where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications. In 2002, she was named as one of the Top 50 ACC women’s basketball players.
Jennifer and her husband, John, will relocate to the Charlottesville area.
Virginia women’s basketball opens the 2003-04 campaign at home with UNC Greensboro on Nov. 21.