Bozzella Adds Three to WBB Staff
6/13/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Seton Hall University head women’s basketball coach Anthony Bozzella on Thursday announced the completion of his coaching staff with the additions of Director of Basketball Operations Timothy Gardner, Coordinator of Basketball Operations Marissa Flagg, and Graduate Assistant Alexandra Maseko.
“I am extremely excited to complete my staff here at Seton Hall. I feel like we have a tremendous amount of experience and enthusiasm; it is a group that will work really well with our student-athletes,” Bozzella said. “I take pride in surrounding myself with people who care deeply about Seton Hall University, academics and athletics and this staff exhibits all of those qualities.”
Gardner comes to Seton Hall after spending two years in the same capacity on Bozzella’s staff at Iona College. Prior to starting at Iona he served six seasons as the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the women’s basketball program at Kean University.
“I’m blessed that Tim Gardner is joining me here at Seton Hall after working with me for two years at Iona,” Bozzella said. “Tim is as bright a basketball mind as I know and will have a large say in the offenses we run. He is a family man, someone that grew up 10 minutes from Seton Hall and has spent a lot of time on this campus. I am excited to have him.”
Over Gardner’s six seasons at Kean the women’s basketball team compiled an overall record of 147-35, making five NCAA Tournament appearances with three trips to the sectional final. In his second year with Bozzella at Iona, the Gaels posted a 20-13 record, finishing second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) to earn a postseason berth to the WNIT for the fourth time in program history.
Flagg was a standout guard for Bozzella at Iona from 2006-11, starting 29 of her 30 games played as a senior when she ranked third in the MAAC in assists and fifth in steals. She played one full season of international basketball, averaging 10 points, six assists and four steals per game for the San Juan Warriors in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Marissa Flagg was with me for five years as a student-athlete and has spent the last two years furthering her understanding of the game by playing professionally and coaching,” Bozzella said. “She brings great enthusiasm and understanding of my program to Seton Hall. I know she is going to do great things here and quickly move up the coaching ranks.”
Flagg completed her Master’s in Business Administration at Iona in May 2013 and was the head coach of the St. Anthony’s freshman girls’ basketball team in Melville, N.Y., for the 2012-13 season. Prior to college Flagg starred at Cardozo High School in Queens, N.Y., where she scored over 1,000 points and was a First-Team Daily News and First-Team Newsday All-Queens selection.
Maseko graduated from Seton Hall in May 2013, after helping lead the women’s basketball team to the second round of the BIG EAST Championship during her senior season when she started in all 31 games for the Pirates and ranked third on the team in scoring and second in rebounding. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Diplomacy at Seton Hall.
“The minute I met Alex I realized what a great representative of Seton Hall University she is and I am really excited to have her join my staff,” Bozzella said. “Alex brings great enthusiasm, understands what Seton Hall is all about and I think will help us a lot in the recruiting process.”
Maseko’s success at Seton Hall transcended basketball as she was a model student-athlete and community representative during her four years as a student-athlete. She was named one of just seven finalists for the Rhodes Scholarship in her native Zimbabwe in the fall of 2012. Maseko was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society, in 2012 and was one of Seton Hall’s BIG EAST Scholar Athlete of the Year nominees in 2013.
Maseko’s community initiatives included developing a sneaker drive for Zimbabwean youth basketball players, and being an active member of Seton Hall’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) functions including participating in youth clinics, food drives and youth programs like Reading with the Pirates.
