Stefanopoulos, Ekedigwe Added to Bozzella's Staff
7/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. -- Christian Stefanopoulos, who has a wealth of college basketball coaching experience at the highest levels, has been named an assistant coach with the Seton Hall women's basketball program, reigning BIG EAST Coach of the Year Anthony Bozzella announced Tuesday.
"I am thrilled to welcome Christian to the Seton Hall women's basketball family," Bozzella said. "To bring someone in with as much experience with top-level programs as her is huge for our program."
Stefanopoulos spent last season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Kentucky, which advanced to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament powered by the program's winningest senior class.
A native of Florence, Ky., Stefanopoulos' stint with Kentucky was her second with the program, which has advanced to six straight NCAA Tournaments. Stefanopoulos was the video coordinator from 2007-10 at UK as well.
"I am honored to become a part of the Seton Hall women's basketball program and to have the opportunity to work and learn under Coach Bozzella," Stefanopoulos said. "I am looking forward to being a part of a program that is building something special as a family."
Before the 2014-15 campaign, Stefanopoulos served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa. In her first year, she helped build the biggest turnaround in the program's history, as the Bison rose from compiling five wins in 2011-12 to garnering 15 victories in 2012-13. In her second season, the Bison received a bid to the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI), giving Bucknell its first postseason berth since 2007-08.
Prior to Bucknell, Stefanopoulos was an assistant coach for two seasons at Morehead State in Morehead, Ky. The Eagles compiled a 31-29 overall record during those two seasons, including a 20-14 mark in Ohio Valley Conference play. In her first year at Morehead, the Eagles went 21-10 overall and finished in a tie for third in the Ohio Valley Conference race.
Stefanopoulos, 30, played collegiately at Austin Peay University (Clarksville, Tenn.) and Thomas More College (Crestview Hills, Ky.). With the Lady Govs, she won back-to-back OVC championships (2002-03 and 2003-04) and lifted the program to two berths in the NCAA Tournament in a row. She also excelled in the classroom by earning a spot on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll in 2002. She transferred to Thomas More for her final two years of eligibility where she made an immediate impact on the squad. She earned team captain honors as a senior while leading the Saints to the 2005-06 Presidents' Athletic Conference Co-Champions title.
Stefanopoulos earned a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Thomas More in 2006 and a master's degree in sports administration from Morehead State in 2014.
Bozzella also announced that Chizoba Ekedigwe '15 will be joining the staff as a graduate assistant for the upcoming season. Ekedigwe was a key part of the run to the NCAA Tournament this past season, appearing in all 34 games with a career-high 19 starts at center.
"It is very exciting to keep Chizzy as a part of our program for another season," Bozzella said. "She was an excellent ambassador as a player and will be the same as a coach."
Stefanopoulos and Ekedigwe join a Pirates squad coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history, winning a school-record 28 games, capturing the BIG EAST regular season championship and earning an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, the team's first tournament appearance since 1995. The Pirates will return nine student-athletes from last season's team, including All-BIG EAST and All-Met senior Tabatha Richardson-Smith.
