| FGCU Star Kate Schrader Completes Boldon's Coaching Staff |
| Wednesday, May 19 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| Youngstown -- Kate Schrader, the most decorated women’s basketball player to ever play at Florida Gulf Coast University, has joined former FGCU assistant Bob Boldon on the Youngstown State women’s basketball staff. Schrader, who coached alongside YSU’s first-year head coach last year, completes Boldon’s staff of assistants. Jen Gwin and Tavares Jackson were announced as the first two assistant coaches on May 3. Kate Schrader Schrader will be responsible for junior college recruiting, on-floor coaching, game preparation and compliance needs. “Kate has a tremendous understanding of how to play the game of basketball, and she will be counted on to be a great teacher,” Boldon said. “She was an All-American as a player, and she’s been in two consecutive postseasons as a coach. She is a winner, and I am thrilled to have Kate join our staff.” After two remarkable seasons on the court for FGCU, she spent the last two years on the Eagles’ bench. She was a graduate assistant in 2008-09, and she and Boldon were both assistant coaches in 2009-10. In Schrader’s two years on the FGCU staff, the Eagles went 50-12 in just their second and third seasons at the Division I level. In 2008-09 with Schrader as a graduate assistant, FGCU went 26-5, won the Atlantic Sun regular-season title and advanced to the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament. One of those victories came against Florida in the season opener. The Eagles won 17 straight games before their loss to South Florida in the WNIT, and they received votes in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll. In 2009-10, FGCU went 24-7 and earned invitations to compete in both the preseason and postseason WNIT. The Eagles were 17-3 in the Atlantic Sun and went a perfect 14-0 in home contests. As a student-athlete, Schrader led FGCU to a combined two-year record of 63-3. She was a First-Team Division II All-America selection her senior year when she led the Eagles to an appearance in the National Championship game. She finished second in the nation in field goal percentage (.628), and she led FGCU in free-throw percentage (.809), rebounds (5.5 per game) and points (17.4 per game). She was a Division II Honorable-Mention All-America honoree as a junior in 2006. Despite playing only two seasons at FGCU, she is the school’s all-time leader in points, field goals made, free-throws made, free-throws attempted and free-throw percentage. Schrader went on to play professionally in Holland for the Perik Jumpers. Prior to her days at Florida Gulf Coast, Schrader played two seasons at Yavapai Community College in Prescott, Ariz. Schrader, a native of Fort Collins, Colo., received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Florida Gulf Coast in 2007. |
| Boldon Announces Dates for Summer Camp Series |
| Thursday, May 13 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| Youngstown -- Youngstown State head women's basketball coach Bob Boldon and his staff will hold three different youth camps this June for players aspiring to develop their skills. The Penguins will host an elite camp for high school student-athletes on June 16, a team camp on June 19 and a half-day youth camp from June 21-24. All camps well be held on the Youngstown State campus. The elite camp is designed to get players ready for the next level. There will be intense workouts focusing on shooting, ball handling, passing, post moves, and defense. There will be competitive games as well as speed and agility drills. It will be run very similarly to a college practice. The team camp is designed to help high school varsity and junior varsity teams develop. Teams are guaranteed three games per day with certified high school officials. Coaches and players can begin the team bonding process at this camp and find new ways to stay on top of their game. The focus of the half-day youth camp, designed for players entering second through ninth grade, is to improve the all-around game. Participants will work on ball handling, passing, shooting, defensive techniques and rebounding skills. There will also be individual and team competitions where awards will be given. Campers will be separated into groups based on age and skill level. For more information and to register, call the Youngstown State Women's Basketball office at (330) 941-3004. Registrants can also download the Camp Brochure and mail in the registration form. |
| Boldon Welcomes Jen Gwin, Taveras Jackson to Coaching Staff |
| Tuesday, May 4 2010 |
| Courtesy of: YSU |
| Youngstown -- Youngstown State first-year head women's basketball coach Bob Boldon announced today that Jen Gwin and Taveras Jackson have joined his staff as assistant coaches for the 2010-11 season. Gwin has spent the last three seasons coaching at the Division I level, including the past two at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. Jackson comes to YSU after spending the past six seasons as the recruiting coordinator at Division II Slippery Rock University in Western Pennsylvania. "I'm very pleased to welcome two enthusiastic and passionate coaches to our staff in Jen and Taveras," Boldon said. "Their experience, knowledge and character will be great assets as we begin to re-establish the winning tradition here at Youngstown State." Gwin will be responsible for on-floor coaching, game preparation, assistant with recruiting, overseeing academic and equipment needs and organizing YSU's individual camps. Jackson will serve as the recruiting coordinator as well as helping with on-floor coaching, game preparation, scheduling and the program's team camp. Although Gwin has been in the full-time coaching ranks for just three seasons, she's been part of two successful mid-major programs at Canisius and Saint Francis (Pa.). In her first season at Canisius, the Golden Griffins went 24-9, advanced to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship game and played Women's National Invitation Tournament. Gwin's duties on the Canisius staff included recruiting high school student-athletes, scouting opponents, assisting with guard development, overseeing compliance issues and monitoring academic progress. Gwin spent the 2007-08 season at Saint Francis (Pa.) and helped start the rebuilding effort that allowed the Red Flash to win the Northeast Conference Tournament this past year. There, in addition to her duties at Canisius, Gwin was charged with organizing travel arrangements, exchanging film and overseeing team community service activities. Gwin got her coaching start as a student assistant at her alma mater, Division II Gannon University in Erie, Pa. A four-year starter and two-time team captain for the Golden Knights, Gwin still owns Gannon's school record for career assists with 835 from 2001-05. She also finished her career with 1,045 points, which ranked 16th in school history when her career ended. Gwin also ranks among Gannon's career leaders with 112 games played, 538 rebounds and 260 steals (260). A two-time First-Time All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection, Gwin played under Boldon her freshman season when he was an assistant at Gannon. That season the Golden Knights went to the NCAA Division II Tournament as Gwin was named the conference freshman of the year. "Jen has had a successful career as a player and as a coach, and she has a great understanding of how to be successful," Boldon said. "She approaches everything she does with a great deal of enthusiasm, and she will be a terrific addition to our staff." Jackson joins Boldon's staff after serving as the top assistant coach at Slippery Rock for the past six years. Among The Rock's achievements with Jackson on board, Slippery Rock advanced to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament, and three student-athletes earned All-PSAC recognition. Jackson oversaw recruiting efforts that led to signing two NJCAA All-America selections, five NCAA Division I transfers, four All-Ohio honorees and a Pennsylvania all-state pick. He also assisted with post play, game plan preparation, opponent scouting, budgeting, alumni activities and compliance issues. Jackson got his first Division I experience at Austin Peay State University during the 2002-03 season as the Governors posted their best season in school history. The Governors went 27-4 that season, won both the Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles and played North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament. Jackson worked primarily with Austin Peay's guards as well as assisting with scouting, offseason workouts, game preparation, academic progress, team travel, fundraising and community service. Jackson also coached in the OVC the following season at Eastern Illinois, helping two Panthers receive second-team all-conference honors. He focused on guard development and defense as well as team travel, conditioning, academics and summer camps at EIU. Jackson's coaching career began at Division II Bemidji State University in Minnesota as a graduate assistant. He played two years at Division II Minnesota, Crookston after a two-year junior college playing career at Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin. "Tavares is genuinely passionate about the game of basketball," Boldon said. "He is a tireless worker and an outstanding recruiter. I am excited to have him join our staff." Boldon will announce the third member of his coaching staff next week. Boldon was named YSU's head coach on April 14. |