Rizzotti’s Contract Extended

University of Hartford President Walter Harrison and Director of Athletics and Special Assistant to the President Pat Meiser-McKnett have announced a contract extension with Head Women’s Basketball Coach Jennifer Rizzotti. The new contract will run through the 2009-10 women’s basketball season.

Rizzotti first signed with Hartford in September 1999 and has since led the Hawks to two NCAA tournament appearances and numerous school records. Her previous contract was to last through next season and will now be combined into the new contract.

“Jen has brought our women’s basketball program into the national spotlight,” said Harrison. “Not only are we winning games, but Rizzotti and her coaching staff have brought quality student-athletes to the program. Her academic values, her personal values, and her athletics values are all just right. We look forward to future success both on and off the court.”

Now in her seventh season, Rizzotti has led Hartford to its first-ever America East regular season title and the top seed in the 2006 Friendship Cottage Cheese America East Championship, which begins today at the Reich Family Pavilion. Along the way, the Hawks have notched the longest winning streak in school history (15 games) and set school records for overall wins (23) and conference victories (15). She is also the winningest coach in school history, with a 115-88 (.567) record.

In 2002, in just her third season as head coach, Rizzotti led Hartford to its first-ever America East Championship and berth in the NCAA Tournament. She duplicated the feat last year as the Hawks won a then-school record 22 games.