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Big news came out of Amherst today for Women's Basketball fans, as Danny White announced that head coach Felisha Legette-Jack has received a contract extension that will last through the 2018-19 season.
In 2013-14 Legette-Jack helmed the Bulls to their highest MAC Tournament seed in program history. After finishing her first season behind the bench strong with an 8-8 conference record despite a slow start in the nonconference slate, Coach saw the Bulls through a consistent season that finished the year with a 17-13 overall record and 10-8 mark in conference.
The upcoming 2014-15 season will see Legette-Jack look to continue her successes in Amherst with a balanced roster that features three seniors, two juniors, and four sophomore. Despite the graduation of Cherridy Thornton, Margeaux Gupilan, and transfer Jenna Rickan, UB will return a solid starting five in leading scorer Mackenzie Loesing, 2013-14 Superfrosh Alexus Malone, forwards Kristen Sharkey and Christa Baccas, and redshirt sophomore guard Rachel Gregory, who missed all of last season to a knee injury. In a conference that has been dominated by Toledo and Bowling Green the last few years, UB returns a core of players that pushed the Falcons last season and could improve on their MAC standing for the third straight year.
Legette-Jack has also been strong on the recruiting trail, bringing in three freshmen from new corners of the world for UB. Mariah Suchan is a 6'1" forward from Wichita, KS, and will be joined by twin sisters Liisa and Katherine Ups from Wollongong, New South Wales.
Buffalo is the latest stop in a major-conference career for Coach Jack, who enjoyed a run at Indiana of three straight 18+ win season seasons, after leading Hofstra to some of the best years in its history. Prior to earning a head coaching job, she gained experience as an assistant at Michigan State and her alma mater, Syracuse, and as a member of the USA basketball coaching team.
UB will open the 2014-15 campaign on November 14 when they host Siena. Their nonconference slate sees them compete just three times at home, though in true Syracuse form, they only leave New York twice, once to take on Duke, and then to a holiday tournament in Miami.