BRYN MAWR, Pa. – Bryn Mawr College Director of Athletics Kathy Tierney has announced the hiring of Dr. Carla Coleman as the next head coach of the Owls basketball program. Dr. Coleman had served as an assistant coach for Bryn Mawr for three seasons, and she becomes the 12th recorded head coach of the program in Bryn Mawr history.
"I am honored and extremely humbled to be the next basketball coach at Bryn Mawr College," Dr. Coleman said. "I am so excited to work with the players, coaches, and athletic administration. It is such a warm and inviting environment that I can't wait to get started!"
In addition to spending three seasons as an assistant coach for the Owls, Dr. Coleman has served as a high school counselor for Harriton High School since 2000. Dr. Coleman also has extensive experience as a basketball coach at the prep and AAU levels. She got her start in coaching as an assistant coach of the varsity team at Harriton in 2002 before taking over as head coach in 2005. Dr. Coleman also has put together two stints as a coach at local AAU program Kyniska Hoops. Overall, she has over 15 years of experience coaching at the high school and AAU level.
Dr. Coleman played her collegiate basketball at Penn State University from 1990-1995. She was a two-year starter for the Lady Lions, and she captured one Atlantic 10 and two Big Ten titles during her career. She was also a member of the 19U USA Basketball Team during her collegiate career.
"Carla's passion for supporting student-athletes both on and off the court are grounded in her experience as an educator, coach, and former student-athlete," Tierney stated. "She articulated an exciting vision to meet the challenges of advancing our basketball program within the highly competitive Centennial Conference. She has a clear understanding of the Division III experience and embraces the opportunity to provide each student-athlete with a transformative experience. I welcome her to our team!"
Dr. Coleman received her bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation Services Education with a minor in Health Education from Penn State in 1995. She also earned her master's degree in Secondary Education/School Counseling from Penn State in 1997. In 2015, Dr. Coleman completed her doctorate in Human Services with a Specialization in Counseling Studies at Capella University.
"I am impressed with the investment administration has made in its athletic programs while maintaining high academic standards," stated Dr. Coleman. "These two areas are so important to me, which made this such a great opportunity."
"I also absolutely love the campus," Dr. Coleman continued. "Seeing the cherry blossoms in full bloom and walking the campus brought me back to when I had my first visit to Penn State. I am excited and grateful to Kathy for this opportunity and I am looking forward to bringing in some of the best scholar student-athletes that will represent the Bryn Mawr community well."