Grand total for Stevens
Bentley icon hits milestone
WALTHAM — Bentley basketball coach Barbara Stevens enjoyed a milestone moment and it was accentuated by a Gatorade bucket splash of blue and white confetti.
The celebratory gesture by the Bentley players was the final act of the Falcons’ historic 78-66 Northeast-10 Conference victory over Adelphi last night at the Dana Center.
Stevens became the first Division 2 coach and fifth NCAA women’s coach overall to reach 1,000 wins in a coaching career. The No. 5-ranked Falcons improved to 17-1 and remain in first place with a 10-1 mark in the conference.
“We couldn’t do water because the men’s game was right after,” said sophomore forward Monica Viapiano.
“We thought: What can we do? So we got tissue paper and last night we were cutting it up in big-sized cubes that could get swept up super quick.”
Stevens celebrated her 1,000th win by posing for a team portrait at center court, receiving hugs and handshakes from well-wishers sharing in countless selfies.
She is as modest a person as she is an exceptional coach. The confetti had hardly settled when she was talking about how to earn victory 1,001 against Southern Connecticut State tomorrow in Waltham.
“I don’t mean to diminish this at all and this is just wonderful and I’m really honored to be a part of this institution and this program,” Stevens said. “I’ve been really fortunate to still be coaching and still doing something that I really love.
“I knew this milestone was approaching and you can’t avoid it, but I didn’t want anything to distract me. My mission is to prepare my team to the best of its ability and I didn’t want the spotlight or the focus to be on anyone but them.”
She was inducted into Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and has been selected the NCAA Division 2 Coach of the Year an unprecedented five times.
She became the fifth women’s coach to reach quadruple digits in wins, joining legends UConn’s Geno Auriemma, North Carolina’s Sylvia Hatchell, Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer and the late Pat Summitt of Tennessee.
“We are kind of the same era and when people mention those coaches’ names along with my name it doesn’t register with me honestly,” said Stevens. “Maybe when I have a minute somewhere down the road to reflect maybe I’ll I think about it and say, ‘That is kind of cool.’ Right now, we are a one game at a time (Bill) Belichick thing going on here.”
She is in her 41st season as a head coach and 32nd at Bentley. She earned her 843rd win at Bentley and spread 157 more over stops at Clark (1977-83) and UMass (1983-86).
Stevens’ record at the three schools combined is 1000-275. She has averaged 25 wins over 40 seasons that included a 35-0 run and the NCAA title in 2014.
“As much as every team I have coached has been special obviously to win a national championship is the highlight of my career,” she said. “That group was special and they kind of remind me of this group because they are very focused and very determined and very talented.”