Hartford hires former UConn player Valley
A branch of the Geno Auriemma coaching tree is coming to Connecticut.
Morgan Valley, who played under Auriemma at UConn from 2000-2004, has been hired as the women’s basketball coach at the University of Hartford. Valley will be introduced at a Thursday press conference.
She replaces Kim McNeill, who left the Hawks to become coach at East Carolina.
Valley, a Vermont native, began her coaching career as a student assistant at UConn. She went on to coach at Holy Cross, New Hampshire, Towson, UMass, Virginia Tech and Washington, where she was an assistant on a Final Four team.
For the past two seasons, Valley has been an assistant at Arizona.
“I’m so excited for Morgan,” Auriemma said in a statement. “She is absolutely the most dedicated and hardworking person I’ve been around in a long, long time. Her experiences as a player and assistant coach at various levels have provided her with all the tools she needs to be an excellent head coach. The University of Hartford made a great hire. They hired a terrific coach and an outstanding human being.”
McNeill spent three seasons at Hartford, taking over after Jennifer Rizzotti left for George Washington. Rizzotti, also a UConn graduate, spent 17 seasons leading the Hawks.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to join Hawk Nation, and I can’t wait to carry on the winning tradition that has been established by both Jen Rizzotti and Kim McNeill,” Valley said in a statement. “Four of the best years of my life were spent here in Connecticut, and it is truly a dream to be coming back home. I can’t wait to get started and look forward to representing the community and the University of Hartford.”
Hartford was 23-11 last season and 59-38 the past three seasons. The Hawks have won five America East titles and have appeared in six NCAA Tournaments since 2002.
The Hawks were in the WNIT this season, the first postseason berth since 2013.
“From the very start of our search process, Morgan’s experience and vision impressed all of us,” athletic director Mary Ellen Gillespie said. “She has had tremendous success as both a player and a coach, and will be an outstanding mentor for our studentathletes. On top of being a proven winner, Morgan has been a part of leading highly successful programs. After a thorough and comprehensive national search process, there is no doubt that she is the perfect fit for the University of Hartford and our women’s basketball program.”
At UConn, Valley was a teammate of Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. She won three NCAA titles and was part of four Final Four teams.
“Morgan’s career has taken her all across the country and it’s fitting that she gets her chance to be a head coach in the state of Connecticut,” Bird said “Morgan’s best qualities are loyalty, work ethic and experience, and those are the exact qualities you want your head coach to possess. I couldn’t be more excited for Morgan and for the University of Hartford. They got a great one!”
Said Taurasi, “Morgan has prepared her whole life to be a head coach. She has dedicated her life to basketball and the betterment of young women. University of Hartford and Morgan will be a perfect match!”