Micir wasting no time putting stamp on Lehigh
Former Princeton star is one of youngest head coaches in college basketball
LAWRENCEVILLE >> As Addie Micir was winding down an outstanding playing career by helping the Princeton University women’s basketball team win back-to-back Ivy League titles, those around her already knew.
Micir’s future was in coaching.
“My college teammates realized that more before I did,” Micir said. “Gary Walters, the athletic director at the time, sat me down after my senior year and said if you haven’t thought about coaching I’m going to talk you into it.”
There wasn’t much convincing needed for the 2011 unanimous Ivy League Player of the Year.
Micir has always had a passion for basketball dating back to her days as a standout at Council Rock North in Bucks County before her starring role in helping turn the Princeton program into what it is today.
So it was only natural that she continued her involvement in the game by quickly rising up the coaching ranks, first as an assistant at Dartmouth for five seasons and then one back at her alma mater as part of another Ivy League championship.
Micir was so impressive, she was among the finalist to replace Courtney Banghart at Princeton even though she was barely 30 years old. When that job eventually went to Carla Berube, Micir joined Sue Troyan’s staff at Lehigh and worked under the longtime coach for three seasons before Troyan transitioned to a role in the athletic department.
On April 27 of this year, Micir, at 33 (she turned 34 in September), was named the eighth head coach at Lehigh, and one of the youngest in college basketball.
“I’ve really been prepared well,” Micir said after her Mountain Hawks beat Rider earlier this week. “There are always things that you don’t know, but I have an awesome staff behind me. It’s really fun being able to stand for a game and being able to look back at our staff and get feedback.”
While Micir has always had a voice, when you move 12 inches over to the main chair, that voice is amplified. You have the final say, and when it doesn’t go well, you have to stand in front of the cameras and explain why.
“I’m a very direct person and I have a lot of passion for hoops,” Micir said. “I just let them know I’m here to help. It’s OK to be passionate, it’s OK to smile and play with joy, and the best part is we have a group that buys in. It’s a group that is fun to be around, a group that gets after it, so I’m pretty spoiled as a first-year coach.”
Her team certainly played that way during a fourth-quarter run in which it pulled away from the Broncs to win 81-67 and improve to 3-5 ahead of Saturday’s trip to La Salle.
But even that record is somewhat deceiving. Three of Lehigh’s five losses are by two possessions or less.
“I always say to them I’m a recovering perfectionist and you can be, too,” Micir said. “It helps them loosen up as well knowing that this is the path that you go. Every test matters a lot to them, but it’s not the end of the world; every possession matters a lot to them, but it’s not the end of the world.”
Micir described her team’s style of play as ‘share it and shoot it.’ The Mountain Hawks rank in the top 50 nationally in points per game (77) and the top 21 in 3-pointers made per game (11.4; 1st), 3-pointers attempted per game (29.5; 10th) and 3-point percentage (38.5%; 21st).
She did, after all, play for Banghart, one of the ultimate green light coaches.
“Her teams will be prepared
and they will be fun to watch,” Banghart said at the time of her hire. “She is a winner in every sense of the word. Her playing career speaks for itself, but her ability to teach will soon be on full display. I hired Addie once and tried to hire her again many times.”
Now that Micir’s in charge at Lehigh, it’s her job to continue moving forward after 32 successful years under Troyan.
“She’s gritty, she’s tough, her kids play the way she did,”
said longtime Rider coach Lynn Milligan, who recruited Micir in high school and has remained friends with her since she took up coaching. “She’s a young star in this business, there’s no question. She’s a great person and she’s going to run a great program.”
Expect to see the Mountain Hawks soaring in March.
“Winning is hard,” Micir said, “but if you believe in the process and you have the right people on board then it’s doable.”