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Drury appointed interim head coach of Heron basketball
October 7 , 2005
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Lindsay Drury |
GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith Director of Athletics Deb Steward appointed Lindsay Drury interim head coach of the Heron basketball program. The former assistant coach for William Smith, Drury replaces Olympia Scott, who resigned earlier this week to focus on her WNBA career with the Sacramento Monarchs.
“I have every confidence in Coach Drury and in our student-athletes,” Steward said. “They are champions on and off the court. I know they will continue to build on the great tradition this program enjoys.”
Drury is in her third season with the William Smith Athletics Department. She has already tackled many of the administrative functions of a head coach due to Scott’s commitment to the WNBA this past summer. Drury, Scott, and second-year Assistant Coach Charlie Evangelista were named the 2005 Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year.
“I’ve very excited to have this opportunity,” Drury said. “The student-athletes and the William Smith Athletics staff have been very supportive of me. We have a great group of players returning and I’m focused on helping them build on the success we had last year.”
A 2001 graduate of Kalamazoo College in Michigan, Drury was a four-year member of the Hornets’ women’s basketball team. She was a two-time All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) selection. Drury graduated 11th on the school’s career scoring list with 718 points and was just the fourth player to record more than 500 rebounds (505). Drury averaged 7.1 ppg and 5.0 rpg, playing in 101 contests. She served as a team captain during both her junior and senior seasons. During her four seasons, Drury helped Kalamazoo to a 56-47 record, including back-to-back 18-8 campaigns to close out her career. She earned a bachelor’s degree in human development and social relations.
William Smith returns 10 letterwinners, including four starters, from last season’s 20-8 team that won the Liberty League regular season and tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA Sectional Semifinals. The team’s top three scorers all return, including 2005 Liberty League Rookie of the Year Marisa Vespa (Immaculate Heart/Watertown, N.Y.), who paced the Herons with 11.5 ppg and a William Smith first-year record 142 assists.
An immediate search will be undertaken to fill the assistant coaching vacancy, while a nationwide search will be conducted later this year for a head coach.
The Herons open the season on Nov. 19, at Keuka. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.