Jonathan Tsipis Named New Head Women’s Basketball Coach


April 9, 2012

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Jonathan Tsipis, former associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for women’s basketball at the University of Notre Dame, has been hired as George Washington’s next head women’s basketball coach. George Washington Director of Athletics and Recreation Patrick Nero made the announcement Friday at a press conference in the Charles E. Smith Center.

“Jonathan is extremely well-respected in women’s basketball circles, and his reputation of being a man of integrity, with a history of winning and a strong track record of academic success among the student-athletes that he has worked with, makes George Washington incredibly fortunate to employ his services,” said Mr. Nero.

In his nine seasons at Notre Dame, Mr. Tsipis helped Hall of Fame Coach Muffet McGraw reach the NCAA Tournament each season, including five Sweet Sixteen appearances, four of which came in the last five years. While Mr. Tsipis was on the coaching staff, Notre Dame enjoyed a 228-77 record, including back-to-back NCAA National Championship game appearances in 2011 and 2012.

As the coordinator of Notre Dame’s nationally ranked recruiting efforts, Mr. Tsipis’ work landed the Fighting Irish one of the nation’s top-20 recruiting classes in each of his nine years, and a top-10 class three of the last four seasons. Additionally, his expertise was relied on to coordinate Notre Dame’s game plans, player development, scheduling and practice planning.

Mr. Tsipis was responsible for building the game plan in close to three dozen Notre Dame wins over nationally ranked opponents, including the Irish’s win against Connecticut in 2005 that snapped the Huskies’ 112-game home win streak in regular-season league games. He also designed the game plan in Notre Dame’s 2011 NCAA Women’s Final Four when the Fighting Irish became the first UConn opponent in more than seven years to shoot better than 50 percent from the floor.

He has been named one of CollegeInsider.com’s top 10 assistant coaches in the nation and a received BasketballScoop.com’s Assistant Coach of the Year Award. Mr. Tsipis has mentored four All-Americans, two WNBA Draft picks, a Big East Conference Player of the Year, three players who earned invitations to the USA Basketball National Team trials and a First Team Academic All-American. Mr. Tsipis’ student-athletes have excelled academically as well, with 100 percent of his players at Notre Dame who used their four years of eligibility graduating.

“We wanted to hire someone who has been at another top school with high academic standards for student-athletes, but who also knows how to win,” said Mr. Nero. “Jonathan’s basketball acumen, recruiting ability, attention to detail and work ethic made him one of the most highly sought-after coaches in the country, and the opportunity is there for our student-athletes to achieve the lofty goals and high standards of our women’s basketball program under his mentorship and tutelage.”

Prior to Notre Dame, Mr. Tsipis spent one season as the director of men’s basketball operations at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. He has also worked as an assistant men’s coach at Elon University, as a top men’s assistant coach at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, and on the men’s basketball staff at Cornell University and Duke University, where he served as an undergraduate assistant under legendary Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

“I am thrilled that Jonathan Tsipis will be heading to Foggy Bottom,” said Notre Dame men's basketball head coach and GW alumnus Mike Brey. “I have watched him coach and teach up close for nine years, and I am thoroughly impressed. Who wouldn't want their daughter to play for Jonathan? He has a fabulous feel for the game and is a great communicator. I am thrilled my alma mater has chosen him.”