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Women's Basketball
Lisa Cermignano Named Fighting Illini Assistant Coach
July 2, 2009
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - University of Illinois women's basketball coach Jolette Law announced Thursday the hiring of Lisa Cermignano as an assistant coach. Cermignano (pronounced sir-min-YA-no) comes to Illinois with 11 years of Division I coaching experience, including the last three as an assistant at Vanderbilt University. She fills the vacancy on Law's staff left by Karen Middleton, who recently became the head coach at Western Carolina University. "Without a doubt Lisa is one of the most talented and proven assistant coaches in women's basketball," Law said of Cermignano. "Her success as a player and coach on nationally-ranked, competitive teams will be a tremendous asset to our program. Lisa's expertise as a skilled recruiter and guard development coach will allow her to have an immediate impact. Her energy, work ethic, knowledge of the game, passion for defense and ability to develop talent make her a great fit for our staff." "I'm really excited for the opportunity to come to Illinois and work with someone like Jolette Law," Cermignano said. "I've known her for a while on the recruiting circuit and have always respected her work ethic and passion. When I came to campus I was amazed at the support and enthusiasm that surrounds the program and wanted to be a part of it. I've had a great experience at Vanderbilt and it was a hard decision to leave, but after meeting Coach Law, the staff and the players it felt like a perfect fit. Her vision for the program is very exciting and I have no doubts she's on the verge of building something special at Illinois." Cermignano spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach for the Vanderbilt women's basketball team, joining the Commodores in the summer of 2006. Cermignano served as the team's defensive coordinator, worked primarily with the guards and was also an essential part of Vanderbilt's recruiting efforts. In three seasons at VU, she helped lead the Commodores to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Sweet 16s (2008 and '09), and two Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournament titles (2007 and '09). In 2008, Cermignano's guards were key in Vanderbilt ranking in the top-15 nationally in turnover margin, assist-turnover ratio and field goal percentage. Guard Jennifer Risper was named WBCA National Defensive Player of the Year and point guard Jence Rhoads ranked in the NCAA's Top 10 in assist-to-turnover ratio with the help Cermignano's tutelage. In 2007, the VU guards led the nation in three-point shooting and helped the team rank second in the NCAA in overall field goal percentage. Caroline Williams graduated that season as the most accurate long-range shooter in the history of the SEC. That same year, point guard Dee Davis became the school's all-time assists leader and was the first pick in the second round of the WNBA draft. Prior to Vandy, Cermignano spent five years as an assistant coach at George Washington (Washington, D.C.), where she helped lead the team to four Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances. Working alongside head coach Joe McKeown, who is currently the head coach at Northwestern, she focused on team defense and developing the Colonials' guards and other perimeter players. Cermignano began her coaching career during the 1997-98 season as an assistant at Maryland. She moved on to Monmouth (West Long Branch, N.J.), where she served as an assistant coach for two seasons before accepting an administrative position with her alma mater, George Washington. After one season as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Colonials, Cermignano was promoted to assistant coach.
Cermignano attended and starred for George Washington from 1993-97, earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 1997. As a player at GW, she was a three-year starter for a team that advanced to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, making it to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1995 and the Elite Eight in 1997. She was named a captain prior to her senior season, and earned College Player of the Year honors from the South Jersey Basketball Club. The two-time all-conference selection connected on 270 career three-pointers, second all-time at George Washington. Cermignano's protégé - Cathy Joens - surpassed her three-point record during the 2003-04 season. On Feb. 9, 2008, Cermignano was inducted into the George Washington Athletic Hall of Fame. Born in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and raised in Mantua, N.J., Cermignano was a prep star at Glouchester Catholic (N.J.). She scored 2,063 points in her high school career and earned Gatorade State Player of the Year honors after the 1993 season. THE CERMIGNANO FILEEducation Coaching Experience Playing Experience |
