Crusader Nation

Fall 2015 • Crusader Nation 3 Caption space Coaches ' Club Bill Carmody M E N ' S B A S K E T B A L L Bill Carmody has been the head coach at Princeton and Northwestern and was named by Sports Illustrated as the best offensive coach in the country — and he arrived at Holy Cross with expectations befitting his resume. "I want to win here, and I want to develop a program so we're right there every year in the Patriot League," says Carmody, who was hired March 19. Among his first jobs was to fill a roster spot left by a player's decision to transfer out, as well as "re-recruiting" the four players who had been signed by former coach Milan Brown. Three of the four previous signees opted to stay, and Carmody filled the re- maining two spots with a pair of players out of New Jersey. "We were all over the East Coast — New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia," Carmody says. "Eventually we gave two scholarships to guys I thought were worth it." The time on the road also helped Carmody get to know Kevin Driscoll and Matt Fava, who had worked under Brown. The two have been retained as assistant coach and coor- dinator of operations, respectively. In May, they were joined on Carmody's staff by Joe Kennedy and Freddie Owens. Carmody is also putting the final touches on next year's schedule. "We're putting that together and figuring out what direction to go in," he says. He's also eyeing a goal that will be music to the ears of many alums: "I want to get back to the point where BC is a rivalry." M en's lacrosse. Men's hockey. Field hockey. Men's basketball. Volley- ball. Women's lacrosse. Women's golf. In little more than a year, seven programs have welcomed the arrival of new head coaches. Some al- ready have a season under their belts, while others are still just settling into their new environs. All, however, belong to the same club. Or, as Lindsay Jackson, the new field hockey coach, says: "You really feel that Holy Cross Athletics is one team, and that's pretty cool." The infusion of new faces, beginning with the arrival of Athletics Direc- tor Nathan Pine in December 2013, has given Crusader Athletics a "new energy," says David Berard, men's hockey coach. All bring enthusiasm and experience, along with an un- derstanding that their roles are more than just calling plays during games. At Holy Cross, a coach is also equal parts teacher and mentor. "There have been a lot changes, and that's created a really positive momentum within the department," he says. "It's filtered down to the students, too; with Nate's leadership, everyone is excited about the direc- tion we're going." For Pine, the ability to "attract, hire and retain the best coaches to lead our programs is critical to our success." "Coaches are advocates for Holy Cross and our students and tell our story to prospective students and their families. The best coaches have a keen understanding of the combi- nation of academic and athletic skill that student-athletes at Holy Cross need to succeed in the classroom and on the playing field," Pine says, "and we are really happy with and excited about the coaches we've been able to put in place." Recently, Crusader Nation caught up with the College's newest coaches. 7 Great, new leaders enrich our teams • By Chris Edmonds '04 Meet our New Coaches Coach Lattimore recently announced 11 incoming freshmen including two High School All-Americans.

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