DENVER, Colo. – High Point University women’s basketball coach Jennifer Hoover was named as a finalist for the 2012 Maggie Dixon Division I Rookie Coach of the Year Award by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) on Friday. The distinguished award honors a WBCA Division I head coach who has led their team to a successful season during their first year at the helm.
Hoover is one of three finalists for the award along with Charlotte’s Cara Consuegra and UC-Santa Barbara’s Carlene Mitchell.
Hoover led High Point to a 20-13 overall record and its second-ever appearance in the WNIT in her first season at the helm. The Panthers tied their Div. I record for wins in a season and reached the Big South Championship for the third-time in team history. HPU finished second in the Big South with a 13-5 conference record and had three players named to the All-Conference teams including senior Shamia Brown who was named first-team All-Big South.
The Spalding Maggie Dixon Division I Rookie Coach of the Year award is in honor of the late Maggie Dixon, former Army head coach, whose success during her inaugural year at the Army helm was remarkable. The Black Knights won the Patriot League title in 2006 and Dixon was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year after leading Army to the NCAA Tournament for the first time at the NCAA Division I level. Coach Dixon passed away on April 6, 2006, just a few weeks following their appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The winner will be formally recognized during the WBCA Awards Show, which will be held at 6 p.m. EDT Monday, April 2. This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four®.