June 16, 2005
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Head coach Sherri Abbey-Nowatzki has signed a contract extension to remain with the Army women's basketball program, as announced by Army Director of Athletics Kevin Anderson. Having just completed her seventh season with the Black Knights, Abbey-Nowatzki most recently guided Army to its first winning season since 2000-01. The Black Knights won 19 games that year, Abbey-Nowatzki's third season at West Point.
"I am very pleased with the progress our team has made," remarked Abbey-Nowatzki. "It gives me a great deal of pride to know that West Point has made a continued commitment to our staff and our women's basketball program."
During her tenure on the banks of the Hudson, Abbey-Nowatzki shows a record of 90-111 (.448). Prior to coming to the Academy, Abbey-Nowatzki served as an assistant at St. Bonaventure for two years. She also assisted former Naval Academy coach Joe Sanchez in Annapolis from 1993-96.
Abbey-Nowatzki's other head coaching assignments included rebuilding stints at Keuka College, D'Youville College and Dutchess Community College. Her overall Division I head coaching record stands at 109-139 (.440). Abbey-Nowatzki registered her 100th career head coaching victory on Jan. 3 in a 60-53 win over service academy rival Air Force.
A 1989 cum laude graduate of SUNY-Fredonia, Abbey-Nowatzki received a master's degree in sport administration in 1990 from the United States Sports Academy in Mobile, Ala.
This past season, Abbey-Nowatzki directed the Black Knights to a 15-13 record, the program's first winning season in four years. Army also recorded its first winning season in Patriot League play with an 8-6 mark to finish third in the regular-season standings. The Black Knights' 2004-05 campaign was highlighted by the squad's first regular season sweep of arch-rival Navy in 11 years.
Since Abbey-Nowatzki's arrival in 1998, Army has landed two players on the All-Patriot League first team (Therese Kelly twice, Katie Macfarlane three times), four players on the second team (Therese Kelly, Katie Macfarlane, Shavonne Holden, Cara Enright), three players on the all-rookie team (Katie Macfarlane, Jen Hansen, Cara Enright) and four players on the Patriot League all-tournament team (Halaevalu Helu, Therese Kelley, Katie Macfarlane, Cara Enright).
Abbey-Nowatzki has also coached the league's "Player of the Year" in Katie Macfarlane (2003-04) and the conference's "Rookie of the Year" in Cara Enright this past season. Macfarlane, who graduated from the Academy in 2004 as the program's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, enjoyed continued athletic success as part of the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) for Team Handball. Last summer, she also participated in a tryout for the WNBA's Connecticut Sun, advancing to the final round of cuts.