July 26, 2007
2007 Pan Am Games
Center Valley, Pa. - The 2007 Pan American Games had some Patriot League flare, as three coaches had a hand in this year's competition, as well as two Patriot League student-athletes. The Pan Am Games began Friday, July 13 and will conclude on Sunday, July 29. The 2007 games are being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Holy Cross Head Coach Bill Gibbons was on the sidelines coaching the U.S. women's basketball squad to a gold medal. The U.S. team defeated Brazil, 79-66, on July 24. Gibbons served as an assistant coach along with Harvard's Kathy Delany-Smith under the direction of Dawn Staley, head coach at Temple and a three-time Olympic gold medalist.
Gibbons guided the Crusaders to their 11th Patriot League Championship title in March and Holy Cross' 10th NCAA appearance. He is entering his 23rd season at the helm of the Holy Cross women's basketball team and owns a 444-215 all-time record.
Fran O'Hanlon, Lafayette Men's Basketball Head Coach, was a court coach for the U.S. Basketball Pan Am Games Team Trials. USA Basketball conducted its trials for the 2007 Pan Am Games July 12-14 at Haverford College (Pa.). The U.S. men's basketball team dropped a preliminary game to Uruguay on July 25. The medal competition will be held on July 29.
The Leopards' mentor has been at Lafayette for 12 seasons. He has captured two Patriot League Tournament titles (1999 and 2000).
Also serving as an assistant coach for a U.S. team is American Field Hockey Head Coach Steve Jennings. Under his direction, the U.S. took silver on July 24.
Jennings' Eagles won their fourth-straight Patriot League Tournament title in 2006 and ended the year ranked 19th in the nation. He is a three-time winner of the Patriot League Coach of the Year award.
Two former American student-athletes competed in the sport of field hockey - Javiera Villagra and Camila Infante. Villagra and Infante represented the Chilean National Team, which lost in the bronze medal match.
Villagra '06 and Infante '07 are two of the most decorated student-athletes in Patriot League field hockey history. Villagra is a three-time All-American and the only Patriot League student-athlete to earn first-team status (2004 and 2005). She was named First-Team All-Patriot League three times. Infante, a four-time First-Team All-Patriot League selection, was twice named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year (2004 and 2005), Patriot League Rookie of the Year (2003) and Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player (2006). She was also tabbed an All-American three times on the second team.