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April 4, 2019William T. Clew | CFP
At a place dear to his heart, a group a former women’s basketball players at the College of the Holy Cross rallied last Friday in support of Coach Bill Gibbons, after the college announced that the contract of their former coach will not be renewed.
They played a game against the Mercy Centre, just as Holy Cross women’s teams have done for 27 of the 34 years that Coach Gibbons has been coach.
And, as has happened for each of those 27 years, the Lady Crusaders, many of whom played on Patriot League championship teams, lost.
The Mercy Centre serves those who are developmentally delayed. For many years the program included school and adult programs. Now the program is for adults.
Each year Coach Gibbons brought his teams of tall and athletic women and promised that this was the year they would beat the Mercy Centre. Each year the Mercy Centre fans promised that he was wrong.
Many years the teams were Patriot League champions. But every year all their skills left them for that game and the Mercy Centre won them all. The record: Mercy Centre 27, Holy Cross 0.
Coach Gibbons, who calls Mercy Centre people “God’s special people,” said the games allow his players a chance to give back to the community.
“The joy they give us is worth a lot more than we give them,” he said. “We try to teach our players to be women for others, and this helps us immensely.”
Friday’s gathering of former Holy Cross players was planned before the college announced Thursday that Coach Gibbons was not coming back. He did not attend the event.
But the former players, remembered the game script. Their passes went awry and into Mercy Centre hands. Their defense fell apart. Their shots missed. And once again the Mercy Centre won, much to the joy of both teams.
Kathy Courtney, Patriot League player of the year in 1997 and now a pediatrician with a practice in Winchester, organized the gathering.
“We love Coach Gibbons, and what better place to hold it than the Mercy Centre,” she said.
Others who took part Friday were Elisa Zawadzkas, Kim Leinson, Kelly Greenberg, Janet Hanihan, Katie O’Keefe, Monika Page, Jeanette Wehrenberg, Laurie Carson, 1994 player of the year; Sofia Pena, Summer Ivan, Becky Flynn, Jen Costa, Lauren Maney George, 1995 and 1996 player of the year, and Amy Ross Concouwich, now director of religious education, St. Matthew Parish, Southborough, who played on the 1991 team that beat Maryland in the first round of that season’s NCAA tournament.
The college announced Thursday that Mr. Gibbons would not return. The change took effect immediately, the college said. Anne McInerney, interim coach, will continue in that position for the 2019-2020 season, the college announcement said.
She took over in January when Gibbons was suspended after what the college said was an investigation into a personnel matter. The school gave no other explanation about the suspension.
On Feb. 6, Gibbons issued this statement: “It is important to make clear that the personnel matter relating to me does not in any way involve a claim of sexual misconduct; nor does it involve a student,” Gibbons said. “Furthermore, the matter does not involve any violation of the law or any violation of NCAA or Patriot League rules and regulations. It is strictly an internal, personnel issue. I look forward to returning to my coaching responsibilities at Holy Cross.”
Holy Cross Interim director of Athletics Brendan Sullivan announced that Bill Gibbons will not return as head coach of the Crusader women’s basketball program.
“I would like to thank Coach Gibbons for his years of service to the College and his steadfast dedication to the exceptional student-athletes he has brought to Mount St. James. The impact he has had on more than three decades of student-athletes cannot be overstated,” said Sullivan.
“However, we are committed to achieving a high standard of performance on the court. With the talent we have within this program we expect to consistently compete for Patriot League championships, and in recent years we haven’t done that.”
Coach Gibbons first joined Holy Cross in 1981 and spent the last 34 years as coach of the women’s basketball program. During Gibbons’ tenure with the women’s program, the Crusaders won 12 conference tournament titles and earned 13 postseason berths, last making the NCAA Tournament in 2007.
Over his 34 seasons, Gibbons compiled an overall record of 613-410, posting a 315-150 mark in conference play. He earned Patriot League Coach of the Year honors six times (1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003) and picked up his 600th career win on Feb. 24, 2018.
