Friday, March 18, 2011

MORAVIAN’S MARY BETH SPIRK NAMED RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA REGIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR

ATLANTA, GA --- Moravian College head women’s basketball coach Mary Beth Spirk has been named the 2011 RUSSELL ATHLETIC/Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division III Region 4 Coach of the Year for the third straight year announced Friday.

Spirk took a team that had graduated four starters and six players that combined for 5,233 points, 2,220 rebounds and two NCAA Division III Tournament appearances and led the 2010-11 Greyhound squad to the program’s tenth straight winning season, a berth in the Landmark Conference Tournament and an appearance in the ECAC Division III South Quarterfinals.  In 24 seasons as Moravian’s coach, Spirk has led the program to a 448-211 record, seven NCAA Tournament appearances with a 7-7 mark in NCAA action including a berth in the 1992 National Championship game, three conference titles including 2010 and an ECAC South Championship in 2007.

This is the sixth time Spirk has been honored as the regional coach of the year by the WBCA, earning the honor in 1990, 1991, 1992, 2009 and 2010.  She was also the WBCA’s National Coach of the Year in 1992 after Moravian posted a 31-2 mark and hosted the National Championship game in Johnston Hall.  Spirk has earned conference Coach of the Year honors nine times during her career, most recently in 2009-10 for the second time in three Landmark Conference seasons.

To view the full list of Region Coaches of the Year, visit http://www.wbca.org/blog/index.cfm/2011/3/18/Nancy-Fahey-Named-RUSSELL-ATHLETICWBCA-National-NCAA-Division-III-Coach-of-the-Year/.