Chris Vozab, a women's basketball assistant coach last season for the University of Dayton (Ohio) Flyers, has been hired as Georgia Southern's women's basketball head coach, GSU athletics director Sam Baker announced Tuesday night in a news release.
Vozab begins her duties immediately at GSU. She was introduced to the team Tuesday night. Vozab will be introduced to media at 11:45 a.m. today at a news conference at the President's dining hall in the Russell Student Union building (room 1023).
Vozab replaces Rusty Cram, who resigned March 5 after 21 years with GSU's women's basketball program, including the past 16 as head coach.
“It is always a daunting task to search for a new head coach,” Baker said in a news release. “In Chris Vozab, we believe we have an individual who embodies the attributes we want in a head coach. She will continue the program’s commitment to the development of the complete student-athlete.”
As an assistant coach with Dayton, Vozab helped lead the Flyers to a 23-6 record, an Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Vozab’s eight years of NCAA Division I basketball coaching experience at Canisius, Winthrop and Dayton include three postseason trips, including two NCAA Tournament appearances.
Vozab completed her basketball playing career at Providence as a four-year starter at guard and three-year captain with the aspiration of entering the coaching ranks. Both of Vozab’s parents coached basketball; her father serving as a high school and AAU coach and her mother also coaching at the AAU level.
In her latest coaching position at Dayton, working with her former Providence head coach Jim Jabir, Vozab helped secure the 41st-ranked and top 2012 recruiting class in the Atlantic 10. She served as the team's point guard coach and helped develop Patrice Lalor into an A-10 All-Tournament team pick. Vozab also was integrally involved in opponent scouting and the student-athletes’ success in the classroom.
Vozab came to Dayton after four years at Winthrop as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Bud Childers, where she helped guide the 2008-09 squad to a WNIT appearance after a 20-12 season in 2007-08. She coached a number of award winners during her time with Winthrop, including 2009-10 Big South All-Conference First Team selection Shanice Cole and Big South Freshman of the Year Dequesha McClanahan.
In her first season at Canisius College in 2004, Vozab was part of a staff that helped lead the team to the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. In her three years with the Golden Griffins, she served as the team's guards coach, recruited the east coast and scouted opponents. She recruited and coached 2005-06 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year Amanda Cavo, and coached MAAC Tournament MVP and First Team All-MAAC selection Becky Zak.
Vozab earned a bachelor's degree in English from Providence College, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and won the William T. McCue Award for both academic and athletic excellence. She also holds a master's degree in Literature from the University of New Hampshire, where she served as the Wildcats' administrative assistant while earning her degree.
Vozab and her husband, Marc, were married in 2010.
Lady Eagles hire Dayton assistant as head coach