St. Thomas has elevated five-year assistant coach Tricia Dornisch to head coach of its women's basketball program. Dornisch will replace Ted Riverso, who's leaving coaching to begin work in the university's Development Office.

Riverso's teams compiled a 337-80 record (.808) in 15 seasons, with one Division III national championship (1991), two third-place national finishes, and five conference championships. Under Riverso, the Tommies had the second-best winning percentage in NCAA Division III during the 1990s (247-37, .870), and were selected to play in the NCAA tournament in each of the last 13 seasons.

Dornisch, a Minneapolis native, will relinquish her duties as head coach of women's soccer and will be replaced by assistant coach Colleen Carey. She will continue as assistant director of McCarthy Gym. In three seasons as UST soccer coach, Dornisch's teams compiled a 41-15-1 record, with two NCAA playoff berths and three MIAC runner-up finishes. The 1997 soccer team set a school record with 17 victories. Dornisch was voted MIAC Coach of the Year in 1996.

Dornisch was a four-year basketball performer at St. Thomas (1987-90) and started two seasons. She set a season assist record and ranks eighth in career assists at UST. She also competed in soccer at St. Thomas for three seasons. She coached softball for three seasons at Minneapolis Southwest High and coached soccer for four seasons at Minneapolis South. She was an assistant basketball coach at UW-River Falls 1991-94.

"We're excited about the future of our women's basketball team under Tricia Dornisch," said UST athletic director Steve Fritz. "She'll bring the same high energy and expertise to this job as she did as soccer coach."