| MaryLynn Skarzenski coached Mitchell for four seasons and was recently selected to the WBCA's Thirty Under 30, which recognizes up-and-coming coaches. Photo by Mitchell athletics |
Nichols College named alumna MaryLynn Skarzenski as its new head women's basketball coach, replacing Alice Mullen who stepped down from the position in February. Skarzenski was the head coach at Mitchell for the last four seasons.
College Director of Athletics Chris Colvin announced the hiring on Wednesday. Skarzenski will also serve as assistant athletic director and manage Nichols' Athletic and Recreation Center.
"As an alumnus and member of the Nichols Athletics Hall of Fame, MaryLynn is already part of the Bison Family," said Colvin in a release. "I am thrilled that she will now also be an integral part of the day-to-day operations of the entire department and, specifically, the women's basketball program.
MaryLynn emerged from an extremely deep and talented pool of over 190 total applicants. However, the passion, drive, and love for Nichols that MaryLynn brings, coupled with the fact that she has six years of quality experience as a Division III head women's basketball coach in New England, made MaryLynn the clear choice."
As a player, Skarzenski was a four-time all-conference selection at Nichols. She was twice named the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Defensive Player of the Year and she won the Player of the Year and Senior Scholar Athlete Awards in 2009. She holds the College's record for games played (115), assists (641) and steals (409).
"I am incredibly humbled and excited for the opportunity to lead the Nichols College women's basketball program, and ecstatic to be back on the hill," said Skarzenski. "I would like to thank Chris Colvin and Nichols College for giving me this tremendous opportunity. My time at Nichols as a student-athlete was rewarding in so many ways and I want to provide that same experience to the next generation of Bison."
Skarzenski spent the last four seasons as the head coach at Mitchell College where she went 57-47 with the Mariners. Mitchell twice went 16-10 and advanced to the NECC semifinals under Skarzenski. Before going to Mitchell, Skarzenski was the head coach at Daniel Webster College for two seasons and she went 33-22 with the Eagles, including an appearance in the 2012 NECC title game.
Last week Skarzenski was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Thirty Under 30 list that recognizes 30 up-and-coming women's basketball coaches at all levels of women's college basketball. Skarzenski was one of only five head coaches and the only one from a Division III school named to the list.
Skarzenski replaces Alice Mullen who resigned from the position in February to take a full-time job in the College's Sports Management Department. Mullen went 30-98 in five seasons at Nichols.
The Bison finished 2-23, 2-16 in the CCC last season.