ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – The Bard College Department of Athletics and Recreation has hired Sarah Cartmill as Head Women's Basketball Coach/Assistant Athletic Director.

Cartmill comes to Bard after eight consecutive years as an NCAA Div. I assistant coach, the last three at her alma mater, Binghamton University. Previous to her time at Binghamton, she was an assistant coach at St. Bonaventure University for five seasons.

"I'm honored and humbled by this opportunity," Cartmill said. "I want to thank Kris Hall, the search committee and President Botstein for their belief in me. I can't wait to start building Bard into a real competitor in the Liberty League, and I'm looking forward to joining the Bard Athletics family."

As a player, Cartmill was the America East Conference Player of the Year in 2001-02. The team won two ECAC titles and went to the NCAA Tournament once during her time there. A three-time All-Conference selection, the 6-0 forward scored 1,836 points and grabbed 784 rebounds over a four-year career. She is currently Binghamton's second all-time leading scorer, and she's third in rebounds and first in games played with 116.

After graduating from Binghamton with a degree in English in 2002, she played professionally in Europe for three years. She averaged more than 20 points per game over the course of two seasons with Scruffy's St. Paul's of the Irish Superleague, and led the team to the league final in her second year. Cartmill then played one season for the Sisu Basketball Club in Denmark, leading the team to its first Danish National Cup championship since 1999. She averaged 20 points and nine rebounds per game in her final season and was named the league tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Cartmill returned to the United States in 2005 and took a graduate assistant coaching job with the women's basketball team at Ithaca College while she obtained a Masters Degree in Exercise and Sports Sciences with concentration in sports psychology.

She joined the staff at St. Bonaventure in 2006, then returned to Binghamton in 2010, the same year she was inducted into the Binghamton Athletics Hall of Fame.

The Bard women's basketball team has won one Liberty League game since joining the conference in 2011-12.

"To have my first head coaching opportunity in Div. III and in the Liberty League is overwhelming and exciting," Cartmill said. "I think it's going to be very important to create an atmosphere of competition, and to build a new tradition. I'm ecstatic about getting a chance to work with these young ladies."

"Sarah brings a level of professional experience that will enhance our staff at an important time in the development of our women's basketball program," Bard Director of Athletics Kris Hall said. "There is great enthusiasm and support for her in this role. With the optimism in place surrounding the recruitment of scholar-athletes, we are pleased to welcome Sarah to our community."

Cartmill will begin her work in Annandale later this week, and the following week, she'll be on the road to begin recruiting for the Raptors.

"The balance of high academics with the bright future of athletics is just a great fit for me," Cartmill said. "I think we're ready for success."