May 31, 2007
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara women's basketball head coach Michelle Bento Jackson announced a pair of changes within the Bronco coaching staff today, promoting current assistant coach Jenn Bradley to the top assistant position, and adding former SCU standout and WCC Player of the Year Michelle Cozad to the staff as assistant coach.
"Being a former player of mine and coaching side by side with me for the last four years, Jenn has a complete understanding of our philosophies and my expectations of our program," said Bento-Jackson. "She has gained vast experience and has grown in leaps and bounds over the past four years. There is no question that she is ready to take on her new role on our staff, and she is eager and excited for the new challenges."
"We are ecstatic that Michelle Cozad has rejoined our Santa Clara women's basketball family, she is a young coach who thoroughly understands our basketball program, what it stands for, and the things that we are trying to accomplish both academically and athletically," Bento-Jackson said. "Michelle was very successful as a player and I know she will have an immediate impact as a coach as well. I think Michelle can provide valuable insight to our players and she will give them another resource to draw from in their quest to be successful both individually and collectively."
Bradley, 26, played for Santa Clara from 1999-2003 before joining Bento-Jackson's coaching staff as a graduate assistant prior to the 2003-04 season. She was elevated to second assistant two years later, and now will begin her fifth year on the staff as the team's top assistant coach. As top assistant, she will handle such duties as the coordinating of player development, recruiting, and travel.
"I could not be more excited about my new position here with the women's basketball team, I am so grateful to Coach Bento-Jackson for allowing me the opportunity to continue to grow and mature in this wonderful profession," Bradley said. "I am very much looking forward to helping to guide and contribute to the continued success of the Santa Clara program."
In her time as a coach on the Mission Campus, Bradley has been an instrumental part of a staff which has guided the Broncos to a pair of postseason appearances. Santa Clara captured the West Coast Conference Tournament title and a subsequent NCAA Tournament berth in 2004-05, and the following year the Broncos captured a share of the conference regular-season title for the first time since 1999. That season also concluded with a postseason appearance, as the Broncos earned a bid to the WNIT.
 Former SCU standout Michelle Cozad was named an assistant coach Thursday by head coach Michelle Bento-Jackson  |
|
Cozad, 23, rejoins the Broncos after graduating in 2006 as one of the top players in school history. In two-plus years on the Mission Campus, Cozad became the 15th member of SCU's "1,000-Point Club," finishing her career with 1,072 career points. She ranks in SCU's all-time Top 10 in six categories, including second all-time with a scoring average of 15.8 points a game. In the 2005-06 season, she established Top 10 single-season marks in 12 statistical categories.
Cozad spent the 2006-07 season as an assistant coach at San Joaquin Delta College, where she played from 2001-03. As an assistant coach she helped guide the Lady Mustangs to their sixth consecutive Big 7 Conference title and an appearance in the state tournament.
Entering her first season as an assistant coach, Cozad will share responsibility in all aspects of the program, including player development.
"I'm excited for this opportunity to return to Santa Clara and work with my former coaches and teammates," said Cozad. "I had a tremendous experience here at Santa Clara as a player and know it has helped prepare and groom me for my position as coach. I am thrilled to rejoin the Bronco family and help the program to new levels of success."