Division I assistant Dunmyer hired as women’s basketball coach at Virginia Wesleyan

NORFOLK/VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA – After a year of coaching at the Division I level, preceded by two years in Division II, Stephany Dunmyer is ready to take on the diverse challenges of Division III.

Her fledgling coaching career will continue at Virginia Wesleyan College where Athletics Director Sonny Travis has announced the hiring of Dunmyer as the head women’s basketball coach. She replaces Joanne Renn, a six-year head coach for the Marlins, who resigned in March to take on full-time responsibilities as the athletic development director for the College.

Dunmyer spent last season as an assistant coach at Division I’s Indiana State University, where she was the junior college recruiting coordinator. Prior to that she was an assistant at Division II’s Ashland University in Ohio, where she handled a variety of tasks ranging from recruiting to on-court coaching.

“We’re very excited about Stephany joining our coaching staff,” said Travis, who was part of a committee that selected Dunmyer from nearly 200 applicants nationwide. “We were impressed with her energy and her desire to take our program to the next level. Everything she has done she’s been outstanding. She’s very exceptional for a young coach.”

While it’s the first head coaching position for Dunmyer, it’s nothing out of the ordinary for Virginia Wesleyan. It has almost become a trend. Fourteen of fifteen current head Marlin coaches are in their first collegiate positions. Results? The 2002-03 athletic year has been one of the best in the history of the College, highlighted by national rankings during the season for five Marlin teams.

“We’ve been fortunate in being able to tap the young coaches at the right time,” said Travis. “We saw potential in each of them to be an outstanding head coach and Stephany certainly has the same possibilities.”

One person who agrees is James Wiedie, the head women’s basketball coach at Indiana State.

“Stephany was such a positive addition to our program,” said Wiedie. “ She definitely played a part in our turnaround from 11-17 last season to 22-9 this year and a Missouri Valley Conference championship. Her maturity level, professional manner and understanding of the game are just a few of her strengths. She has a fantastic personality and does very well interacting and relating to players. Virginia Wesleyan College has made an excellent choice to lead their women's basketball program. Stephany Dunmyer will do a great job.”

Dunmyer is no stranger to Division III athletics. As one of the top point guards and long-range shooters in the nation from 1997 through 2000, she helped guide Ohio’s Kenyon College to two North Coast Athletic Conference championships and to the College’s only two appearances in the National Collegiate Athletic Association national championship tournament. She is ranked among Kenyon’s top five all-time leaders in 10 different statistical categories, including No. 1 in assists (414) and assists average (3.9). She is also No. 2 in three-pointers made (257), free throws made (262), and in overall scoring (1,555 points).

She received her bachelor of arts degree in 2000 from Kenyon, graduating Cum Laude with Highest Honors in Psychology, and her Master of Education in Sport Education in 2002 from Ashland University. Her thesis was entitled “The Relationship Between Cohesion, Casual Dimensions, and Success in Female College Basketball Players.”

It has been a successful past in education and in assistant coaching for Dunmyer, who is primed to guide her own program at Virginia Wesleyan.

“I’ve been ready for this challenge ever since I graduated from college,” said Dunmyer. “The last year at Indiana State was very productive and helpful for me, particularly in the area of x’s and o’s. I’ve learned a lot and I’m eager to share what I’ve learned.”

Dunmyer will inherit a team that graduated only one senior from 8-16 season overall. It was definitely an off-season for the Marlin program, which has produced winning teams in 17 of 26 years, advancing to the NCAA championship tournament four times. The new head coach is looking forward to working with the returnees, as well as a promising class of newcomers.

“After talking with some of the players, I’m very encouraged about the possibilities,” said Dunmyer, who is a native of Pemberville, Ohio, near Toledo. “We can make some great strides this year and really have the opportunity to be very successful the next couple of years.”

Competition for Dunmyer and the Marlins begins on Saturday, November 22, in the second annual Marlin Tip-Off Tournament. This year’s field will include Albright College, the City College of New York, and Georgia’s Wesleyan College.