Monmouth University Women's Basketball Coaching Staff to Feature Some Changes Next Season

The coaching staff of the Monmouth University women's basketball team will have a new look for the 2011-2012 season.

The team will be led by new head coach Jennifer Palmateer who replaces Stephanie Gaitley who led the  Hawks to a 23-10 season, second place in the Northeast Conference (NEC), and a berth in the WNIT where the team lost to Syracuse. Gaitley requested to be released early from her contract on April 1, and will be taking over as the head women's basketball coach at Fordham University.

Palmateer recently announced the hirings of Reggie Carney and Marquetta Dickens as assistant coaches and Meg Tarrant as the Director of Basketball Operations, in addition to retaining assistant coach Jazmina Perazic.

“I could not be happier that I was able to assemble such a great staff as I begin my head coaching career at Monmouth,” Palmateer said. “Each person I was able to bring on board represents a different stop along the way in my basketball journey. The staff has a great mix of experience and youth and we all come from the same mold. Our different strengths will complement each other and help improve the program as we work towards our goals.”

Perazic returns for her second season on the staff, and her first as the program’s recruiting coordinator. She will also assist with scheduling, player development and scouting, in addition to community service and clinics.

Perazic is a 1983 graduate of the University of Maryland where she enjoyed a standout playing career with the Terrapins. She was an All-American during her time in College Park, and earned ACC Tournament Most Valuable honors in 1983 before having her #4 jersey retried. 

Carney, who was Palmateer’s coach at Hoffman High School (currently South Amboy High School) in South Amboy, joins the staff for his first season. An  accomplished scholastic coach, Carney will oversee player development, as well as assist with recruiting, game and practice preparation and strength and conditioning.

Carney was the USA Today High School Girl's Basketball Coach of the Year at Harold G. Hoffman High School in South Amboy during the 1986-87 season and was inducted into the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Hall of Fame in 2004.

“Reggie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the coaching staff,” Palmateer said. “He is extremely passionate about the game of basketball and is a proven winner. He has strong character, unbelievable work ethic and a love for teaching and coaching young people."

Dickens enters her first season as an assistant on the Monmouth bench after spending a pair of seasons at North Carolina Central University. Dickens will serve as the team’s academic coordinator, as well as be heavily involved in the team’s summer camps and taping and breaking down of practice, games and opponent's film, film exchange and development of team and opponent tape breakdown. She will also be involved in player development and recruiting.

Tarrant enters her first season as the women’s program’s Director of Basketball Operations. Tarrant comes to MU after serving the last two seasons as the graduate assistant to the women's basketball program at Seton Hall University.