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University of Massachusets Athletics
Women’s Basketball Announces Staff Updates
May 23, 2019 | Women's Basketball
Minutewomen welcome assistant coach Lynne-Ann Kokoski; Candice Walker elevated to recruiting coordinator
AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts women's basketball head coach Tory Verdi on Thursday announced two updates to his coaching staff. Lynne-Ann Kokoski has joined the program as assistant coach, while fellow assistant coach Candice Walker has added the role of recruiting coordinator with the Minutewomen.
"Lynne-Ann brings a tremendous amount of value to our staff," said Verdi. "She is a veteran who has worked her way up through the ranks. Her energy is infectious and she is a straight-out winner! I'm so excited that she is a part of our program and there is no doubt that she makes us better.
"Candice Walker has been an integral part of my staff and program for the last three years," Verdi added. "She has been instrumental in our player development and success as a program throughout the years. Now with Candice as our recruiting coordinator, we know we are on our way to bringing in the best recruiting classes in the Atlantic 10."
Lynne-Ann Kokoski • Assistant Coach
A native of nearby Hatfield, Massachusetts, Kokoski arrives in Amherst following three seasons at William & Mary.
"A sincere thanks to Coach Verdi and our administration for this tremendous opportunity to return to my home state of Massachusetts," Kokoski said. "I grew up watching UMass men's and women's basketball and when I learned of the chance to return home and coach high-level basketball in my back yard, I was extremely excited. I look forward to continuing the forward momentum that our program has built over the past three years."
During her time in Virginia, Kokoski worked with the guards and helped orchestrate two of the most successful seasons in program history. Most recently in 2018-19, the Tribe reached the CAA Quarterfinals and graduated a senior class that tied for the most wins (66) in program history. Kokoski was also instrumental in recruiting standout point guard Eva Hodgson, who was named 2019 CAA Rookie of the Year.
W&M posted its second consecutive winning season in 2017-18, during which Kokoski tutored guards Bianca Boggs and Jenna Green toward breakout seasons. Boggs led the CAA in scoring at 15.2 points per game and became the first Tribe player in a decade to earn All-CAA First Team recognition. Green had a career year, setting individual single-season bests in points, rebounds and assists in addition to top program marks in both single-season and career assists.
In her inaugural campaign in 2016-17, the Tribe tied a school record with 20 wins and won a CAA Tournament game for the first time in eight years. Green, who dished out 136 assists and 4.4 dimes per game, picked up CAA All-Academic laurels and senior Marlena Tremba was named All-CAA Second Team, CAA All-Academic and VaSID All-State Second Team. W&M also had the longest winning streak in program history, picking up 11 straight victories from Nov. 18, 2016-Jan. 2, 2017.
Prior to joining the Tribe, Kokoski was director of operations at Providence for four seasons (2012-16). Her daily responsibilities included travel planning, video breakdown, academic oversight and community outreach. She was honored in 2015 as recipient of Providence Athletics' "Gung Ho Award" for her passion and service to the department.
Kokoski remained in Rhode Island after three years (2009-12) in an assistant coach capacity at her alma mater, Bryant University. Bryant collected 37 wins with Kokoski on staff and made the transition up to NCAA Division I competition. Two Bulldogs earned All-Northeast Conference recognition during her time in Smithfield.
A four-year letter winner at Bryant, Kokoski was a captain during her senior season, in which the squad won 20 games plus the Northeast 10 Championship and reached the NCAA Tournament. In 2008, Kokoski graduated with a degree in marketing, minoring in sociology. She added a master's in business administration from Bryant in 2010.
Candice Walker • Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Walker enters her fifth season with the UMass women's basketball program in 2019-20. Walker was originally announced as an assistant on Verdi's staff in May 2016, after spending the 2015-16 campaign as the program's director of operations.
"I am incredibly thankful to Coach Verdi for the chance to move into this elevated role with our program," said Walker. "It's been rewarding over the past several years to work toward building something truly special here at UMass. I'm very excited to continue working with a great group of coaches, staff and players and look forward to what is ahead."
Helping oversee the Minutewomen offense, Walker has contributed to a theme of rapid upward trajectory for UMass. Most recently in 2018-19, UMass won more games (16) than any other season since 2006-07 and reached the Atlantic 10 Quarterfinals for the first time since 2005. That matched a positive trend from the previous two years, which included improvements in 17 team statistical categories in 2017-18 over the previous campaign.
In March 2019, Walker was honored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association as a recipient of the prestigious Thirty Under 30 Award. The Thirty Under 30 program recognizes 30 up-and-coming coaches age 30 and under at all levels of women's basketball.
Walker has already spent considerable time on the recruiting trail in her previous capacity, helping assemble two nationally-renowned recruiting classes labeled by outsiders among the best in UMass history.
Before arriving in Amherst, Walker spent the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons as an assistant coach at Wilmington University (Del.). She also coached with Point Guard College after graduating from Loyola University (Md.) in 2013.
Walker earned a bachelor's degree in communications (2011) from Loyola, before she attended graduate school while competing in 117 games for the program. She led all Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rookies in points and assists as a freshman during the 2007-08 campaign, en route to MAAC All-Rookie Team honors; however, injuries derailed her 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. She was granted a medical hardship waiver to return for a sixth season.
While wrapping up her playing career, Walker completed a master's degree at Loyola, finishing her work in liberal studies in 2013.
Follow UMass women's basketball on Twitter (@UMassWBB), Instagram (UMassWBB) and Facebook (UMass Women's Basketball) for the latest news and updates around the program.
"Lynne-Ann brings a tremendous amount of value to our staff," said Verdi. "She is a veteran who has worked her way up through the ranks. Her energy is infectious and she is a straight-out winner! I'm so excited that she is a part of our program and there is no doubt that she makes us better.
"Candice Walker has been an integral part of my staff and program for the last three years," Verdi added. "She has been instrumental in our player development and success as a program throughout the years. Now with Candice as our recruiting coordinator, we know we are on our way to bringing in the best recruiting classes in the Atlantic 10."
Lynne-Ann Kokoski • Assistant Coach
A native of nearby Hatfield, Massachusetts, Kokoski arrives in Amherst following three seasons at William & Mary.
"A sincere thanks to Coach Verdi and our administration for this tremendous opportunity to return to my home state of Massachusetts," Kokoski said. "I grew up watching UMass men's and women's basketball and when I learned of the chance to return home and coach high-level basketball in my back yard, I was extremely excited. I look forward to continuing the forward momentum that our program has built over the past three years."
During her time in Virginia, Kokoski worked with the guards and helped orchestrate two of the most successful seasons in program history. Most recently in 2018-19, the Tribe reached the CAA Quarterfinals and graduated a senior class that tied for the most wins (66) in program history. Kokoski was also instrumental in recruiting standout point guard Eva Hodgson, who was named 2019 CAA Rookie of the Year.
W&M posted its second consecutive winning season in 2017-18, during which Kokoski tutored guards Bianca Boggs and Jenna Green toward breakout seasons. Boggs led the CAA in scoring at 15.2 points per game and became the first Tribe player in a decade to earn All-CAA First Team recognition. Green had a career year, setting individual single-season bests in points, rebounds and assists in addition to top program marks in both single-season and career assists.
In her inaugural campaign in 2016-17, the Tribe tied a school record with 20 wins and won a CAA Tournament game for the first time in eight years. Green, who dished out 136 assists and 4.4 dimes per game, picked up CAA All-Academic laurels and senior Marlena Tremba was named All-CAA Second Team, CAA All-Academic and VaSID All-State Second Team. W&M also had the longest winning streak in program history, picking up 11 straight victories from Nov. 18, 2016-Jan. 2, 2017.
Prior to joining the Tribe, Kokoski was director of operations at Providence for four seasons (2012-16). Her daily responsibilities included travel planning, video breakdown, academic oversight and community outreach. She was honored in 2015 as recipient of Providence Athletics' "Gung Ho Award" for her passion and service to the department.
Kokoski remained in Rhode Island after three years (2009-12) in an assistant coach capacity at her alma mater, Bryant University. Bryant collected 37 wins with Kokoski on staff and made the transition up to NCAA Division I competition. Two Bulldogs earned All-Northeast Conference recognition during her time in Smithfield.
A four-year letter winner at Bryant, Kokoski was a captain during her senior season, in which the squad won 20 games plus the Northeast 10 Championship and reached the NCAA Tournament. In 2008, Kokoski graduated with a degree in marketing, minoring in sociology. She added a master's in business administration from Bryant in 2010.
Candice Walker • Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Walker enters her fifth season with the UMass women's basketball program in 2019-20. Walker was originally announced as an assistant on Verdi's staff in May 2016, after spending the 2015-16 campaign as the program's director of operations.
"I am incredibly thankful to Coach Verdi for the chance to move into this elevated role with our program," said Walker. "It's been rewarding over the past several years to work toward building something truly special here at UMass. I'm very excited to continue working with a great group of coaches, staff and players and look forward to what is ahead."
Helping oversee the Minutewomen offense, Walker has contributed to a theme of rapid upward trajectory for UMass. Most recently in 2018-19, UMass won more games (16) than any other season since 2006-07 and reached the Atlantic 10 Quarterfinals for the first time since 2005. That matched a positive trend from the previous two years, which included improvements in 17 team statistical categories in 2017-18 over the previous campaign.
In March 2019, Walker was honored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association as a recipient of the prestigious Thirty Under 30 Award. The Thirty Under 30 program recognizes 30 up-and-coming coaches age 30 and under at all levels of women's basketball.
Walker has already spent considerable time on the recruiting trail in her previous capacity, helping assemble two nationally-renowned recruiting classes labeled by outsiders among the best in UMass history.
Before arriving in Amherst, Walker spent the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons as an assistant coach at Wilmington University (Del.). She also coached with Point Guard College after graduating from Loyola University (Md.) in 2013.
Walker earned a bachelor's degree in communications (2011) from Loyola, before she attended graduate school while competing in 117 games for the program. She led all Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rookies in points and assists as a freshman during the 2007-08 campaign, en route to MAAC All-Rookie Team honors; however, injuries derailed her 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. She was granted a medical hardship waiver to return for a sixth season.
While wrapping up her playing career, Walker completed a master's degree at Loyola, finishing her work in liberal studies in 2013.
Follow UMass women's basketball on Twitter (@UMassWBB), Instagram (UMassWBB) and Facebook (UMass Women's Basketball) for the latest news and updates around the program.
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