.png&type=webp)
University of Massachusets Athletics
Shields Joins Women's Basketball Staff As Director Of Player Development
July 16, 2026 | Women's Basketball
Klopfer promoted to Assistant Coach
AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts women's basketball head coach Mike Leflar has named Brittany Shields as the program's director of player development. The former Pace standout brings over 14 years of coaching experience to Amherst.
"Welcome to UMass Brittany Shields. Brittany made a big impact at her previous schools, as a player and coach, and I am excited for her to positively affect our program."
Shields joins the Maroon and White following a one-year stint as an assistant coach at Marist, having spent the previous 12 years with Pace. In her first season with the Red Foxes, Shields was responsible for the development of the Marist post players. She helped aid in the development of Morgan Lee, who went on to have a breakout junior campaign en route to earning All-MAAC Second Team honors. Shields was part of the staff that aided Doughty in earning 16 total wins and 11 MAAC wins in the 2024-25 season, more than doubling the previous season's totals in each category.
Prior to her time at Marist, Shields spent three seasons as the Associate Head Coach of the Pace women's basketball program, following seven years as an assistant coach and two seasons as a graduate assistant.
During the 2022-23 campaign, Shields helped guide the Setters to one of the best seasons in program history with a final record of 24-8. Pace's 2021-22 season featured milestones at every turn, including claiming the program's first-ever NE10 Southwest Division regular-season championship. The Setters went on to compete in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. Pace was crowned the NCAA East Regional champions as the No. 7 seed. They upset second-seeded Chestnut Hill and third-seeded University of Sciences, before winning the final game against Daemen. The Setters then headed to Birmingham, Alabama for the program's first NCAA Elite Eight appearance since 2001. The No. 8 seeded Pace was defeated by top-seeded North Georgia 68-61. The Setters, who were previously unranked in the last WBCA National Poll, climbed all the way to the 15th spot.
Shields was instrumental in the recruitment and development of several Pace standouts. Most recently, she has mentored Lauren Schetter (2017-22), who finished fourth behind Shields in Pace's all-time scoring list with 1,705 career points. In addition, Schetter was D2CCA All-Region First Team, Northeast-10 All-Conference First Team, NCAA East Regional's Most Outstanding Player, and a WBCA All-American honorable mention.
Before Schetter, Shields mentored another standout forward, Jackie DelliSanti (2016-2020). DelliSanti finished 10th on Pace's all-time scoring list with 1,298 points, and 12th on the all-time rebounding list with 724 rebounds. She was a 2019-20 NCAA Woman of the Year Finalist, dominating the classroom and the court. DelliSanti was named back-to-back NE10 Academic All-Conference Teams, NE10's Sport Excellence Award, CoSIDA's Academic All-District Team, and was a member of three different Honors Societies at Pace. On the court, DelliSanti made the NE10 All-Conference and All-Met Writers First Teams, and was named to the D2CCA All-Region team. DelliSanti was named NSCA All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the year.
Shields also worked with two standout guards: Allie Monteleone (2015-19) and Margo Hackett (2014-15). Monteleone finished 21st on Pace's all-time scoring list with 1,138 points, and finished 9th with 114 made three-pointers. She was named to the NE10 Third Team. Hackett finished 26th on Pace's all-time scoring list with 1,049 points and finished 3rd with 178 made three-pointers. In 2015, she was selected to the NE-10 All-Academic Team.
Shields, who played for Pace from 2008-2013, joined the coaching ranks after completing one of the most heralded careers in school history. She is one of just seven players in Setters' history to record more than 1,000 career points and rebounds. In addition to 1,006 career boards, Shields also ranks third in the Pace annals with 1,757 points. Shields was a four-time All-Conference selection, earning First-Team accolades in 2011-12, Second-Team honors in 2012-13 and 2010-11, and was named Northeast-10 Conference Freshman of the Year for the 2008-09 season as well as being selected to the All-Rookie team. In addition, she was named the All-Met Division II Player of the Year in 2012.
Shields was a member of three 20-win NCAA appearance seasons (2010, 2011, 2012). In 2010-11, the Setters went to the NCAA East Regional Finals and ended with a sensational record of 24-9. Shields was selected to the NCAA All-Regional Team that season. Over four seasons, Shields averaged 15.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field. She finished with 41 career double-doubles. She also tallied 129 career steals and 50 blocks. Shields was named to the D2 East Hoops "Super 75" list as one of the top-15 "Power and Stretch Forwards" in the region over the last four decades. In Fall 2022, Shields was inducted in the Pace University Athletics Hall of Fame.
"Brittany will work closely with our post players, and I am excited for their potential and what is to come. I am grateful we were able to add someone with Brittany's experience to our staff."
"Welcome to UMass Brittany Shields. Brittany made a big impact at her previous schools, as a player and coach, and I am excited for her to positively affect our program."
Shields joins the Maroon and White following a one-year stint as an assistant coach at Marist, having spent the previous 12 years with Pace. In her first season with the Red Foxes, Shields was responsible for the development of the Marist post players. She helped aid in the development of Morgan Lee, who went on to have a breakout junior campaign en route to earning All-MAAC Second Team honors. Shields was part of the staff that aided Doughty in earning 16 total wins and 11 MAAC wins in the 2024-25 season, more than doubling the previous season's totals in each category.
Prior to her time at Marist, Shields spent three seasons as the Associate Head Coach of the Pace women's basketball program, following seven years as an assistant coach and two seasons as a graduate assistant.
During the 2022-23 campaign, Shields helped guide the Setters to one of the best seasons in program history with a final record of 24-8. Pace's 2021-22 season featured milestones at every turn, including claiming the program's first-ever NE10 Southwest Division regular-season championship. The Setters went on to compete in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. Pace was crowned the NCAA East Regional champions as the No. 7 seed. They upset second-seeded Chestnut Hill and third-seeded University of Sciences, before winning the final game against Daemen. The Setters then headed to Birmingham, Alabama for the program's first NCAA Elite Eight appearance since 2001. The No. 8 seeded Pace was defeated by top-seeded North Georgia 68-61. The Setters, who were previously unranked in the last WBCA National Poll, climbed all the way to the 15th spot.
Shields was instrumental in the recruitment and development of several Pace standouts. Most recently, she has mentored Lauren Schetter (2017-22), who finished fourth behind Shields in Pace's all-time scoring list with 1,705 career points. In addition, Schetter was D2CCA All-Region First Team, Northeast-10 All-Conference First Team, NCAA East Regional's Most Outstanding Player, and a WBCA All-American honorable mention.
Before Schetter, Shields mentored another standout forward, Jackie DelliSanti (2016-2020). DelliSanti finished 10th on Pace's all-time scoring list with 1,298 points, and 12th on the all-time rebounding list with 724 rebounds. She was a 2019-20 NCAA Woman of the Year Finalist, dominating the classroom and the court. DelliSanti was named back-to-back NE10 Academic All-Conference Teams, NE10's Sport Excellence Award, CoSIDA's Academic All-District Team, and was a member of three different Honors Societies at Pace. On the court, DelliSanti made the NE10 All-Conference and All-Met Writers First Teams, and was named to the D2CCA All-Region team. DelliSanti was named NSCA All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the year.
Shields also worked with two standout guards: Allie Monteleone (2015-19) and Margo Hackett (2014-15). Monteleone finished 21st on Pace's all-time scoring list with 1,138 points, and finished 9th with 114 made three-pointers. She was named to the NE10 Third Team. Hackett finished 26th on Pace's all-time scoring list with 1,049 points and finished 3rd with 178 made three-pointers. In 2015, she was selected to the NE-10 All-Academic Team.
Shields, who played for Pace from 2008-2013, joined the coaching ranks after completing one of the most heralded careers in school history. She is one of just seven players in Setters' history to record more than 1,000 career points and rebounds. In addition to 1,006 career boards, Shields also ranks third in the Pace annals with 1,757 points. Shields was a four-time All-Conference selection, earning First-Team accolades in 2011-12, Second-Team honors in 2012-13 and 2010-11, and was named Northeast-10 Conference Freshman of the Year for the 2008-09 season as well as being selected to the All-Rookie team. In addition, she was named the All-Met Division II Player of the Year in 2012.
Shields was a member of three 20-win NCAA appearance seasons (2010, 2011, 2012). In 2010-11, the Setters went to the NCAA East Regional Finals and ended with a sensational record of 24-9. Shields was selected to the NCAA All-Regional Team that season. Over four seasons, Shields averaged 15.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field. She finished with 41 career double-doubles. She also tallied 129 career steals and 50 blocks. Shields was named to the D2 East Hoops "Super 75" list as one of the top-15 "Power and Stretch Forwards" in the region over the last four decades. In Fall 2022, Shields was inducted in the Pace University Athletics Hall of Fame.
"Brittany will work closely with our post players, and I am excited for their potential and what is to come. I am grateful we were able to add someone with Brittany's experience to our staff."
Thursday, May 28
Saturday, March 07
Saturday, March 07
Wednesday, February 25