Yesterday the University of Dayton put the future of the Women’s basketball program into the hands of Jim Jabir, an assistant coach at the University of Colorado. In making the announcement, Director of Athletics Ted Kissell stated, “We are pleased to have Jim join the University of Dayton community. Jim has strong head coaching experience and delivered a championship at Marquette. He will get us to the next level.”

Jabir, 41, was the head coach at Providence where he led the women’s basketball team for six seasons, 1996-2002 with a record of 62-102. This was the first bump in the road for Jabir, who had a combined record of 158-121 at his three previous stops. He had his highest level of success at Marquette, where he led the Golden Eagles to back-to-back bids to the NCAA Tournament. Jabir took over a program that had never won a conference championship. After finishing 7-20 in his first season, his teams won 87 games over the next five seasons.

He previously coached at Siena and Buffalo State where his combined record was 64-31. Jabir was just 24 years old when he was named head coach at Buffalo State just one year removed from being tabbed by The Basketball Times as one of the top 10 up-and-coming coaches in the country. He was also named Great Midwest Conference Coach of the Year twice during his stay at Marquette.

Jabir will have his hands full in trying to bring the Flyers back to the level of prominence that they enjoyed in the early 1980’s. The Flyers will be returning ten players from a team that finished the season at 14-14. It was a season that held a great deal of promise as the Flyers started the season 7-3 and were edging their way into the top 25. After a loss to #11, Minnesota, the Flyers only won 7 more games during the rest of the season and lost five of their last six including a loss to lower seeded Rhode Island in the A-10 tournament.

Jabir replaces Jaci Clark who had run a very successful program at Bowling Green before coming to UD. In her second season at UD, she guided the Flyers to their first ever WNIT. Despite having a better team the next season, they were not invited to post season play. Her fourth year featured more injuries than wins but the current season was one that would bring the program into the national scene. The NCAA Regional Tournament was held in Dayton this year and it had been hoped that the Flyers could use their experience to be able to be part of the Sweet 16 on their home court. That was not to be and Clark resigned shortly after the season concluded.

Obviously happy to once again be given the reigns of a major college program, Jabir stated, “I see the University of Dayton women’s basketball position as having great potential. I am excited and pleased to be named head coach. I’m looking forward to Atlantic 10 championships and NCAA Tournaments.”

Jabir will have a canvas that is virtually clean. Returning are Stefanie Miller who started 27 games and Cyndi Stull who started 24 games. The rest of the returning players started a total of 11 games. Joining this group will be three freshmen, Katie Butler (Findlay, OH), Amber Peterink (Kendallville, IN) and Amber Robinson (North Canton, OH).

Miller and Stull, who accounted for roughly one third of the points and rebounds for Dayton this season, will be expected to lead a freshman and sophomore dominated team. Jabir’s teams in the past liked to shoot the three, which will fit Miller like a glove. She shot 41% from the three-point stripe during the season and will certainly be expected to increase her ability to score next season. His teams also rebounded well considering they typically were out manned physically. This will play well into Stull’s game, as she was the leading rebounder for UD at nearly 9 per game.

Jabir will be given every opportunity to turn around the women’s program. Clark moved them in the right direction, but was never able to get them over the hump. This is a school that has a proud history in women’s basketball and Jabir has both the resources and the backing of the Administration to get the program back into the national spotlight. Kissell and his staff feel confident that they have found the right architect for that rise, but only time and some better recruiting will tell.