Barbara Stevens (COA)
Entering this season, Stevens had a career 983-274 record as a head coach. She has been at her current post at Bentley College since 1986, where she’s led the Falcons to a .819 wins percentage. Prior to her tenure at Bentley, she guided Clark to three Division III state championships and a postseason tournament five straight seasons.
Our own Blake DuDonis offered some thoughts on this potential Naismith Hall of Famer
"“… [P]ut Barbara Stevens into the Hall. I don’t care what level you coach, if you win 1,000 games (like she will at some point this season), then you’re among the elite … 29 NCAA Tournament births, 14 regional championships, 10 Final Fours, and an undefeated season in 2013-14 that resulted in a National Championship. The fact that she has been at the D2 level shouldn’t matter. Stevens is the real deal and it’s time to get her in.”"
Other noteworthy career highlights:
- Most wins in women’s basketball at the Division II level and one of five coaches in the history of women’s college basketball, in any division, have 900+ victories
- 2006 inductee into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame
- A 2005 inductee into the Bentley Athletic Hall of Fame
- Served as the 1994-95 President of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. No other Division II coach has ever headed the 4,000-member organization.
- Only five-time WBCA Division II National Coach of the Year (1992, 1999, 2001, 2013 and 2014)
- 15-time Northeast-10 Coach of the Year (1988-89, 1991-93, 1996-2001, 2003, 2011, 2014, 2017)
- One of 100 members of the charter induction class into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in October 2002
- 2002 Carol Eckman Award from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, given for sportsmanship, commitment to the student-athlete, honesty, ethical behavior, courage and dedication to purpose