Rizzotti is building a power at Hartford

Back to a time when UConn was only a program fighting to carve out a niche in the world of women's basketball.  Now, keep those eyes closed and remember Jennifer Rizzotti on the cover of Sports Illustrated, a tribute to the Huskies completing an undefeated 1995 season to claim the program's first of five national championships.

Rizzotti's playing days may only be memories, but she's still making history in the state she's always called home. The seventh-year coach at Hartford is preparing for the Hawks' third trip to the NCAA tournament during her tenure, but like the first program she helped to create an identity for, the hope here is that the best stories have yet to be told.

"I definitely let my mind wander and think, because that's what I want to build," Rizzotti said last weekend at the America East tournament, which Hartford captured for a second consecutive season. "That's my vision and I'm working hard to achieve it."

Although Hartford managed to produce NBA veteran Vin Baker, its women's basketball program had only four winning seasons and no postseason appearances in the 24 years prior to Rizzotti's arrival.

Now the Hawks are the No. 11 seed no one wanted to face this NCAA tournament -- Temple drew Hartford in a first-round game this Sunday -- after posting a school-record 26 victories. Rizzotti, who already owns school records for wins (118) and career games coached (206), is not-so-quietly creating a program that expects and is expected to be successful.

"I'm glad that she's been patient enough and not kind of succumb to what a lot of coaches succumb to," said UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who recruited Rizzotti out of New Fairfield High. "Which is at the first sign of success they jump up to what they think is a greener pasture -- a big-time job somewhere else. But she's been patient enough to kind of build something that's going to be long lasting."

Although the expectation is not to be national champions in the next decade, the Hawks are suddenly competing with power-conference schools for recruits, all the while being dodged by similar competition when Rizzotti tries to fill out her schedule. Victims this season include Big East and Atlantic 10 teams, helping the Hawks achieve an RPI ranking of 29.

Hartford's NCAA seed could even be perceived as a sign of disrespect considering its track record and the conference ranking 11th this season out of 32.

All that does is further fuel a coach trying to defy the logic that an America East school can't compete on the national level.

"We have to really schedule tougher in our non-conference and we have to win games that we're not 'supposed' to win," Rizzotti said. "And then we've got to win our league."

UConn, the one game Rizzotti still considers beyond winning, will again be on the Hawks' schedule next season, along with 2005 NCAA runnerup Michigan State and possibly St. John's.

But a coach's confidence and quality opponents don't mean anything if the players aren't capable of competing.

Forget her success at UConn, or five WNBA seasons with a pair of league championships, Rizzotti sells Hartford above anything when approaching a recruit. When conveying that point she is clearly genuine, but the name doesn't hurt.

Like a shrewd politician, Rizzotti knows to capitalize on something worth taking advantage of. She stills go by her maiden name even though she's married to Bill Sullivan, a Hartford assistant and former assistant at Norwich Free Academy.

"When we were little I'm sure we were obsessed with the '95 team: Rizzotti and (Rebecca) Lobo. And then Sue Bird came along, and that team," said sophomore Courtney Gomez, an NFA graduate. "But being here at Hartford and being the next-best team in Connecticut has just been something that's amazing, and it's exciting to be a part of."

Gomez isn't the only one who feels that way.

Erica Beverly, this year's conference rookie of the year, is from Bridgeport and came here after Miami showed interest. Although Beverly admitted she actually knew very little of Rizzotti as a player -- her teammates were shocked by the revelation -- staying home and having success locally was important to her.

In some cases, it can even create a hometown discount offered by a talented player who came to Hartford instead of choosing a traditional power.

After shortening her list to Hartford and Penn State, Lisa Etienne initially chose Happy Valley. But the Norwalk product left the Nittany Lions after her freshman year, sat out this season due to NCAA transfer rules, and will help Hartford go for a three-peat and maybe more.

Rizzotti is now focused on making sure the best available players continue coming to Hartford. Pulling a first-round upset figures to make that job a bit easier. That's just what the Hawks plan on doing.

"These kids, they're not going to be satisfied just going anymore," she said of the NCAAs. "Like last year, they were happy to be there. This year, they want to win a game."

1:40 PM - Mar. 17, 2006 - post comment