FAU Hires Tennessee Assistant Jennifer Sullivan as Head Women's Basketball Coach
BREAKING: Please WELCOME @coachsully10 of @LadyVol_Hoops to #thefaU as Newly Appointed Head Coach of @FAUWBB! 17 + years of @SEC @BigTen @MVCsports Experience. 🌴🏀🌴PC @FAUAthletics pic.twitter.com/C8t57AgzR9
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 15, 2021
Sixteen-year coaching veteran Jennifer Sullivan was named the head coach of the Florida Atlantic University women’s basketball team, as announced by FAU Vice President and Director of Athletics Brian White on April 15, 2021. Sullivan is the sixth head coach to lead the Owls’ women’s basketball program.
Sullivan makes her way to Boca Raton from the University of Tennessee, where she has served an assistant coach for the past two seasons under direction of Kellie Harper. In her two campaigns with the Lady Vols, Sullivan helped the squad compile a 38-18 record, including a trip to the NCAA Tournament this past season.
Coming off the 2020-21 season, the Lady Vols finished third in the SEC with a 9-4 league mark, 17-8 overall. The Lady Vols led the SEC in field goal percentage defense (.363), while sitting second in rebounds per game (45.5) and rebound margin (12.8) in the league. The team finished 13th in the final AP Top-25 poll.
In her first season with the Lady Vols, Sullivan helped UT build a foundation after returning just one starter from the 2018-19 squad. The Lady Vols tied for third in the SEC at 10-6 after being projected to finish seventh. The 2019-20 team ranked second nationally in blocks per game (6.9), third in defensive rebounds per game (31.2) and sixth in field goal percentage defense (33.8). Sullivan helped mentor its initial two players to SEC recognition, which included All-SEC First Team selection Rennia Davis and SEC All-Freshman honoree Jordan Horston.
Prior to her time in Knoxville, Sullivan spent one season at Ohio State (2018-19). In her one year in Columbus, the Buckeyes went on to win 10 of their final 15 regular season games to finish fifth in the Big Ten with a 10-8 mark.
From 2013-18, Sullivan enjoyed a great deal of success on the court and on the recruiting trail at Missouri State University. In her first recruiting class, four all-state players led the Lady Bears to 79 wins and four postseason appearances, while scoring more than 3,100 points and grabbing more than 1,500 rebounds among them. During her time in Springfield, Missouri State put up a 93-69 record, while earning four postseason appearances, one in the NCAA Tournament and three in the WNIT.
Prior to her stint with the Lady Bears, Sullivan served as an associate head coach at Louisiana during the 2012-13 season. With the Ragin’ Cajuns, Sullivan served as the team’s recruiting coordinator and handled the guard development and scheduling.
Sullivan spent the three prior years with Arkansas State in her hometown of Jonesboro, Arkansas. She served as the recruiting coordinator and handled summer camps, academic monitoring and opponent scouting. Sullivan has also acquired experience at McNeese State and Memphis, her alma matter. Sullivan’s coaching career began in Memphis as an assistant coach at Rhodes College, where she helped lead the team to a 34-18 record over the course of two seasons.
A four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at Memphis, Sullivan played for the Tigers from 2001-05. She finished her Memphis career with 800 points, 310 rebounds and 99 steals, while being a key component of the 2004 Tiger squad that advanced to the second round of the WNIT. Sullivan graduated from Memphis in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in communications following a senior season where she was named the Tigers’ Most Valuable Player.
Local Owl said
Welcome coach Sullivan. Love getting a young eager coach at FAU. She knows the game. She knows how to coach. Let's give her all the support she needs.Posted On: Apr 15th 2021, 2:53 PM #401698
Yea, she has a great resume.
Hey, #FAU fans! We’re here at new Women’s Basketball head coach @coachsully10’s introductory press conference! Stay tuned for more on that.
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 15, 2021
“Everything about Jennifer [Sullivan] was right on with what our student athletes were looking for and what we were looking for.” -@Brian_E_White_
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 15, 2021
“Our visions are in line and I believe we can get this program to the next level in the national spotlight.” -@coachsully10
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 15, 2021
“I think it’s important to do things the right way and I think it’s important to serve. I want to serve them and give them the best experience I can.” -@coachsully10
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 15, 2021
“I think it’s important to play fast, make quick and easy plays. We have to play disruptive defensively, defense is our motto. You need defense to win championships.” -@coachsully10
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 15, 2021
“I'm excited because I feel like I literally got in here just at the right time, you know, I want to be that coach, you know, because if not me, it's going to be somebody I want it to be me. Everything's in place for the program to take off.” -@coachsully10
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 15, 2021
“Obviously, they made success over the last few years headed in that direction. So I really think that you know we can really take advantage of this moment. And, you know, make a run in the tournament.”-@coachsully10
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 15, 2021
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