Women's basketball: Mountain readies for Santa Clara job

sfgate_get_fprefs();

(04-15) 20:49 PDT --
The Santa Clara women's basketball game squad have a new coach, a familiar human face from the Occident Seashore Conference.

Jennifer Mountain, the Pb helper at Gonzaga the past eight seasons, will take over the Broncos' programme from Michelle Bento-Jackson, whose contract was not renewed at the end of the season.

Mountain is "really competitive, and I believe she'll suit in famously here," Santa Clara athletic manager Dan Coonan said. "Everyone I've talked to absolutely loves her, and we necessitate that here."

Mountain had been a portion of Emmett Kelly Graves' staff since the Bulldogs' manager arrived from St. Mary's in 2001. This volition be her first head-coaching occupation at the college level.

"I'm a small flooded today, but very excited to acquire down there," Mountain said. "I thought Gonzaga was like a family, and Iodine experience like Santa Clara is the same in that way, and that's of import to me. I walked on campus and it felt like a fit."

Mountain's most challenging calling experience is the seven old age she spent as the caput male children basketball game manager at St. George's High in Spokane, Wash., where she led the squad to two runner-up finishes in the state tournament.

"I believe I probably had the X's and O's down already, but Emmett Kelly gave me so much freedom and responsibility, and I experience like I'm ready," Mountain said.

She goes the 8th manager in the 38-year history of the programme at Santa Clara. Bento-Jackson went 98-84 in six seasons, including 20-11 this season and 8-6 in the WCC.

E-mail Michelle Ian Smith at .