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| GRACE PRIMER (QUOTES, EXPERIENCE) COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS |
Grace comes to The Hilltop with impressive credentials, boasting nearly 20 years of coaching experience on every level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association along with a standout career in her days as a student-athlete.
"We are pleased to welcome Ms. Grace to the Howard family," said President Frederick. "We anticipate great things coming from our Women's Basketball team through her coaching and leadership."
Added Davis, "Coach Grace's success as a head coach at New Haven - on the court, in the community, and in the classroom - is remarkable and we are excited to welcome her to Howard. Her integrity, leadership style, coaching & recruiting ability, and commitment to excellence make her an exceptional fit to lead the program."
A 1999 graduate of New Haven, Grace takes over at Howard after spending two successful seasons as the head coach at her alma mater. Grace won over 73 percent of her games (44-16) and led the Chargers to a pair of NCAA Division II Tournament appearances. In 2014-15, New Haven posted the fourth-most victories in school history (26), set a school record with 16 Northeast-10 Conference wins and made its first trip to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in nearly three decades after defeating 13th-ranked Stonehill College to win the East Region Championship.
"I would like to thank President Frederick and Ms. Davis for entrusting Howard's women's basketball program to me. The history and tradition of Howard are well-known and I am excited to be a part of that," said Grace. "This is a place where you can win, and it's been proven by those before me. I can't wait to get started."
Prior to New Haven, Grace spent seven combined seasons as a Division I assistant coach at Seton Hall University & the United States Military Academy. She served as the top assistant & recruiting coordinator at Big East Conference member Seton Hall from 2009-13, helping bring a pair of McDonald's All-Americans and a 25th ranked recruiting class to South Orange, New Jersey. Grace also helped develop an All-Big East Rookie Team member and two Second Team All-Big East selections for the Pirates. She spent most of her time at SHU coaching alongside Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, Olympic Gold Medalist and current Connecticut Sun Head Coach Anne Donovan.
During Grace's three-year stint at Army (2006-09), the Black Knights recorded a then-program-best 24 victories in the 2006-07 campaign, including a record 12-game winning streak, and featured a Patriot League Player of the Year, two Rookies of the Year and a Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Grace earned her first head coaching experience at Division III Ramapo College of New Jersey from 2004-06 and served as a Division I assistant at Fairleigh Dickinson University from 1999-2004. She began her formal coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Hartford from 1998-99.
A 2010 inductee into the New Haven Athletics Hall of Fame, Grace is one of only two Chargers to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds for her career, totaling 1,347 points and 1,047 boards with 47 double-doubles from 1994-98.
A native of Roosevelt, New York, Grace graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in the Management of Sports Industries from New Haven in 1999 and a Master's of Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson in 2001. She holds memberships with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and Black Coaches Association. Grace is married to Keith Cobb and has one son, Kalen.
Grace replaces former head coach Tennille Adams.
COLLEGE COACHING EXPERIENCE
Head Coach, University of New Haven (2013-15)
Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, Seton Hall University (2009-13)
Assistant Coach, U.S. Military Academy (2006-09)
Head Coach, Ramapo College of New Jersey (2004-06)
Assistant Coach, Fairleigh Dickinson University (1999-04)
Graduate Assistant Coach, University of Hartford (1998-99)
*17 Seasons (4 as Head Coach / 13 as Assistant Coach or GA)
COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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