WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Lycoming College head women’s basketball coach Christen Ditzler has announced the addition of former Misericordia University head coach Tom Griffith and Alicia Engler ’10 to the staff as assistant coaches.
Griffith and Engler join Ditzler, who is in her 21st year as head coach, and assistant coach George Henry, who is in his 10th year with the program.
Griffith comes to Lycoming after spending seven and a half seasons as the head coach at Misericordia from 2004-12, where he compiled a 117-83 (.585) record and led the Cougars to postseason appearance is six of his seven years at the helm.
In 2010-11, Griffith helped the team to a 16-11 record while mentoring Christine Marks to the Freedom Conference Player of the Year award, helping him earn the Freedom Conference Coach of the Year award. He also won his 100th career game during the season.
In 2008, he earned the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award while leading the Cougars to a 19-9 overall mark and a 13-3 record in conference play. He also coached the PAC Player of the Year Amy Hughes during the season.
Griffith coached five first-team all-conference selections, five second-team all-conference selections and two honorable mention all-conference picks during his time with Misericordia. He also coached three all-region selections and one All-American.
Before stepping into the role as women’s head coach, Griffith spent three seasons as the associate head coach for the men’s program at Misericordia, where he helped the Cougars reach the PAC playoffs three years in a row.
Griffith came to Misericordia from Lycoming College, where he spent eight seasons as an associate head coach on the men’s basketball staff under the direction of Joe Bressi. Griffith helped lead the resurgence of the program, as he helped recruit the program’s only All-American, Andy Rutherford. He also helped the team make its second appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament in 1995-96 and helped the team to a 97-53 (.647) during his tenure.
Before Lycoming, Griffith spent 10 years as an assistant basketball coach at Williamsport High School, where he was also a teacher for 12 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education from Penn State and a Master of Science in Education Supervision from Misericordia.
Engler will begin her collegiate coaching career this season after finishing a successful career as the Warriors’ sixth woman in 2010.
Engler improved throughout her career with the Warriors, appearing in 96 but starting just 29. Still, she made her impact off the bench, averaging 18 minutes per game during her career.
Her scoring average rose throughout her career, going from 4.0 points as a freshman to 7.4 points as a senior. The guard also had increases in steals throughout her career, going from 21 as a rookie to 39 in 2009-10.
A sharp-shooter, Engler is fourth in school history in free-throw percentage (.781), ninth in field goals made (80) and 10th in 3-point field-goal percentage (.301). She is also in the top 20 in school history in steals (106) and assists (128).
A graduate of Loyalsock Township, Engler scored more than 1,000 points in her prep career before she finished her Lycoming career with 543 points.
A team leader with Susquehanna Health, Engler earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from Lycoming in 2010.
The Warriors open the 2013-14 season at DeSales on Friday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m.
