| Joanna Bernabei |
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Joanna Bernabei enters her fourth year as an assistant coach on the National Champion Maryland coaching staff. Bernabei came to College Park from West Virginia, and has helped Maryland earn NCAA Tournament bids in each of her three seasons on the bench. Serving as the recruiting coordinator, she has assisted in signing back-to-back top-five ranked recruiting classes and three ranking in the top 10.
"Joanna is very passionate and her knowledge on the floor has been a big asset to our team," said head coach Brenda Frese. "She works extremely hard in our recruiting efforts and has developed tremendous contacts all over the country."
Since Bernabei's arrival at Maryland, the Terps have set records for wins in a season (34 in 2005), seven Terrapins have received All-ACC nods and Crystal Langhorne and Marissa Coleman were tabbed the ACC Rookies of the Year the last two seasons.
Bernabei served two years at West Virginia as an assistant coach for the Mountaineer women's basketball team where she was a scout, position coach and recruiting coordinator. Before her time as a Mountaineer, Bernabei had a two-year stint at Eastern Kentucky where she was responsible for scouting, individual player development, as well as serving as the recruiting coordinator. She gained head-coaching experience in 1998 at West Virginia Wesleyan where she compiled an 18-9 record and a third-place finish in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC), while also acting as the school's senior women's administrator.
Bernabei attended West Liberty State where she was a Division II All-American and a four-time first team All-WVIAC selection as a point guard. Named 1997 WVIAC Player of the Year, she currently holds the NCAA Division II career assist record of 1,107 and the single-game record for most assists at 24 which she set against West Virginia State (Feb. 8, 1997). She is one of a handful of players, men or women, to record more than 1,000 points and 1,000 assists, finishing her stellar career with 1,317 total points.
Bernabei also holds NCAA records for assists average per game (9.5), and the school and conference marks for assists in a game, season (294) and career. She led her team to an 80-36 record over four years and is listed on West Liberty's Top 20 All-Time Best Athletes list. She is the first woman to be named first team All-West Virginia Athletic Conference for four years and was inducted into the West Liberty State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. Bernabei was also West Virginia's High School Player of the Year in 1993.
Bernabei earned her bachelor's degree in exercise physiology in 1997 from West Liberty and a master's degree from Eastern Kentucky in sports administration in 1999.
Bernabei married Joe McNamee in her hometown of Weirton, W. Va., on May 22, 2004. The couple resides in Columbia, Md., and welcomed its first child, Lucas John, on October 12, 2006.
Bernabei's Coaching Credentials
• Assistant Coach, Maryland (June 2003-Present)
• Assistant Coach, West Virginia (June 2001-June 2003)
• Assistant Coach, Eastern Kentucky (June 1999-June 2001)
• Head Coach, West Virginia Wesleyan (June 1998-June 1999)
• Graduate Assistant, Eastern Kentucky (June 1997-June 1998)
The Personal Side of Joanna Bernabei
Education Background:
• Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Physiology (West Liberty State College, 1997)
• Master's Degree in Sports Administration (Eastern Kentucky University, 1998)
Athletic Background:
• Four seasons as a varsity basketball player at West Liberty State College.
High School:
• Weirton Madonna (Weirton, W.Va.)
• Four varsity letters in basketball, track and tennis.
Family:
• Married to Joe McNamee on May 22, 2004.
• One son Lucas John (born October 12, 2006).
• Daughter of John and Nancy Bernabei.
• Two sisters: Paula Cordray (41), and Patti Robinson (39).
• One brother: J.J. Bernabei (40).
