Former Gloucester City Resident Dianne Nolan Named Head Lafayette Basketball Coach
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
April 20, 2010 Press Release
Dianne Nolan became the fifth head coach in Lafayette women's basketball history on April 20, 2010. Nolan joined the Leopards following a three-year stint at Yale and a 28-year tenure at Fairfield University.
Nolan spent three years as an assistant coach at Yale, including her final year in 2009-10 as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator. The majority of Nolan's coaching experience comes from her 28 years as the head coach at Fairfield where the guided the program to five Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championship titles, four NCAA Tournament appearances, earned her 500th career win and was named the conference Coach of the Year five times.
Nolan led six Fairfield teams to 20-win seasons, including three 25-win campaigns, and an overall record of 517-416. She took over the team in 1979 and was at the head of the program when it transitioned to Division I basketball in 1981. Nolan's 28-year tenure with the Stags remains the ninth-longest head coaching stint at one school in NCAA Division I women's basketball history.
Under her guidance, Fairfield was a constant presence in postseason play. The Stags made four NCAA Tournament appearances, won five MAAC titles and received a bid to the 2000 WNIT. Fairfield earned three MAAC regular season titles and four MAAC Tournament championships. In 2001, the squad collected its first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Nolan secured her first head-coaching experience with a five-year stop at St. Francis (N.Y.) (1974-79). She was named the head coach in 1974 and the Terriers boasted winning records in her final four seasons with the team. She finished with 33 career victories at St. Francis and combined with her 517 at Fairfield, she became the 28th coach in Division I history with 500 career victories. That 500th career victory came on Feb. 4, 2007, with a 73-57 win at Rider.
Nolan's players have been just as successful off the court as they were on. Every senior on her Fairfield teams graduated on time and many have gone on to become successful basketball coaches, including current Bucknell head women's basketball coach Kathy Fedorjaka.
Nolan is active in the basketball world away from the court, as well. A member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) since 1985, she served two three-year terms as the WBCA secretary and two as treasurer. Nolan was named to the selection committee for the State Farm Wade Trophy in 2007-08 and served on the eight-member panel that selected the Division I Player of the Year.
Nolan graduated from Glassboro State (now Rowan University) in 1973 with a degree in Health and Physical Education. She went on to earn her Master's degree in Physical Education from West Virginia in 1974 and in 1989 picked up her second Master's degree in Political and Corporate Communications from Fairfield.
Nolan has been married to Mark Breslin for 28 years and the couple has three sons: Zach and twins John and Andrew.
A former resident of Gloucester City, Dianne was an outstanding player at Gloucester Catholic High School. She is the daughter of Andy and the late Bert Nolan.
