Bucknell University Athletics
Roussell Represents Bucknell Women's Basketball at The Center for Coaching Excellence
6/7/2013 8:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
June 7, 2013
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell women's basketball head coach Aaron Roussell recently was one of 32 coaches to complete the first session of the 2013 edition of The Center for Coaching Excellence (CCE), an invitation-only, two-and-a-half day elite leadership program hosted by Columbia University. Created in 2011 through a partnership between Columbia and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), the CCE introduces coaches to various aspects of leadership and provides a deeper understanding and appreciation of the importance of ethics and integrity in college women's basketball through a rigorous curriculum presented in a seminar-style environment.
Capitalizing on the resources of Columbia University and the WBCA, the CCE utilizes collaborative and interactive learning sessions as well as lectures and panel discussions featuring experts in college athletics, guest speakers, small-group breakouts, roundtables and interactive problem solving. It also provides college women's basketball coaches with valuable networking opportunities with their peers and top industry leaders.
Now in its third year, The Center for Coaching Excellence was developed by Dr. M. Dianne Murphy, Director, Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education in partnership the WBCA. Roussell attended the first session of the summer, which ran June 3-5 at Columbia. That marked the fifth session of the program with two being held previously in 2011 and 2012, and has now benefited more than 140 coaches.
Joining Roussell this week at Columbia were Keith Adams of the University of Texas at El Paso, Karen Aston of Texas, Jennie Baranczyk of Drake, Tricia Binford of Montana State University, Greg Brown of Lipscomb, Todd Buchanan of Houston, Jean Marie Burr of Brown, Dan Burt of Duquesne, Kevin Cook of Winthrop, Charity Elliott of Loyola Marymount, Lori Gear McBride of Vermont, Jen Hoover of Wake Forest, Cathy Inglese of Rhode Island, Ali Jaques of Siena, Bobbie Kelsey of Wisconsin, Jodi Kest of Akron, Linda Lappe of Colorado, Kellie Lewis-Jay of Florida Atlantic, Yolett McPhee-McCuin of Jacksonville, Nyla Milleson of George Mason, Lynn Milligan of Rider, Sherri Murrell of Portland State University, Danielle O'Banion of Kent State, Bethann Ord of Weber State, Wendy Palmer of UNC-Greensboro, Vic Schaefer of Mississippi State, Nicole Scholl of Binghamton, Seton Sobolewski of Idaho State, Todd Starkey of Lenoir-Rhyne, Joe Tartamella of St. John's and Bryan Whitten of Mount St. Mary's.
Roussell completed his first season at the helm of Bucknell's women's basketball team in 2012-13. Under his tutelage, the Bison finished 15-16 overall and 5-9 in the Patriot League. With 10 more wins than the previous season, Bucknell enjoyed its best single-season turnaround in program history. The 15 total victories were also the most in program history by a first-year coach. Roussell's success made him one of two finalists nationwide for the 2013 Spalding Maggie Dixon Division I Rookie Coach of the Year.
