Fordham Athletics announced on April 7 that the yearlong national search for a new women’s basketball head coach was over. Bridgette Mitchell, former Collegiate Athletics Association (CAA) Coach of the Year at Northeastern University, was chosen to lead the team, effective immediately. 

Mitchell boasts an impressive resume; she has found success throughout her career. As with many head coaches — Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim and Penny Hardaway, to name a few — Mitchell’s experience in that department was preceded by an extensive playing career. 

Mitchell was a former McDonald’s All-American, playing high school basketball in her home state of New Jersey. She later had a successful four-year career at Duke University. During that stretch, from 2006-10, the Blue Devils had a 109-22 record and went to four NCAA tournaments — including two Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight appearance. In her final and most productive year, Mitchell averaged 8.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Her on-court success has translated to a prolific coaching career. She began as an assistant at Wagner College from 2013-14. Mitchell then moved on to become an assistant at Siena College from 2014-16 before making a significant impact as an assistant at James Madison University from 2016-19. In those three years, James Madison went for a 78-26 record and won two consecutive CAA regular season titles in 2018 and 2019. Her final assistant position was at the University of Pittsburgh from 2019-21.

With those accomplishments under her belt, she was quickly part of the buzz surrounding the Northeastern University Huskies’ head coach search. Northeastern’s women’s basketball program faced a major shakeup after veteran Head Coach Kelly Cole’s contract was not renewed. Cole departed in 2021 after seven seasons and a middling 87-116 record. 

Mitchell was tabbed as her successor and arrived at Fordham with renewed confidence. In her first season at Northeastern, Mitchell carried the team to a 14-14 record after being picked last in the CAA preseason poll. This year, she led the Huskies to their first-ever CAA regular season title with a 13-5 league record.

Now at Fordham, Mitchell is going to take the reins of a storied and successful Atlantic 10 program that has struggled to break through the tournament in recent years — in no small part due to the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and the departure of longtime head coach Stephanie Gaitley. 

Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Ed Kull sang Mitchell’s praises from the jump.

“Not only does she carry a tremendous pedigree as both a coach and player, but she possesses a passion for the job that’s evident to everyone she meets,” Kull said. “I know that she’s going to approach this new position with a relentless energy that will elevate our women’s basketball program to new heights.”

University President Tania Tetlow, J.D., enthusiastically announced the arrival of Mitchell.

“We welcome Bridgette Mitchell to the Rams,” Tetlow said. “She is the right coach and mentor for our student-athletes and the right person to continue the team’s upward trajectory.”

As the 2023-24 season heralds a new era in Fordham women’s basketball — eight players, including all five starters, are graduating — Mitchell will be faced with the tremendous challenge of rebuilding a team and the daunting expectations of fans and opponents alike.