Head Coach Kathy O'Neil

Kathy O’Neil enters her 23rd season as head coach of the UMass Lowell women’s basketball team and has enjoyed eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament over the last 17 years.

Under O’Neil’s tutelage, UMass Lowell has become one of the perennial powers in New England women’s college basketball. With a record of 365-267 (.578), O’Neil has registered more wins than any other coach in UMass Lowell basketball history. Over the past 16 years, she has guided UML to an average of more than 18 victories per season.

Along with UML’s NCAA tournament appearances over the past 17 seasons, O’Neil guided the River Hawks to six New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) championships between 1991 and 1999 as well as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II championship in 1989-90.

Three years after it ented the rigorous Northeast-10 Conference, O’Neil helped UML to the regular season and tournament runner-up spots in 2002-03, as well as its eighth NCAA Tournament bid in 13 years.

UML’s sterling 141-46 record over the last 11 seasons in the NECC was the best won-loss clip in the league during that span. Over the final 10 years of the NECC’s 18 year illustrious history, O’Neil amassed a .709 winning percentage (210-86).

Along with her teams success, O’Neil has also been honored by her peers throughout her career. She was voted the NECC Coach of the Year three times (1991, 1995, 1997).

O’Neil’s teams have also been very active within the City of Lowell community. Several players volunteer for the UML Mentoring Program at the Lowell City Magnet School and in childcare at a local homeless shelter. Additionally, members of the women’s basketball team have been a fixtures at the Merrimack Valley Region Special Olympics each year.

One of the best women’s basketball players in Saint Michael’s history, O’Neil still holds a slew of school records, including most points in a game (36 vs. Bates, 1980), scoring average in a season (22.1), rookie season (16.2) and a career (17.9). She also holds the mark for steals in a season (147) and career (475) and was the first-ever player to score 1,000 points.

O’Neil’s jersey, No. 11, was retired in October 1988, when she became the first women’s basketball player inducted into the St. Michael’s Athletic Hall of Fame. She was one of nine charter members.

A three-time team most valuable player and two-year captain, O’Neil was also a standout in the classroom. A political science major, she was named to the College Division Academic All-American Second Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). In addition to her basketball success, she was also a four-year standout in field hockey.

On Sept. 24, 2004 O’Neil was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame for her accomplishments at Saint Michael’s.

O’Neil received her master’s degree in business administration from UMass Lowell in May of 1999. She resides in Nashua, NH.

Assistant Coach Devonna Williams

A native of Mattapan, MA, Devonna Williams joined the UMass Lowell coaching staff in July and brings 13 years of coaching experience, including six years as a head coach.

Williams joins the River Hawks after serving as director of athletics at Roxbury Community College for the 2006-07 year. Previously, she was an assistant coach at Emmanuel College, which followed head coaching stints at SUNY Potsdam and Dickinson (PA), as well as assistant posts at the University of Pennsylvania, Springfield and Salem State.

Following a magnificent playing career, Williams entered the coaching ranks in 1992 at Salem State for coach Tim Shea, helping the Vikings to the 1993 and 1994 NCAA Tournaments as well as the 1993-94 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) regular season and tournament championships.

She moved on to Springfield as a graduate student, where she served under longtime head coach Naomi Graves for the 1995-96 season – Springfield’s first as a Division III school – while pursuing her master’s degree in education.

Williams then served as an assistant at UPenn from 1996-99 under coach Julie Sorriero, helping the Quakers from a 6-20 clip (2-12 in the Ivy League) in 1996-97 to a 13-13 record (8-6 Ivy) in 1997-98 and a 12-14 (8-6) showing in 1998-99.

Williams was named the head coach at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, in 1999, where she remained until 2002-03. She guided the Red Devils to steady improvement each season. Though she left in 2003 to accept the head post at Potsdam, Dickinson’s team of 2003-04 reached the NCAA Tournament.

At Potsdam, Williams served as head coach from 2003-05, and returned to her native Boston where she was an assistant at her alma mater, Emmanuel College, for coach Andy Yosinoff for the 2005-06 season. She helped guide the Saints to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) regular season championship as well as the ECAC Division III Tournament final.

At Roxbury CC, Williams oversaw seven men and women’s athletic teams, which included the addition of men’s and women’s track and field and men’s soccer in 2006-07.

Williams earned her undergraduate degree in business management from Emmanuel in 1992 and stands as one of the best players in Saints history. A second team All-American as a senior, she compiled 1,135 points and currently ranks 10th on the all-time scoring list. She was inducted into the Emmanuel College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.

Williams’ college career followed an impressive career at Boston Latin H.S., where she was a three-time Dual County League all-star and helped the Dragons to state tournament appearances as a junior and a senior.

She was inducted into the Boston Latin Hall of Fame in 1998. She resides in Woburn, MA

Dahima James enters her fifth year in the coaching ranks which followed a splendid four-year career at UMass Lowell.

A three-year starting center, James ranks among UML’s all-time leaders in games played in a career (115, tied for seventh); career field goal accuracy (.454, ninth); and career rebounds (684, ninth).

In James’ four years, the River Hawks advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice (2000, 2003), won the New England Collegiate Conference regular season championship and tournament (1999) and posted a four-year clip of 68-47 (.591).

Along with her basketball prowess, James was a mainstay in the UML community and volunteered for various charity causes. She spent six years as a counselor in UML’s National Youth Sports Program, the top NYSP program in the country three years. Since graduation she has become a project coordinator with NYSP Girls’ Clinics.

James was also a Special Olympics volunteer and UML Basketball Camp clinician for four years. She now serves as the camp coordinator.

In addition, James was the women’s basketball representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council three years and cochaired the committee as a senior.

James graduated with a degree in psychology. She lives in Lowell, MA

Sacha Simms moves to the sidelines for her first year as an assistant coach following a stellar playing career at UMass Lowell from 2004-06.

A two-year starter, Simms compiled averages of 8.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists as well as 57 3-point field goals. Simms highlighted her junior year with season-highs of 28 points and six assists in a 75-74 loss at Le Moyne; as well as 18 points in a 59-56 win over Le Moyne last season.

Prior to attending UML, Simms was a two-year player at Mount Saint Mary’s (MD) College where she played 47 games over two seasons. She is also a graduate of Norristown Area H.S., where she was a four-year conference all-star as well as the player of the year by the Norristown Times Herald. Following her senior year, Simms was one of seven NHS players to commit to Division I colleges.

While at NHS, Simms played with former UML standout Tammy Haulcy (2003-06).

A fine arts/graphic design major, Simms is in the final year of completing her undergraduate degree.

She lives in Lowell, MA.