Feb. 4, 2010

Kathy O'Neil, in her 25th season as head coach of the UMass Lowell women's basketball program, will be prominently honored as part of Women's Basketball Alumni Day Saturday, Feb. 6 at the River Hawks-Stonehill College clash at the Costello Athletic Center.

The women's basketball alumni game will take place at 10:00 a.m., followed by UMass Lowell's key Northeast-10 Conference game against Stonehill at 1:00. Prior to tipoff, however, will be the announcement and presentation of the Kathy O'Neil Endowment Fund, created by the women's basketball alumni and colleagues in honor of O'Neil's 25th year at the University.

At halftime of the game, women's basketball alumni in attendance will be acknowledged and presented with a rose of appreciation at center court.

The River Hawks are currently 13-7 overall and 9-7 in the NE-10 while O'Neil nears the 400-win plateau with a 399-307 career record.

Following the game at 3:00 will be the Endowment Reception and Ceremony in the Costello Athletic Center Auxiliary Gymnasium. Featured speakers include Director of Athletics Dana Skinner, Jennifer Morrison ('93), who served as the endowment committee chair; and Jacquie Moloney, Executive Vice Chancellor.

The reception will also include the presentation of the first annual Distinguished Alumni Award, presented to the outstanding women's basketball alumnae.

About Kathy O'Neil

Kathy O'Neil is currently in her 25th season as head coach of the UMass Lowell women's basketball team and has enjoyed eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament over the last 19 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 399-307 (.565), O'Neil has registered more wins than any other coach in UMass Lowell basketball history. Over the past 18 years, she has guided UML to an average of 18 victories per season.

Along with UMass Lowell's NCAA tournament appearances over the past 19 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.

In only its third season in 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 a 13-year span.

UMass Lowell'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 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.