For the past 26 seasons, Dan Raymond was at the helm of one of the most consistently great forces in Division III women’s basketball. During his tenure at Ithaca College, the amount of staggering statistics are seemingly endless: 18 seasons with more than 20 wins. 17 NCAA Tournament appearances. 12 conference titles. The list goes on.
This upcoming winter, there will be a new face patrolling the sidelines.
Back on March 25, Raymond announced his retirement. The winningest coach in program history felt like it was the appropriate moment for him to end such a prosperous career.
“It’s one of those things where it’s been in the back of my mind for a little bit,” Raymond said. “But this year it just was one of those things where I felt like it’s right [with] my age and everything that I want to try to continue to do in my life. It just made it a point that because I am still healthy and young enough to travel and do things that [my wife] Sherry and I want to do, that’s why it really was like, ‘Yes, now’s the time.’”
Raymond is part of a long list of head coaches who have stayed on South Hill for decades. The likes of Mindy Quigg (women’s soccer), Mike Welch (football), Jeff Long (men’s lacrosse), George Valasente (baseball), and many others have called Ithaca home for quite some time. While a lot of coaches throughout the country see Division III as a springboard for other opportunities, that’s far from the case for Raymond and his peers.
“It was just the environment and all the coaches there,” Raymond said. “They were very successful, and they understood what it took to be successful. They were willing to share what worked for them, what didn’t work for them, and I just felt very comfortable. It felt like I was home when I was able to get the position. It wasn’t anything other than just feeling very confident and comfortable that I was in the right place.”
The impact that Raymond has had on the hundreds of student-athletes who have come through his program is immeasurable. Some have gone down the coaching path, a 2012 graduate who is now an assistant for the University of North Carolina women’s basketball team. Others have gone on to administrative roles, such as 2011 grad Jordan Confessore, the associate commissioner of men’s basketball in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Those are just two of countless examples of Raymond’s lasting legacy.
“I always encourage all of our student-athletes to get into coaching,” Raymond said. “Doesn’t matter what the sport, doesn’t matter what age level because you have a chance to make a positive influence on someone’s life. You never know who it’s going to be or how many you’re going to touch, but as long as you do it for just one person, it’s well worth it.”
After a national search, the tall task of finding a replacement for Raymond concluded on May 8 when the athletics department announced that Erin Hughes would take over the program. Hughes understands she has seismic shoes to fill, and she’s looking forward to maintaining the Bombers’ standard of excellence.
“I have nothing but the utmost respect for Dan Raymond and everything that he has done,” Hughes said. “Coach did a great job building such a strong legacy within Ithaca women’s basketball, and I’m truly so honored to be able to step into this next chapter and continue on his legacy. I’m going to bring in my energy, my culture, and my personality, for sure, and add things in and make it my own, but also in everything we do pointing back to the strong legacy that he had and what he’s built.”
Hughes comes over from another Division III program after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Trinity College in Connecticut. The Bantams went 35-18 during her tenure, highlighted by a second round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Prior to then, Hughes coached at her alma mater Washington & Lee University in Virginia for four seasons, including a run to the Elite Eight in 2024.
Hughes aims to translate that success to a Bombers team fresh off their first losing season since 2006, posting a 9-16 record. With key players such as All-Liberty League Third Team selection/rising senior guard Tori Drevna and rising junior guard Madison Gill returning to the fold, chapter one of this new era is set to be an enticing read.
“There’s certainly talent on this roster, but beyond that, they’re hungry,” Hughes said. “They want to win and they want to be good. I think that level of hunger excites me because that’s how I operate, that’s how I played, and that’s something that I just don’t think you can coach. You have it or you don’t, and this group has it.”
