Bryant names Lynne-Ann Kokoski to succeed Mary Burke as women's basketball coach

SMITHFIELD — Lynne-Ann Kokoski knew the way to Chace Center by heart.

No directions were required for her Friday morning press conference. The new women’s basketball coach at Bryant University is coming home.

Kokoski was introduced just upstairs from the court where she spent seven seasons — four as a point guard and three as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs. She replaces her former leader, Mary Burke, who stepped down in March after 32 years in charge.

"In this profession, you are never quite sure where your coaching journey will take you," Kokoski said. "Very few have the opportunity to come back home."

Kokoski becomes just the fourth Bryant coach since the 1981-82 season. She follows Mike McKee, Ralph Tomasso and Burke. It’s the first hire for the Bulldogs since Burke was promoted from her assistant role to succeed Tomasso for the 1991-92 campaign. Burke’s tenure spanned time in the Northeast-10, Northeast Conference and the America East.

"This is a really important day to recognize this new era in women’s basketball at Bryant University," school president Ross Gittell said. "I’m very proud of this program and what it’s accomplished over time under Mary Burke’s leadership."

Kokoski is a Massachusetts native who was brought in by her state university as an assistant in May 2019. She was on staff for an Atlantic 10 Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance with the Minutewomen in 2022. Kokoski and UMass also shared last year’s regular-season crown with the University of Rhode Island and reached the WNIT in 2021 and 2023.

"We’re welcoming her back to campus not as Lynne-Ann, but as Coach Kokoski," Bryant athletic director Bill Smith said. "She’s going to have that same type of impact on our basketball players and current student-athletes that she had on her teammates."

Kokoski takes over a program that hasn’t cracked the .500 mark since 2016-17. Bryant reached the NEC Tournament title game in 2021-22, but that came at the close of a 10-22 season. The Bulldogs ended 9-21 under Burke during her final year, including 3-13 in their new conference home.

Bryant could return an all-conference player in junior forward Mariona Planes Fortuny, who is a strong paint presence. Kokoski could attempt to sell her on a similar role to the one played by Sam Breen, the all-time leading scorer with the Minutewomen. The Bulldogs also expect to break ground on their new Convocation Center and Arena at some point in the coming months.

"I have a vision for what it’s going to look like," Kokoski said. "I just want to get people to campus and to understand what a great place this is."

Kokoski, 36, worked with the UMass offense and was in charge of its guard group. Sydney Taylor, Ber’Nyah Mayo and Destiney Philoxy each received postseason all-conference honors last season. Taylor was named to the first team, Mayo earned a spot on the second team and Philoxy picked up a spot on the all-defensive team.

The Minutewomen turned heads with their multi-year success, and head coach Tory Verdi was hired away to Pittsburgh — he signed a six-year, $4.8-million deal with the Panthers last week. Kokoski was already involved with Bryant while Verdi was negotiating his contract and decided the time was right to strike out on her own. Rams associate head coach Megan Shoniker and Rhode Island College head coach Jenna Cosgrove were among the other names connected to the opening with the Bulldogs, who narrowed their list down to six finalists.

"There were a lot of moving parts, certainly, as we finished our season — really, due to our success the past four years at UMass," Kokoski said. "One thing Tory always told me every end-of-the-year review meeting I had with him was, ‘When we win, we all win.’ And he’s not wrong."

Kokoski bracketed her playing career with Division II NCAA Tournament appearances in 2005 and 2008 — Bryant won 70 total games during her time in uniform. She finished a master’s degree while joining the coaching staff, and the Bulldogs elevated to the Division I ranks beginning in the 2008-09 campaign. Bryant finished within a game of .500 in 2011-12 before Kokoski signed on as director of basketball operations at Providence.

"It’s so important to have your point guard be an extension of the coaching staff both on and off the court," Smith said. "Lynne-Ann was all of that."

Kokoski spent four years on the bench with the Friars before returning to the assistant ranks at William & Mary for the 2016-17 campaign. She helped recruit and develop multiple Colonial Athletic Association standouts, including 2019 league Rookie of the Year Eva Hodgson. The Tribe’s senior class in 2018-19 tied the program record with 66 wins, and part of Kokoski's personal growth at UMass was sharpening her focus for an eventual next career step.

"President Gittell asked me on Wednesday, ‘Why Bryant?’ " Kokoski said. "I said, ‘That’s simple. I love it here. I want every student-athlete to have the same great experience I had as a player.’"

bkoch@providencejournal.com  

On Twitter: @BillKoch25 

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Lynne-Ann Kokoski named new Bryant women's basketball coach