May 1, 2008

Martin Completes Staff With Hiring of Jen Duhnke, Shannon Sword

    Youngstown – Youngstown State women's basketball Head Coach Cindy Martin announced on Thursday the completion of her coaching staff with the appointment of assistant coaches Jen Duhnke and Shannon Sword. Duhnke follows Martin to YSU from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and Sword spent the last two seasons at Ashland University.

    Duhnke (pronounced DUNK) spent the 2007-08 season as the top assistant at IUP, where she had responsibilities in the areas of recruiting, academic monitoring, on-floor coaching, scouting and team travel. She also spent the 2004-05 season at IUP as a graduate assistant.

    "Jen was a huge part of the outstanding season we had at IUP last year and is the most dedicated assistant coach that I have worked with,” Martin said. “She has a passion and love for women's basketball that is second to no one.
    “Jen is familiar with my coaching style and that will prove to be a huge benefit for our staff and the ladies. Jen will coordinate our team academics, strength and conditioning program, and direct our summer high school team camp.  Jen will make an immediate impact here at YSU."

    Prior to returning to IUP, Duhnke served as athletics director at Brookville Junior/Senior High School for one year. At Brookville, she directed all interscholastic athletic events for 18 sports, including game and transportation scheduling, hiring officials and overseeing athletic facilities. She also managed a budget of more than $200,000 and supervised more than 500 student-athletes and 100 coaches.

    "I consider it a privilege to have worked with Coach Martin at IUP and am excited to join her new staff at YSU," Duhnke said. "I believe in Coach Martin's Three C's philosophy: Classroom, Community, and Court.
    "Coach Martin is very organized, disciplined, is a true teacher of the game, and has a great ability to bring the best out of her players and coaching staff.  I am ecstatic to further my coaching career at Youngstown State University."
    Duhnke spent the 2005-06 season as an athletic department intern at Saint Francis (Pa.). Her responsibilities with the Red Flash included daily departmental operations and procedures, monitoring continuing eligibility and game-day management and promotional activities.

    Duhnke earned a bachelor's degree in business management from Clarion in 2003 and a master's degree in sports management from IUP in 2006. She was a four-year letterwinner at Clarion, serving as co-captain her senior year when she averaged 4.2 assists to rank seventh in the PSAC. Her 112 assists that year is the 12th highest single-season mark in school history.

    After graduating from Clarion, Duhnke was a facility and stadium operations intern at Heinz Field while also volunteering as girl's varsity basketball coach at Redbank Valley High School.

    Sword joins the YSU staff after serving as a graduate assistant coach at Ashland for two seasons. With the Eagles, Sword was responsible for on-floor coaching, film exchange and day-to-day operations of the program.

     "Shannon was extremely aggressive during the interview process with me,” Martin said. “She has a tremendous work ethic and knowledge of the game, especially working with post players. 
    "Shannon has numerous Ohio connections and has been involved with every aspect of coaching a successful women’s basketball program in her four years of experience."

     “Shannon has four years of Horizon League experience as a student-athlete that will make her a natural fit to handle our team travel, in addition to organizing our team community service and directing our summer day camp." 

    Prior to Ashland, Sword spent a season as the top assistant coach at Manhattanville College, where she worked with the post players and helped organize and conduct team practices.

    Sword has also been the head coach of the Dayton Lady Hoopsters, a 15-and-under AAU team and an assistant at Miamisburg High School.  In her lone season at Miamisburg the squad went 23-1 and ranked fourth in the final state poll.

    A native of Miamisburg, Ohio, Sword had a prolific playing career at Cleveland State University where she was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter.

    "Both Coach Martin's passion for basketball and her vision for the YSU women's basketball program have excited me from the moment I first spoke with her about this great opportunity," Sword said. "I am also excited about the opportunity to stay in Ohio and return to the Horizon League, as I feel it is a great league with a lot to offer its players and coaches.

    "I am eager to begin working with Coach Martin, an excellent coach with a very successful background, and I know we will work hard to bring the winning tradition back to YSU. I am also looking forward to working with the great group of ladies on this team as we prepare for the upcoming season."

    A First-Team All-Horizon League pick in 2003-04, she was the team captain and most valuable player her senior year.  Sword is CSU's all-time leader in career three-point percentage (.380), and ranks second in career free-throw percentage (.802), tied for sixth in games played (113), 12th in scoring (1,136) and 13th in rebounding (523).

    Sword graduated magna cum laude from Cleveland State in 2004 with a degree in sport management. She was on the Horizon League All-Academic Team for four years and was a four-time CSU Athletic Academic Excellence award winner. 

    Sword is expected to graduate with her master's degree in sport education from Ashland in May 2008.