Wake Forest Athletics
Melissa D'Amico Joins Women's Basketball Staff
6/29/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWBB)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest women's basketball coach Jen Hoover announced Friday (June 29) the addition of Melissa D'Amico to the coaching staff as an assistant coach.
"One of the biggest lessons I have learned in coaching is to surround yourself with great people and I couldn't be more excited about Melissa joining our Wake Forest Family," said Hoover. "She has played at the highest level both collegiately and overseas professionally."
D'Amico joins the Demon Deacons following a three-year stint at Yale where she served as the recruiting coordinator while coaching the posts and forwards. While with the Bulldogs, D'Amico mentored the team's leading scorer, Nyasha Sarju, who improved her scoring by eight points per game and rebounding by three boards per game under D'Amico's watch. She was also responsible for coaching Jennifer Berkowitz, who was named All-Ivy League honorable mention in 2017 before being named First Team All-Ivy League in 2018.
D'Amico was also responsible for all facets of recruiting, including budgeting, recruiting lists, travel and visits. During her time, D'Amico successfully recruited the Texas Large Private School Player of the Year as well as the 2018 Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year to Yale.
Following her first year on staff at Yale, D'Amico was named a recipient of the Women's Basketball Coaches Associated "Thirty Under 30", which recognizes 30 up-and-coming women's basketball coaches age 30 and under at all levels of the game.
Before Yale, D'Amico spent two seasons as an assistant women's basketball coach at Colgate. She served as the program's top assistant and was an integral part in leading the Raiders to their best season since the 2003-04 Patriot League Championship team.
While at Colgate, she helped the team achieve its best conference winning percentage since 2005-06. During the two seasons, the Raiders had their highest win total in a decade and hosted a Patriot League tournament game for the first time since 2003-04.
D'Amico joined the Colgate staff following a five-year professional basketball career in Europe and Asia.
"She has a strong passion for excellence in the classroom and on the court. Her commitment for investing in our players will be evident from day one. Her knowledge and experience coupled with her positive attitude and energy are contagious with anyone she meets and will be a fantastic addition to our program. She will serve as a great representative for Wake Forest University and will be an excellent mentor and role model to the student-athletes we recruit, develop and lead," added Hoover.
A 2008 graduate of Notre Dame with a degree in Science-Business, D'Amico was a four-year letterwinner who started in 58 of 119 games for the Fighting Irish. She received Big East Player of the Week honors in both 2006 and 2007. In her four-year career, Notre Dame was ranked as high as fourth in the nation, made an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance, and was 90-39 overall.
