Wake Forest a Special Place for All-Time Wins Leader, Hoover
3/5/2021 8:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
“I’m excited for her. She’s accomplishing a goal, going back, becoming the coach at Wake Forest and now having the most wins in program history.” - Former Wake Forest women’s basketball coach Joe Sanchez
Jen Hoover became the winningest coach in Wake Forest women's basketball history Thursday afternoon with an 82-71 victory against North Carolina at the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament, a win that puts the Demon Deacons one step closer to a NCAA Tournament invitation.
Hoover's success comes as no surprise to Joe Sanchez, Hoover's coach during her playing days at Wake Forest — who just happens to be third on the all-time win list himself. Sanchez saw greatness in Hoover from the first time he watched her play.
"Recruiting her was terrific," Sanchez said. "She was an outstanding high school athlete. She was a post player who was athletic and could run the floor. One thing I always enjoyed was her attention to detail.
"Coaching her was a pleasure. This is a young lady who from the get-go wanted to become better. She attacked every drill. She wanted to get everything she could out of that drill, get everything she could out of it and get better. I always respected her desire to get better. She was not only talented, but wanted to become the best. She was a post player who could run the floor."
In Hoover's first season with the Deacs, she was part of the only NCAA Tournament team in program history.
"She deserved all the accolades she received," Sanchez said. "She knew we had a purpose for the program. If everyone can work as hard as you do, we won't have a problem. If everyone works like you, we're going to be okay."
According to Sanchez, the Deacs sold out Reynolds gym several times in that 1987-88 season, and Hoover (then Jen Mitchell) was a crowd favorite.
"We set records for capacity crowds. We packed that place. When we played, it was a full house," Sanchez said. "It was nice to see the team develop and become a tournament team and a conference contender. We ranked in the top-20 in the country, and Jen was a big part of that.
"As her head coach, I was so proud with each game she finished because she gave it her all each time. She was a great student of the game. For a young lady her size, she was quick and strong."
The Deacs grabbed an opening-round NCAA victory in 1988, defeating Villanova 53-51 as Hoover scored the game-winning bucket with seven seconds remaining. Sanchez called a timeout to set up the play. The Wildcats ran off two screens and Hoover broke to the basket where she was wide open to receive the pass and stick in the go-ahead goal.
"Our team was special to have her, and Wake Forest is special to have her," Sanchez said. "She cares about those players who she's coaching.
"I never saw a player develop as quickly as she did. We relied on our defense and the inside game. We would sometimes play three post players at the same time, but we had to combat quickness."
There were times Sanchez told Hoover she would end up being a basketball coach.
"Now, I'm watching her coach," he said. "There's an attachment there. I'm proud to see her develop as she has. I know she very badly wanted to coach at Wake, and that worked out for her. She was team-first.
"I ran a very complicated playbook. I had a lot of plays, and she knew them all. She took pride in it and on being successful. She loves basketball and being an athlete. She was a top-of-the-line person both on and off the floor. I'm proud of her and everything she's accomplished, and I knew she was going to be a coach. Those players are lucky they have a chance to play for her."
With the advent of the ACC Network, Sanchez gets to watch a lot of Wake Forest women's basketball games at his home in Orlando, Florida.
"I'm so happy for her and she's coaching where she wanted to coach her whole life," he said. "I'm excited for her. She's accomplishing a goal, going back, becoming the coach at Wake Forest and now having the most wins in program history."
Hoover's success comes as no surprise to Joe Sanchez, Hoover's coach during her playing days at Wake Forest — who just happens to be third on the all-time win list himself. Sanchez saw greatness in Hoover from the first time he watched her play.
"Recruiting her was terrific," Sanchez said. "She was an outstanding high school athlete. She was a post player who was athletic and could run the floor. One thing I always enjoyed was her attention to detail.
"Coaching her was a pleasure. This is a young lady who from the get-go wanted to become better. She attacked every drill. She wanted to get everything she could out of that drill, get everything she could out of it and get better. I always respected her desire to get better. She was not only talented, but wanted to become the best. She was a post player who could run the floor."
In Hoover's first season with the Deacs, she was part of the only NCAA Tournament team in program history.
"She deserved all the accolades she received," Sanchez said. "She knew we had a purpose for the program. If everyone can work as hard as you do, we won't have a problem. If everyone works like you, we're going to be okay."
According to Sanchez, the Deacs sold out Reynolds gym several times in that 1987-88 season, and Hoover (then Jen Mitchell) was a crowd favorite.
"We set records for capacity crowds. We packed that place. When we played, it was a full house," Sanchez said. "It was nice to see the team develop and become a tournament team and a conference contender. We ranked in the top-20 in the country, and Jen was a big part of that.
"As her head coach, I was so proud with each game she finished because she gave it her all each time. She was a great student of the game. For a young lady her size, she was quick and strong."
The Deacs grabbed an opening-round NCAA victory in 1988, defeating Villanova 53-51 as Hoover scored the game-winning bucket with seven seconds remaining. Sanchez called a timeout to set up the play. The Wildcats ran off two screens and Hoover broke to the basket where she was wide open to receive the pass and stick in the go-ahead goal.
"Our team was special to have her, and Wake Forest is special to have her," Sanchez said. "She cares about those players who she's coaching.
"I never saw a player develop as quickly as she did. We relied on our defense and the inside game. We would sometimes play three post players at the same time, but we had to combat quickness."
There were times Sanchez told Hoover she would end up being a basketball coach.
"Now, I'm watching her coach," he said. "There's an attachment there. I'm proud to see her develop as she has. I know she very badly wanted to coach at Wake, and that worked out for her. She was team-first.
"I ran a very complicated playbook. I had a lot of plays, and she knew them all. She took pride in it and on being successful. She loves basketball and being an athlete. She was a top-of-the-line person both on and off the floor. I'm proud of her and everything she's accomplished, and I knew she was going to be a coach. Those players are lucky they have a chance to play for her."
With the advent of the ACC Network, Sanchez gets to watch a lot of Wake Forest women's basketball games at his home in Orlando, Florida.
"I'm so happy for her and she's coaching where she wanted to coach her whole life," he said. "I'm excited for her. She's accomplishing a goal, going back, becoming the coach at Wake Forest and now having the most wins in program history."
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