As college basketball season gets rolling there’s a lot of excitement in the Fairfield University women's basketball program.
The Stags are coming off last year’s NCAA tournament appearance, they have new players, a new arena, and a new coach.
“I didn't know if I wanted to stay or not because I knew that some of my teammates were leaving,” said graduate student forward Andrea Hernangomez. “But then I met coach.”
Hernangomez’s teammate, Callie Cavanaugh, had the same feeling.
“Then we got Carly and I knew I 100% wanted to stay here as soon as Carly set foot on campus,” said Cavanaugh.
It’s not like the team needed a program overhaul, but after longtime head coach Joe Frager retired after last season, they did need a new coach.
“The thing for me now is just to take it day by day,” said Carly Thibault-Dudonis, the Stags new head coach. “I try not to get too far ahead as far as we have to repeat or win it, but we just have to prepare every single day to win.”
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That's a coaching mentality she's had a long time to practice.
“I worked for my dad's team for as long as I can remember,” said Thibault-Dudonis. “I was their equipment manager, I was their ball kid, I was all of the above and so I always got to jump in drills of help whenever.”
Her dad's team at the time was the WNBA team, the Connecticut Sun.
Thibault-Dudonis is the daughter of current Washington Mystics head coach Mike Thibault.
“It was really awesome when my dad was coaching in the WNBA,” said Thibault-Dudonis. “It was the first time really I’d been around female professionals, female coaches.”
And now she’s one herself. On the particular day NBC Connecticut visited the Stags’ practice, there was a bit of a role reversal. Instead of watching her dad coach, this time it was her dad on the sidelines, just in town visiting his daughter and happy to play the proud parent.
“We always had that relationship when it comes to basketball,” Thibault-Dudonis said of getting advice from her WNBA dad. “It's a conversation, it's a dialogue that I love having.”
To be fair, her players were plenty surprised to see a WNBA coach in their gym.
“I would not say ‘terrifying’ but it actually makes you like, ‘Oh my God,’” said Hernangomez.
But their eyes and attention didn’t stay long with the older Thibault. Instead, they snapped right back to their coach and the promise of the season ahead.
“She's bringing a lot of energy,” said Hernangomez. “I’m an energetic person and I needed that.”
“Carly is so involved you would think she is a player,” said Cavanaugh. “She's on the court, doing drills. ... Great coach, great leader and just a great person overall.
Fairfield is 1-0 on the season. They have two more on the road before playing their first game in Leo D. Mahoney Arena on Nov. 18.
