Parker Executive Search Seeks Women’s Basketball Coach for Villanova University 

March 4, 2020 – Atlanta-based Parker Executive Search has been enlisted by Villanova University to assist in its search for a new women’s head basketball coach. Leading the assignment are Daniel Parker, vice president and managing director, and Hayden Garrett, principal.

“Villanova University seeks an innovative and dynamic leader of its women’s basketball program, who will work with students, staff and alumni across the university to build and maintain excellence in its women’s basketball program,” said Parker Executive Search. “The head coach is expected to recruit and retain a diverse group of exceptional coaches and student-athletes, while promoting academic and athletic excellence for the program.”

The head coach will work with the director of athletics and other administrators to support the overall goals and objectives of the university, said the search firm. The individual will be expected to provide a clear vision for the program that is consistent with the traditions and mission of the university and the athletic department.

Parker Executive Search said that success in the following areas will be crucial to meeting these expectations:

• Maintaining the university’s traditional commitments to academic and athletic excellence.

• Responsibility for the management and administration of an intercollegiate women’s basketball program that competes regularly for Big East championships.

• Hiring, motivating supervising and evaluating assistant coaches.

• Ability to identify and recruit top-level student-athletes, along with a strong desire to teach, coach and mentor a group of diverse young women.

• Managing program budget, travel and equipment logistics with department administration.

• Representing the program internally and externally with entities including, but not limited to: faculty and staff, admissions, friends and family of Villanova basketball, fans, donors and the greater Philadelphia community.

• Organizing, managing and directing the women’s basketball program effectively and providing for full compliance with all applicable university, NCAA and Big East rules.

• Promoting student-athletes’ personal development, high academic achievement and full participation in all aspects of university life.

A bachelor’s degree is required for the role, though a master’s degree is preferred, said the search firm. It is highly desirable that candidates have previous experience with Division 1 athletic programs. They should also be proven basketball strategists with a high basketball IQ.

Candidates for the job must have a strong and stable work ethic, as well as a commitment for excellence in academics and athletics. They should further have an understanding of the recruitment process and the ability to collaboratively work with the university’s admissions staff in the enrollment of student-athletes to an academically rigorous institution.

Also expected is a demonstrated commitment and sensitivity to diversity, equity and equal opportunity. Prospects for the job should show evidence of high ethical standards as well as personal and professional integrity. Strong communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with both internal and external constituencies is necessary.

An entrepreneurial and optimistic mindset in regard to resource management and evaluation is needed for this position, said the recruiter. Experience, ability and a willingness to be involved in fundraising is also required. Candidates should have affiliation and active engagement with professional organizations appropriate to the position.

Related: Recruiters Offer Sports Clients an Expanding Talent Platform

Villanova University, located in Radnor Township, PA, was founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine. To this day, Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition is the cornerstone of the academic community. There are 11,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the university’s six colleges. Villanova is located 12 miles west of Philadelphia.

Respected Recruiters

Parker Executive Search conducts executive searches for corporations, colleges & universities and collegiate athletics. Its sports practice represents clients looking to fill positions such as president, CEO, EVP, SVP, general manager, executive director, conference commissioner, athletic director, head coach and assistant coach, among others. The firm’s sports practice has a wide range of client schools, including Notre Dame, Dartmouth, the University of Chicago, Iowa State, Fordham and the University of Central Florida.


Ventura Partners Places Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Penn State
Ventura Partners recruited Carolyn Kieger as the sixth head coach of the women’s basketball program at Penn State University. Ms. Kieger, a 2019 Naismith Women’s Coach of the Year Award semifinalist, guided Marquette University to the top of the Big East Conference and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances as the Golden Eagles’ head coach.


Mr. Parker leads Parker Executive Search’s sports practice. He has worked on numerous corporate vice president searches, collegiate athletic director searches, and collegiate basketball, baseball and football head coach searches. In his role, Mr. Parker is also responsible for business development and candidate development.

Before joining Parker Executive Search, Mr. Parker spent 10 years in the sales and marketing division for Nissan North America in California, Florida and South Carolina before moving to Atlanta in 2009. Along with his extensive sales and marketing experience, he also spent time working in automotive finance for Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp.

Mr. Garrett serves in the firm’s sports and corporate practices. Prior to joining Parker Executive Search, he worked for the investment bank SunTrust Robinson Humphrey as a credit analyst.

Related: Sports Recruiting Finds Its Own Field of Dreams

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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