7/28/2004

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Georgetown University Interim Athletic Director Adam Brick announced today that head women’s basketball coach Patrick Knapp has accepted the position of head women’s basketball coach at University of Pennsylvania. 

“Pat has done the Georgetown community a great service these past 18 years and we are very grateful for all his efforts.  He built the Georgetown program to national prominence and we wish him and his family the best,” Brick said.  “We will now begin a process of review and evaluation in order to take the next step of continuing the tradition of academic and athletic excellence that has become the hallmark of the program.”

Knapp, who completed 18 seasons with the Hoyas, built a winning tradition of both academic and athletic excellence, posting a 208-188 (.525) record since 1990. In four of the last six years Knapp's teams have advanced to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). His teams have won at least 17 games six times at Georgetown, including four of the last seven seasons, and have advanced to postseason play five times. Knapp has twice won 20 game seasons at Georgetown and has won two BIG EAST regular season championships since arriving on the Hilltop in 1986. In 1993 Knapp was voted the BIG EAST Coach of the Year.  Knapp who began as a head coach at New Mexico State has an overall record of 293-303 over 21 years as a head coach.               

Twelve of Knapp’s players have gone on to play professionally in Europe, including three from the 1998-99 and 2002-03 teams.  Two of Knapp’s players have gone on to the WNBA, including recent Georgetown graduate Rebekkah Brunson, the first Georgetown women’s basketball player to be chosen the first round.  Four of Knapp's former players have gone on to coach in the collegiate ranks.  While at Georgetown, 14 of Knapp's players earned All-BIG EAST honors, including Kris Witfill, 1993 BIG EAST MVP and Rebekkah Brunson, 2004 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year.  Under Knapp’s guidance, Brunson was selected to Team USA’s Pan American Games squad in 2003.

Knapp’s success as a mentor transcends the hardwood, as he has coached one Rhodes Scholar (Julie Mikuta, 1992) and 49 BIG EAST Academic All-Stars selections. 

Prior to coaching at Georgetown, Knapp turned the women’s basketball program around at New Mexico State University, where he served as head women’s basketball coach from 1983-1986. Knapp’s coaching career began in 1976 at Bishop McDevitt High School in Philadelphia, Pa.  He spent four years there and was the Montgomery County Coach of the Year for the 1978-79 season.  He then took his coaching talents to the collegiate level when he became the top assistant at the University of Notre Dame for three seasons.

Knapp graduated from Widener College in 1975.  He was a team captain in 1974 and 1975 and led the Pioneers to NCAA Tournament appearances in 1972 and 1975.  A Pennsylvania native, Knapp and his wife Maggie have two children: Melanie Lynne (MSB '02), age 23; and Patrick (Syracuse, ‘04), age 21.