May 1, 2003
ATLANTA–Agnus Berenato, who just completed her 15th season as head coach of the Georgia Tech women’s basketball program, has resigned to become the head coach at Pittsburgh.
Berenato was introduced as the Panthers’ head coach at a 1 p.m. press conference at the school.
Berenato is the winningest women’s basketball coach in Georgia Tech history with a record of 223-209 in her 15 seasons. She has been at Tech a total of 17 years, including two years (1987-88) as an assistant coach under Bernadette McGlade before she was elevated to the top position in July of 1988.
She also spent four seasons (1982-85) as the head coach at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J., for an overall head coaching record of 283-264 in 19 seasons.
The search for Berenato’s successor will begin immediately with Georgia Tech President Dr. Wayne Clough appointing a search committee. The six-person committee will be chaired by Director of Athletics Dave Braine and will also include administrators, faculty, alumni and student-athletes.
“Agnus has given a great deal to Georgia Tech over the last 17 years, and we wish her nothing but the best,” said Braine. “This was a tremendous opportunity for her and her family.
“We will move forward with our coaching search immediately, and I am confident that we will hire a head coach who will build upon the success that our women’s basketball program enjoyed this past season.”
Berenato led the Yellow Jackets to four straight postseason berths, including an appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2003, when Tech equalled the school record for wins with a 20-11 mark, including 8-8 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. That was the second NCAA berth in school history, and Berenato also coached Tech’s first NCAA team in 1993.
In Tech’s first postseason appearance ever, Berenato guided the Jackets to the championship of the National Women’s Invitation Tournament in 1992. She also led Tech to three other NIT appearances in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Tech returns four starters and 13 letterwinners from this year’s team, losing only all-ACC senior center Sonja Mallory, who was selected in the second round of the recent WNBA draft.
A native of Gloucester, N.J., Berenato played basketball at Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Md., where she was coached by former NBA star Fred Carter. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology and theology from Mount St. Mary’s in 1980 and received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from the school in 1995.
She and her husband, Jack, have five children: Theresa, Andrew, Joey, Clare and Christina.
