Leading Ladies

Since being named head coach of the Boston University women’s basketball team on July 7, 2004, Kelly Greenberg has effectively taken a blowtorch to the school’s record book. Greenberg took home the 2008-09 America East Coach of the Year award after going a perfect 16-0 in conference play and streaking from just after Christmas until St. Patrick’s Day without losing a game.

At this season’s start, she owned the best winning percentage in school history (.602) after guiding the Terriers to consecutive 20-win seasons (2007-08, 2008-09) for the first time ever. BU has appeared in four out of the last five AE tournament championship games, and currently owns the third-best record in the conference.

On Jan. 13, Greenberg became the second coach in program history to win 100 games, accomplishing the feat in just her sixth season at the helm. By signing a contract extension through the 2013-14 season following her coach-of-the-year campaign last year, Greenberg has set herself up to vie for a spot as the most accomplished head coach in BU women’s basketball history.

“I hope in my six years here, and hopefully in my years to come, people will remember our teams more than anything,” Greenberg said. “Nothing makes me happier than people saying, “Wow your team plays so hard and plays so together and is so much fun to watch.’ So in all honesty, I hope that’s what I’m remembered for.”

2009-10 was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Terriers. Guard Christine Kinneary, guard Amarachi Umez-Eronini, forward Jesyka Burks-Wiley and guard Kristi Dini finished their senior seasons as the winning-est class ever. But all four players played more than 900 minutes last year, leaving BU with just one returning starter (senior forward Aly Hinton), and a roster full of inexperience.

“I don’t think any of us ever thought we would take off the way we have,” Greenberg said. “I give a lot of credit to some of our upperclassmen, because everyone has really focused in on [freshmen] Chantell [Alford] and Mo [Moran] so much and [sophomore] Alex [Young], but the dirty work is the [junior] Kerry Cashmans, the [sophomore] Caroline Stewarts and the Aly Hintons, every day at practice, and having such great attitudes and communicating with me on a daily basis and being good leaders.”

Greenberg attributes much of her success to a style of play she calls “BU basketball.” It’s a philosophy she preaches to her players every day.

“I think it’s a positive approach to the game,” Greenberg said. “It’s energetic. I always tell the team “E and E’ &- energy and enthusiasm. It’s a camaraderie, it’s a respect for each other and respect for the game of basketball. I can’t tell you the number of times I talk with our players about how every time we step on the court we have such an opportunity to be part of the greatest game, I think ever, and how we want to portray that game the right way. In my mind that’s BU basketball, being unselfish, playing smart, playing hard all the time and really playing because you love it.

“To me, that’s BU basketball. It’s very important to me that every player on our team is enjoying it, whether they play zero minutes or 40 minutes.”
Before taking the job at BU, Greenberg was the head coach at the University of Pennsylvania for five seasons and was an assistant at the College of the Holy Cross for seven seasons. Her goal for this program wasn’t to rack up win totals or personal accolades, though.

“In my mind, I guess what my goal is, is to have a family atmosphere,” Greenberg said. “That Caroline Stewart knows she can lean on Kerry Cashman, as much as Kerry Cashman knows she can lean on Coach Greenberg, and we’re all there for each other. That’s success in my mind &- that we trust in each other and really believe in each other on a daily basis. I know every one of my players would be there for me in a heartbeat and they know I’d be there for them in a heartbeat. So, that’s success to me. And I think when you have that and you’re breeding that, wins just happen.”

Hinton records her 1,000th point

One of the biggest contributors to Greenberg’s success the last four seasons has been senior forward Aly Hinton.

Hinton has played in every game for the Terriers since her 2006-07 freshman year, in which she was a unanimous selection for the AE All-Rookie Team.

On Feb. 3 against Binghamton University, Hinton scored her 1,000th career point in scarlet and white. She now stands as one of seven players in the history of the program to score 1,000 points and pull down 600 rebounds in her career.

“I knew going into the game that I think I needed 10,” Hinton said. “And then I made my first two shots and it was like, “alright, this might happen tonight.’ And then, I think I hit two foul shots that brought [my point total] to seven or eight, so at that point I was like, “alright, one more.’ Kind of thinking that “alright, I want to get it tonight.'”

Midway through the second half, needing just two points to reach 1,000, Hinton caught the ball in the post, made a quick move to the basket and sank an easy layup, inscribing her name permanently in Terrier lore.

“I definitely knew I was getting close,” Hinton said. “I don’t feel like I was pressing to try to get it, but I knew that I was getting close.”

But Hinton never saw herself as a potential 1,000-point scorer. Even while playing last season next to Burks-Wiley (who also reached the 1,000-point plateau), Hinton said she didn’t desire or even think she could attain the feat.

“I guess entering this season I kind of knew that it was a possibility,” Hinton said. “But I don’t think that I ever thought this was my goal or anything like that. I was lucky enough, I guess is the term, to play as much as I did that freshman year and to do as well as I did. With the great players around me it was almost easy sometimes for me to score.

“It was awesome that Jes got it. I know she got it her senior year. So, I was thinking maybe [I could do it], but it was never something that I went back to look at my numbers to see how far away I was from it.”

Hinton has had to adjust to her new role as a bench player this season for the first time in her career. Greenberg still relies on the senior forward to play just under 30 minutes per game, and she averages 9.3 points per game and six boards.

“[Coming off the bench] was definitely an adjustment,” Hinton said. “But at this point I feel really good with where I am and where the team is. I knew coming into this season I was going to have a bigger role than I did last year, as the only returning player with as much experience as I have.

“It doesn’t really matter to me that I’m coming off the bench because I’m still playing enough that I’m going to make an impact. And if it’s better for the team that I do it off the bench, then that’s what I want to do.”

Last season, Hinton admits, she could hide in the Terrier lineup. Opposing teams concerned themselves so much with stopping Dini, Kinneary, Burks-Wiley and Umez-Eronini that they “forgot” about Hinton. But this year, Hinton’s name was at the top of every BU scouting report, and the responsibility was a weight early on.

“I definitely put a lot of pressure on myself to be a leader, to be a scorer and kind of do all those things,” Hinton said.

Hinton believes she still has one major accomplishment to achieve before her time at BU ends this spring.

“If I could trade 1,000 points for an NCAA [Tournament] berth, I would in a heartbeat,” Hinton said. “Because that’s really what the goal is. It’s a team sport, and it’s great that I scored 1,000 points, but I would want for us to make the NCAA tournament &- and I think it’s something that’s definitely doable with our group.”