RICHMOND, Ky. - Joanna Bernabei, former Eastern Kentucky University graduate assistant coach and most recently head coach at West Virginia Wesleyan College, has been named assistant coach for the Eastern Kentucky University women's basketball team.

Bernabei was at Eastern for the 1997-98 season as a graduate assistant for coach Larry Joe Inman's Lady Colonel basketball team and served last year as head coach at West Virginia Wesleyan where that team went 18-9 and finished third in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

"I am really excited to be back at Eastern and becoming a more integral part of the program," said Bernabei. "I'm looking forward to our team having a successful season this year."

Bernabei is a 1997 graduate of West Liberty State College where she majored in exercise science and minored in pre-pharmacy. She was the starting point guard all four years at WLSC, earning first-team All-WVIAC honors every season.

She closed her collegiate career in fine fashion as she was named 1997 WVIAC Player of the Year. She also holds the NCAA Division II all-time career assist record of 1,107 and was selected NCAA Division II All-American three times.

The holder of more than 20 national, conference and school records for assists and steals in a career, season and game, Bernabei holds the NCAA Division II record for most assists in a game (24). During her four years at West Liberty State College, those teams compiled an 80-36 record.

"Joanna brings so much to our program that she is just going to be a tremendous asset," said Inman. "She's been a head coach, she was an outstanding collegiate player and she already knows our system which helps us with our continuity.

"Plus, she's bringing new ideas that really add to what we're already doing. We've named her our recruiting coordinator, our sports camps coordinator and our offensive coordinator. We're just really, really excited she's back with us."

Bernabei was named West Virginia High School Player of the Year in 1993. She has coached at various high school basketball camps in recent off-seasons and has held her own point guard clinic since 1997.