PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Jackie Hartzell has been one of the Philadelphia area’s top women’s college basketball coaches for the last 11 years.
At Division II University of the Sciences, Hartzell led the Devils to five NCAA Tournament appearances in eight seasons, winning more than 76% of her games (185-57). After Sciences dropped athletics and merged with Saint Joseph’s University, Hartzell moved to Division III Arcadia University in Glenside where she went 54-26 in three seasons.
Now, the St. Hubert Catholic High School for Girls and Delaware Valley University alumnus is getting her first shot with a Division I program after being hired to take over at Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
“I'm really not sure if it's fully hit me yet. I'm really excited,” she said. “It's a little overwhelming right now, but in a positive way. It's all good things. It's definitely one of the most humbling experiences of my life. Just having people reach out, so many people who've played such an important role in me getting here and I'm so grateful, you know, previous players, administrators, family, friends, it's all just. ... I'm so grateful for everybody.”
Hartzell said she had always thought about coaching at the Division I level, but only when the timing was right.
“And it just felt like the right fit and after interviewing there and meeting some of their administration, I just felt like I could really fit in there and I thought it was definitely an opportunity that I wanted to pursue,” she said.
Hartzell is set to take over a Rider team that went 7-22 (5-15 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) last season.