RUTLAND—Jonathan Lamiotte has joined CSJ as head coach for the women’s basketball program; and John White will take over as head men’s soccer coach.
Lamiotte, who is also an admissions counselor at CSJ, most recently served as head women’s basketball coach and assistant men’s soccer coach for nearby Green Mountain College. He takes over from former head coach Chris Wood, who helped lead the team to a near-perfect 31-1 overall record, culminating with the winning of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championship, the first for CSJ. The Lady Saints were also the national runners-up in 2015.
“College of St. Joseph’s women’s basketball program is coming off a magical season where they won the YSCC Championship and the USCAA National Championship. As a program, we have some tough shoes to fill,” he said. “But I believe that with hard work, dedication and a commitment to excellence, we will be very competitive.”
Lamiotte has already begun identifying areas that he intends to develop and strengthen.
“Offenses may have off-nights when it comes to shooting, but the defensive effort demonstrated should always be at a consistent level. The more that our team’s defense is consistent, the team will win more than it loses, even if we have only average offensive talent,” he said. “Defense and rebounding wins championships. Defense is one thing that can be constant each and every game. No one will outwork us, as coaches and players, in the identification of us being a top-notch program.”
John White becomes the head men’s soccer coach after the team’s successful 2015 season, going 11-7-1 overall and making an appearance in the USCAA National Tournament.
White has previously served as head coach for Otter Valley Middle School’s girls’ and boys’ soccer team, and as head coach and assistant coach for Vermont Elite for three years. While in his native Texas, he served as head coach of U20 men’s indoor soccer.
White is looking forward to developing CSJ’s current roster into better players, creating a bond with the community, and working toward the college’s third national championship.
“I develop players to become as high of level they can achieve using academic and ‘street’ methods,” he said. “I build confidence through repetition and understanding players’ strengths and weakness and homing in on what they do best, rather than to try and make them someone they aren’t. All players are unique and can serve different roles on the field.”
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