College Tabs Homegrown Product as New Women's Basketball Coach

From Little League to playing professionally, Alison Tagliaferri of Linden has found success whatever the level of athletic competition.

Now, she's accepted a challenge that will take her from being a player into a new role as head coach of the Pennsylvania College of Technology women's basketball team. And she expects the success to continue. "Penn College is very fortunate to have Alison Tagliaferri as our new women's head basketball coach," Michael Stanzione, athletic director, said. "We had a great coach here in Ron Kodish. He put together a state championship and a lot of successful teams," Stanzione continued. "Ron was a heck of a coach. He really elevated our sports programs and he'll be sorely missed, but Alison is going to be a fantastic addition and we will be able to pick right up where he left off. "She has the desire and the knowledge to be an excellent college basketball coach," Stanzione added. Following in the footsteps of her older brother, Nick, now the head boy's basketball coach at Hughesville High School, and encouraged by her father, Tom, Alison started playing sports at a very young age. Growing up in that competitive environment helped her develop a love for what she was doing -- and she became very good at it, too. A Senior Little League Softball team Tagliaferri played on reached the state finals, her high school basketball and softball teams reached the state playoffs and her name is scattered throughout the record books for her achievements in both sports at Mansfield University. Playing basketball professionally last winter in Portugal, just months after recovering from reconstructive surgery on an ankle, Tagliaferri led her team in scoring and was named to the league's all-star team. "It became my life and my passion," she said of her playing days. "I've always been fortunate to have good experiences "¦ good coaches and good teammates. I guess a lot of that is why I continued to want to play, because we were always successful when I was younger and I wanted to be successful and get better." But, it's time to move on. Described as a "Git-R-Done!" type of athlete at Mansfield, Tagliaferri looks to transfer that attitude as she shifts gears from playing to coaching. "My parents always stressed that you have to be twice as good as the next guy if you want to succeed. I've always had a hard-working, dedicated kind of attitude toward playing," she said. "I might not be the most talented basketball player, but I think I made up for a lot of that with my hard work, and I expect to do the same thing coaching. "It will be my first year and there will be a lot of things that I need to learn, but I want to put forth the effort," Tagliaferri continued. "For your first coaching job to be a head coach at a university is just exciting in itself. It's an excellent opportunity. I haven't had the experience (coaching), but I'm not afraid to accept the challenge." Over the past three seasons, the Penn College women's team has gone 47-32 while playing an ever-increasing difficult schedule against more NCAA Division III opponents. The Lady Wildcats captured the Penn State University Athletic Conference championship a year ago. "It might be a rebuilding year. It might take time for players to get used to my style and for me to get used to coaching in general, but I'm going to have high expectations. "¦ Hopefully they can be successful like they have in the past under coach (Ron) Kodish," Tagliaferri said. "Right now, this is where I need to be and where I want to be," she added.