By Barry Hunsberger
For three years, Chestnut Hill College has been blessed to have one of the best women’s basketball coaches in program history in Jim Connolly. In his first year, Connolly arrived amidst the Covid-19 shutdown, for his second year as the C-19 restrictions were lifted Coach went on to have the best season in program history racking up 24 wins, making the program’s first appearance in the NCAA tournament, finishing the season as the #1 seed in the CACC conference playoffs, and earning himself the title and award of CACC’s women’s basketball Coach of the Year. This year, he led his team to 19 wins and their second playoff appearance in as many years.
The biggest thing about coach Connolly is that he respects his players, and they respect him as their coach and mentor. Several of his players have said that because he is not a coach that yells and screams about everything, that he talks to them and helps them work through whatever it is and pushes them out for the better on the other side, that they listen to him, respect him, and work harder for him.
However, after three years it is time for Coach to move on, after this spring semester comes to a close Coach Jim Connolly is moving to Washington DC, to start a new life. In the Fall of 2023 Connolly will marry his fiancé Marisa a Naval Doctor, after having had a two-year long-distance engagement, on which he stated, “she knows how much I enjoyed coaching here and coaching this team, so we made it work, and it’s been great, but now I’m ready to move on and get married and start our lives together”.
Before he left us, I wanted to ask Connolly what his favorite memory at CHC was, to that he said “The relationships I have built, not just with the players, but with the great assistant coaches that I have been lucky enough to have on my staff, all the other coaches in the athletic department as a whole and with all the relationships I have built outside of athletics, it’s been such a fun experience be at Chestnut Hill College, the school, and the community are just a great place to be.
I have never looked at it as coming to work every day, I don’t look at it as a job, it’s something that I have enjoyed doing at a place that I have enjoyed being at. Chestnut Hill College means a lot to me, on top of that to talk basketball, the success that we have had post pandemic having 24 wins in a season and breaking a lot of program records. Making the NCAA tournament for the first time, which I don’t think any of us believed that was a realistic goal, that year was just so special and so fun, to see our players just excel the way that they did, just to be a part of that was probably one of my favorite memories”.
My final question to Connolly was, now that a year has passed, how did it feel to be named last year’s CACC coach of the year? To which he replied — “Obviously it feels great to be honored in that way, but I think the most important thing is the season that we had as a team, which shows the great work of our assistants that helped me win that award, and more importantly it is the players that go out there and win the games, coaching only does so much, so I think it shows how great of a team we were, and it is just an honor to be out there with them every day. Coach Lindsey has been here all three years with me, Coach Sue has been here for a year, Coach Bri has been here for two years and have made my job so much easier and have been a huge part of my success and the team’s success.
I felt that I needed to round up a few comments/well wishes from some of those who were the closest to Jim Connolly, to add to his legacy and give him something to remember CHC by.
CHC Men’s basketball head coach JJ Butler had this to say about his colleague, “It’s tough to see Jim go. I sincerely enjoyed working alongside him every day. In a short period of time, coach Connolly managed to raise the bar for Chestnut Hill Basketball, both programs. He’s leaving our women’s program better than he found it. What more could you have asked for.
I’m wishing nothing but the best for him and Marisa as they embark on this new chapter of their lives together.”
Assistant Coach Lindsay Alexander — “Thank you so much for your mentorship, friendship, and support over the last few years! Your impact will always be remembered. Wishing you all the best in your future journey!”
Bob Heller — “Jim is one of the most successful young coaches that Jesse Balcer has hired here at the college, He is well versed and understands the game, he is one of only three CHC coaches to win 50 games in the current history of the program (since joining the NCAA) with a winning record, despite the pandemic problems he came out last year on fire and ended with the most successful season in program history, then followed it up with 19 wins this year, making the CACC playoffs for the second consecutive year. We will miss him here at the college, I think if he continues with coaching, he will be a success no matter where he goes, and any team would be lucky to have him.”
Siobhan Boylan #10 — “Thanks Coach Jim for your encouragement and support to the team. Best of luck with the future!”
Emily Chmiel #30 — “Coach, thank you for two very memorable seasons. Good luck in your next chapter, I am wishing you the best of luck!”
Kaitlyn Carter #15 — “Thank you Coach Jim for not only being a coach, but also someone to come talk to, about anything. We will all miss you and good luck in the future.”
Abbey Spratt #3 — “Thank you for all of your time and supporting us throughout each basketball season here at CHC. You will be missed!”
Sara Tamoun #24 — “Thank you Coach Jim for all you have done for us and this program. I really appreciate you and I wish you nothing but the best.”
Avery White #4 — “Thank you, Coach Jim for your dedication to our team. Best of luck in your future endeavors!”
Brianna Rider # 34 — “Thank you for all you have done for the CHCWBB program and the unforgettable memories we have shared as a team the last couple of years. Wishing you the best in the next chapter of your life!”
Morgan Sterner #5 — “I would like to thank Coach Jim for everything he has done for me and always being supportive of us on and off the court. I wish him the best in all his future endeavors.”
