Former Fordham University assistant
Nettie Respondek begins her second season with the Columbia
University women’s basketball team as an assistant coach in 2011-12. Respondek came to Morningside Heights after
serving as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at Fordham University. At Columbia, Respondek works directly with the post players while also focusing on recruiting for the Lions.
"We are very pleased to be adding Nettie Respondek to the coaching staff
at Columbia," Nixon says. "Her genuine enthusiasm for this opportunity
will not only be attractive to recruits but will also bring positive
energy to our program on a daily basis. I cannot overstate how much I am
looking forward to working with her in the future."
Prior to arriving at Columbia, Respondek held a similar assistant coaching position at
Fordham from 2006-08. Respondek took a one-year absence in 2008-09 to
serve as an academic advisor for Kinesiology at California State
University-San Marcos, where she was in charge of more than 450
students.
"I have known and respected Coach Nixon for many years,
and it is a dream come true to be a part of his winning program and
have the opportunity to compete for Ivy League championships," Respondek
says. "What an exciting time to be a part of Columbia Women's
Basketball."
In her playing days, Respondek enjoyed a successful
basketball career at Vanderbilt University, where she helped Vanderbilt
to two NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances, as well as one trip to the NCAA
Elite Eight. Playing at Vanderbilt from 1994-99, she was a four-year
starter, playing both point guard and shooting guard, and led the
Commodores in assists in 1996-97 and in three-pointers in 1997-98. She
also served as a team co-captain, was named to the SEC Academic Honor
Roll three times, and received the 1997 Vanderbilt Spirit Award for
women's basketball.
While at Vanderbilt, she worked at a number
of Vanderbilt Summer camps, serving as counselor and camp director. She
managed the adult counselors and coordinated daily activities and camp
schedules for five summer camps in Nashville, Tennessee. Away from the
court, Respondek worked as an intern at the Women's Basketball Coaches
Association in Atlanta in 1997, where she planned activities for summer
camps and scheduled trips for WBCA executives.
Following her
time at Vanderbilt, Respondek received her first coaching position in
the high school ranks, where she coached at Owattona High School in
Owattona, Minnesota. She helped the boys' team to an 11-win improvement
from four wins to 15 wins in her one season at Owattona.
In
addition to the start of her coaching career, Respondek still found the
time to participate in the 2006 Empire State Games, where as captain of
the Manhattan team, she led the team in scoring, and helped them to a
silver medal.
A Rosenberg, Texas native, Respondek was the 1994
Gatorade State Player of the Year, a two-time Houston Chronicle Houston
Area High School Player of the Year and was named Miss Texas Basketball
(1994). The same year, she was one of 20 players selected to the WBCA
Kodak High School All-America Team.
Respondek received a
Bachelors' degree in Human and Organizational Development from
Vanderbilt in 1998, before going on to earn a Masters' degree in
Counseling Psychology from the school in 2000.
"I truly believe
the combination of an Ivy League education, tough basketball competition
and the location in New York City makes Columbia University an
attractive destination for any high school student athlete," Respondek
concludes. "I am looking forward to bringing my experience in recruiting
and passion for the game into the positive environment Coach Nixon has
fostered and I am ready to help lead Columbia into postseason play."
