Rhonda Lee Rompola (born March 9, 1960)[1] is an American college basketball coach who was most recently the head women's basketball coach at Southern Methodist University (SMU) from 1991 to 2016.[2]

Rhonda Rompola
Biographical details
Born (1960-03-09) March 9, 1960 (age 64)
Sayreville, New Jersey
Alma materSMU
Playing career
1979–1980Old Dominion
1981–1983SMU
Position(s)Forward
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1983–1991SMU (asst.)
1991–2016SMU
Head coaching record
Overall438–318 (.579)
Tournaments3–7 (NCAA)
1–5 (WNIT)
2–1 (NWIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
As a player:
AIAW (1979, 1980)
As a head coach:
WAC regular season (2000)
WAC tournament (1999)
C-USA regular season (2009, 2013)
C-USA tournament (2008)
Awards
WAC Coach of the Year (1999)

Early life and education

edit

Rompola was born and raised in Sayreville, New Jersey. She graduated from Sayreville War Memorial High School in 1978.[3] From 1978 to 1980, Rompola played basketball at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, averaging 10.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists and was part of two AIAW championship teams.[3] Rompola transferred to SMU in Dallas. After redshirting one season per NCAA transfer rules, Rompola played at forward at SMU from 1981 to 1983. With 21.3 points per game, Rompola was SMU's leading scorer in 1981–82. She graduated in 1983 with a business degree.[3]

Coaching career

edit

From 1983 to 1991, Rompola was an assistant coach at SMU before being promoted to head coach.[2]

In her first season as coach in 1991–92, she posted a 17–12 record, the team's first winning season since 1981–82 when she was a player. Overall, she posted a 439–317 (.581) record at SMU.[2] In 1998, SMU won its first-ever WAC tournament title, as it defeated 4th-ranked Colorado State University in the final, and then 25th-ranked Toledo in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. In 1998 and 1999, Rompola guided the Mustangs to back-to-back 20-win seasons. She was named the 1999 WAC Coach of the year for her efforts. In 2007, SMU went 24–9, and finished second in Conference USA play with an 11–5 mark. Along with being SMU's all-time leader in coaching wins in any sport, she also earned an honorable mention on the all-time Old Dominion Lady Monarchs basketball team.[3] She coached her 400th victory on February 21, 2013.[4]

Personal life

edit

Previously married to Steven Haddock, Rompola married men's basketball coach Mike Dement in June 2007.[5]

Head coaching record

edit
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
SMU Mustangs (Southwest Conference) (1991–1996)
1991–92 SMU 17–12 7–7 T–4th
1992–93 SMU 20–10 8–6 3rd NWIT Runner-up
1993–94 SMU 18–9 8–6 4th NCAA first round
1994–95 SMU 21–10 9–5 T–2nd NCAA second round
1995–96 SMU 19–11 9–5 3rd NCAA first round
SMU (SWC): 95–52 (.646) 41–29 (.586)
SMU Mustangs (Western Athletic Conference) (1996–2005)
1996–97 SMU 19–11 11–5 3rd (Mountain)
1997–98 SMU 21–8 11–3 T–2nd (Pacific) NCAA first round
1998–99 SMU 20–11 11–3 2nd (Mountain) NCAA second round
1999–2000 SMU 22–9 12–2 1st NCAA second round
2000–01 SMU 17–12 11–5 3rd
2001–02 SMU 12–18 6–12 7th
2002–03 SMU 16–15 8–10 7th
2003–04 SMU 13–15 9–9 5th
2004–05 SMU 19–11 10–8 5th WNIT first round
SMU (WAC): 159–110 (.591) 89–57 (.610)
SMU Mustangs (Conference USA) (2005–2013)
2005–06 SMU 16–14 10–6 3rd
2006–07 SMU 18–12 9–7 6th
2007–08 SMU 24–9 11–5 2nd NCAA first round
2008–09 SMU 20–12 12–4 1st WNIT first round
2009–10 SMU 20–11 10–6 2nd WNIT first round
2010–11 SMU 14–16 7–9 8th
2011–12 SMU 14–17 6–10 T–9th
2012–13 SMU 21–10 12–4 1st WNIT first round
SMU (C-USA): 147–101 (.593) 77–51 (.602)
SMU Mustangs (American Athletic Conference) (2013–2016)
2013–14 SMU 18–14 8–10 6th WNIT second round
2014–15 SMU 7–23 3–15 10th
2015–16 SMU 13–18 7–11 7th
SMU (The American): 38–55 (.409) 18–36 (.333)
Total: 438–318 (.579)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

edit
  1. ^ Daniels, Rob (January 17, 2008). "Going the distance". News & Record. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "BREAKING: Rhonda Rompola Announces Retirement". SMU Mustangs. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  3. ^ a b c d "Rhonda Rompola". SMU Mustangs. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  4. ^ Nichols, Bill (February 22, 2013). "SMU women's basketball coach Rompola gets her 400th career win". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  5. ^ O'Neil, Dana (January 17, 2008). "Dement, Rompola honeymoon includes lots of phone calls, airline miles". ESPN. Archived from the original on January 19, 2008. Retrieved October 11, 2014.