< PreviousT he all-time lead- er in wins at Saint Joseph’s, Cindy Griffin ‘91 enters the 2024-25 season as her 24th season as head coach of the Hawks. A 1991 and 1993 graduate of SJU, Griffin (nee Anderson) has compiled an overall record of 446- 344 in 26 seasons as a head coach, and a 398-311 record over 23 years at Hawk Hill that has included 14 postseason appearances. The eighth coach in NCAA Division I history to lead her alma mater to the NCAA Tournament as a player and a coach, Griffin’s squads have posted eight 20-win seasons and six victories over national- ly-ranked teams, while her players have been hon- ored as Atlantic 10 All-Conference performers 26 times and 18 have gone on to play professionally. In 2023-24, Griffin guided her alma mater to 28 wins - the most in a single-season in program history. The Hawks ended the non-conference campaign as Hawk Classic Champions with an 11-1 record be- fore A-10 action, marking the best start to a season in Griffin’s first 23 years on the sidelines. SJU also found success in conference play, finishing in a tie for second place in the conference standings with a 15-3 Atlantic 10 record to best Griffin’s previous high of 13 wins in 2002-03. St. Joe’s defined itself as one of the best teams in the country away from home comfort, tying for the most road wins in the NCAA (15). Griffin earned Big 5 Coach of the Year honors after leading the Hawks to the first win over Villanova since 2014, helping propel the Crimson and Gray to an undefeated 4-0 record against Big 5 opposition. The Hawks were crowned outright Big 5 Champions for the first time since 2013-14. The success in the regular season culminated with a quarterfinal appearance in the inaugural WBIT after wins over Seton Hall and California helped propel the Hawks to match their deepest postseason run in program history. Griffin helped lead three Hawks to Atlantic 10 All-Conference honors for the second consecutive season and fifth time in her career. Lau- ra Ziegler was named to the first team after regis- tering 13 double-doubles on the season, while Tayla Brugler and Mackenzie Smith earned back-to-back all-conference honors after both eclipsed 1,000 ca- reer points by the end of their junior season. Griffin helped return her squad to a program standard, recording her seventh 20-win season in the 2022-23 season. Griffin led her squad to a 9-0 record to start the year, the longest win streak to start a season under her 22-year tenure and the sec- ond-best in program history. The Hawks improved their win total by seven from the season prior, re- cording a 9-7 conference record – all seven losses coming by six points or fewer. St. Joe’s earned a sec- ond-round win in the Atlantic 10 Championship before a quarterfinal defeat to eventual champions Saint Louis. For the first time since 2003-04, and the second time under Griffin’s tenure, the Hawks posted three players to the Atlantic 10 All-Confer- ence Team. Talya Brugler became the first Hawk to CINDY GRIFFIN HEAD COACH | 24 th SEASON Hawks Coaching Staff Saint Joseph’s Women’s Basketball 10 n 2024-25 Saint Joseph’s Women’s Basketballgain First Team recognition since Natasha Cloud in 2014-15, while Laura Ziegler and Mackenzie Smith also earned Third Team honors. Griffin also helped tutor the second-straight Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and fourth in Hawk history after Ziegler added the award as well as All-Rookie honors to her trophy case. The Hawks concluded their season in Griffin’s 11th trip to the WNIT as head coach of the Hawks, falling to Big East foe Seton Hall. After a 2020-21 season interrupted throughout with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hawks finished the 2021-22 season with a 13-17 record, finishing 7-8 in conference play before back-to-back wins in the A-10 Tournament saw them one game away from a championship appearance before falling in the semis. With a youthful squad, SJU named four Hawks to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team (Brugler, Fair, Nyström, Smith) while Brugler earned Rookie of the Year honors, the third Hawk to ever do so. The four additions to the All-Rookie Team tied an Atlan- tic 10 record. Brugler and Katie Jekot also tabbed Second Team All-Big 5 honors. Guiding a veteran squad, Griffin brought SJU back to the postseason in 2017-18 as the Hawks advanced to the second round of the WNIT and fin- ished with a 19-15 overall record, marking the most games played (34) in a single-season in team history. Capturing the Hawk Classic title in November, the Hawks battled back from injures during conference play to win five of their last six conference games and carried that momentum up to the title game of the A-10 Championship. Along the way, senior Chel- sea Woods earned All-Big 5 First Team and A-10 All-Conference Third Team honors, with junior Sarah Veilleux being selected Big 5 Scholar-Athlete, named to the All-Big 5 Second Team and joined graduate student Amanda Fioravanti on the A-10 All-Academic Team. Behind a resilient team, the 2016-17 Hawks bat- tled back from a slow start to become one of the top teams in the Atlantic 10. Finishing third in the con- ference standings, the Hawks advanced to the semifi- nals of the A-10 Championship and earned the pro- gram’s 10th Postseason WNIT berth. Individually, Chelsea Woods was named an A-10 All-Conference honoree and was selected to the All-Big 5 Second Team. Joining Woods on the All-Big 5 Second Team, Adashia Franklyn also garnered Big 5 most Improved Player accolades, while Sarah Veilleux was recognized as the Big 5 Scholar Athlete. Behind a pair of 1,000-point scorers in seniors Sarah Fairbanks and Ciara Andrews in 2015-16, Saint Joseph’s finished tied for sixth in the A-10 be- hind a strong finish to the regular season. Finishing among the attendance leaders in the conference, the Hawks added to their mantle as they claimed the Hawk Classic title. Additionally, Fairbanks was named the Big 5’s Scholar-Athlete, while sophomore Chelsea Woods was selected the Big 5’s Most Im- proved Player. Backed by First Team All-Big 5 selection Natasha Cloud, the Hawks earned a share of the Big 5 title in 2014-15. Cloud, who garnered A-10 All-Confer- ence First Team and All-Defensive Team accolades, also became just the third SJU player to be selected in the WNBA Draft as she was picked by the Wash- ington Mystics in the second round in 2015. Following up their A-10 Championship the sea- son prior, the 2013-14 Hawks continued to prove themselves as one of the top programs nationally as they earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tourna- ment and advanced to the Second Round for just the seventh time in team history. Led by Erin Shields and Cloud, Saint Joseph’s earned its fifth straight postseason bid and claimed its first outright Phila- delphia Big 5 title since 2000-01. Under Griffin’s leadership, Saint Joseph’s posted one of its most memorable seasons in team history in 2012-13 as the Hawks claimed the Atlantic 10 Championship for just the third time and earned the automatic NCAA Tournament bid. Led by a senior class that had advanced to the postseason every year, the Hawks finished with a 23-9 record that included wins over #5 Maryland and #11 Dayton. In addition to the team’s success, a trio of Hawks were singled out for their performances, led by NCAA Woman of the Year nominee Chatilla van Grinsven. With Griffin’s guidance, van Grinsven turned in one of the more dominant seasons in recent SJU history, becoming just the fifth player in SJU history to av- erage a double-double for the year en route to being named to the A-10 All-Conference First Team and as the Big 5 Player of the Year. The duo of backcourt mates Shields and Cloud helped propel SJU to new heights, with Shields garnering A-10 and Big 5 Most Improved Player honors and I-AAA distinction, while Cloud was named the Most Outstanding Play- er of the 2013 A-10 Championship. Backed by a veteran-laden team in 2011-12, the Hawks earned their third-straight WNIT berth and posted their most wins (22) since the 2003-04 sea- son. Moving into second place in career victories at her alma mater, Griffin picked up her 200th win as the Hawks topped Boston University in the opening game of the WNIT on March 15, 2012. Leading the Hawks to a 15-4 mark at home, she helped Saint Joseph’s become one of the more efficient teams in the nation, ranking fourth in fewest turnovers per game (12.5), 26th in three-point percentage (.348) and 39th in field goal percentage (.423). Individually, senior Michelle Baker and Kelly Cavallo had breakout years, both garnering All-Big 5 honors. Behind Griffin’s teaching, Baker went on to be named to the A-10 All-Conference Second Team and capped her career as SJU’s then all-time leader in games played (127) while ranking in the top 20 for scoring and field goals made. After seeing limited time as a freshman, Cavallo developed into one of the top post players in the A-10, leading SJU and finishing in the top five of the conference in re- bounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage. With Griffin’s aid, Cavallo finished her career second all-time in blocks and 11th in rebounding at SJU. Returning just one starter for the 2010-11 season, the Hawks quickly jelled under Griffin’s guidance as they went on to win 20 games, earned the program’s 700th victory, and advanced to the second round of the WNIT. Led by All-Big 5 honorees Baker and Ka- tie Kuester, Saint Joseph’s had its most efficient offen- sive showing since 2002-03, as the Hawks finished 60th in the nation in field goal percentage (42.1). Additionally, several Hawks were honored for outstanding seasons in 2010-11, headlined by soph- omore Ashley Prim becoming the first SJU player to be named Atlantic 10 Sixth Player of the Year. Baker became just the second Hawk to be named to the A-10 All-Defensive Team, while freshman Erin Shields became the sixth player Griffin has coached 2024-25 Saint Joseph’s Women’s Basketball n 11 Head Coach Cindy Griffin Saint Joseph’s Women’s BasketballGo Hawks!to A-10 All-Rookie Team honors. Earning a postseason berth for the first time in two years, the Hawks surpassed predictions in 2009-10 as they finished tied for fourth in the At- lantic 10 after being picked to finish ninth. After opening the season with a 3-7 mark, Griffin saw her team begin to click at the end of the non-con- ference schedule as SJU claimed the 19th Annual Hawk Classic title and worked its way to .500 by the second week of the Atlantic 10 slate. Posting a 9-5 mark against conference opponents, Griffin hit two milestones during A-10 play, earning her 150th win at Saint Joseph’s in a victory against Dayton and earning her 200th coaching win against George Washington. The Hawks would go on to earn the program’s seventh WNIT bid, and play the first postseason game at Hagan Arena. In 2008-09, Griffin undertook arguably her toughest season to date as Saint Joseph’s played every contest away from Hawk Hill for the first time in program history. And in typical SJU fashion, Grif- fin got her team to respond as Saint Joseph’s went on to post an 8-5 record at home venues and earn its first Big 5 title since 2000-01. Individually five Hawks posted career bests in scoring, with Brittany Ford and Mariame Djouara both earning All-Big 5 Second Team honors. Relying heavily on underclassmen in 2007- 08, Griffin guided her Hawks to another winning season, including crowns at the Brown Basketball Classic and the Hilton Philadelphia Hawk Classic. Among the wins, Saint Joseph’s posted its biggest win over a non-conference ranked opponent since the 1984-85, topping #15 Auburn for the Hawk Classic title. Despite losing several experienced players prior to the 2006-07 season, Griffin had her team peaking at the right time. Playing Griffin’s style of hard-nosed defense and persistent offense, the Hawks advanced to the Atlantic 10 Championship game, including the program’s first win over a top 10 opponent (#8 George Washington) since 1992 along the way. Saint Joseph’s capped the season with its fifth WNIT appearance in six years and tied the SJU record for games played in a season with 33. Fueled by a collection of newcomers and a devel- oped core of upperclassmen, Griffin led the Hawks back to national prominence in 2005-06. The Crimson and Gray engineered the nation’s best turn- around (13 games) and received votes in the national polls for the first time since 2003-04. The Hawks ad- vanced to the semifinals of the A-10 Championship and earned a berth in the WNIT. With the loss of four 1,000-point scorers, the 2004-05 Hawks showed their true colors down the stretch, earning a hard-fought victory over La Salle in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Championship and coming within 10 points of 16th-ranked, and eventual A-10 Champion, Temple. Led by six seniors, the 2004 team went 22-11 and advanced to the WNIT Elite Eight. Saint Jo- seph’s finished second in the A-10 East and dropped a heartbreaker in the Atlantic 10 Championship to Temple. Four Hawk seniors reached the 1,000-point plateau, marking just the eighth time in NCAA history that a quartet of players had reached the milestone in the same season. Erin Brady, Irina Kras- noshiok, Stephanie (Graff) McCaffrey and Amra Mehmedic went on to sign professional contracts. Following a memorable first year at the helm of her alma mater, Griffin upped the ante in her second season by capturing 2003 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Hawks to a 19-11 re- cord. The team sprinted to the conference’s Eastern Division title and earned a berth in the WNIT for the second straight season, despite the departure of SJU’s all-time leading scorer and a non-conference schedule that ranked fourth nationally. Griffin helped to reinvigorate the SJU program in her first season, leading the squad to a 24-8 record and the second round of the WNIT. She capitalized on the team’s tradition of scrappy play and rugged defense, while releasing the reins and allowing the team to play a more up-tempo style on the offensive end of the floor. The Hawks finished the year among the national leaders in nine different categories and paced the nation in free throw percentage for the sec- ond straight year. Following her playing career, Griffin spent the 1992-93 season as a graduate assistant at her alma mater. She then accepted an assistant’s spot at Van- derbilt University from 1993-95 under former Saint Joseph’s head coach Jim Foster. Foster recruited Griffin to SJU and coached her during her play- ing career on Hawk Hill. In her two years as an assistant at Vanderbilt, the Commodores finished 53-15 overall, won the 1995 SEC championship and reached the NCAA Sweet 16 both seasons. In addition to coaching responsibilities, she was the co-director of the Vanderbilt Basketball Camp and the director of the Black & Gold Club. Griffin left Vanderbilt after the 1995 season to become an assistant coach at Loyola Maryland. She spent three seasons as an assistant under Patty Coyle before being promoted to associate head coach in 1998. Griffin was promoted to the po- sition of head women’s basketball coach at Loyola Maryland midway through the 1998-99 season. She was the seventh-youngest head coach in Division I at the time. Griffin – who was named head coach five games into the season as Coyle left for an assistant coach position with the WNBA’s New York Liberty – kept the Greyhounds’ momentum going as Loyola Maryland won a team-record 21 games that year. Overall she compiled a record of 48-33 during her tenure at the Baltimore school, guiding the squad to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference semifinals all three years. One of the top playmakers in Saint Joseph’s his- tory, Griffin starred for the Hawks from 1987-88 through 1991-92 (missing the 1988-89 season due to injury). A three-time team captain, Griffin fin- ished her career with 662 points, 278 rebounds, 510 assists and 197 steals. She currently ranks fourth on SJU’s all-time assist list. As a junior in 1990-91, she played in 1,178 out of a possible 1,200 minutes to set the school record for minutes played in a single season. The Hawks made three NCAA Tournament appearances and posted three straight 20-win seasons during her playing career. A two-time Second Team All-Big 5 choice, as well as a Third Team All-Atlantic 10 pick as a senior, she was inducted into the Saint Joseph’s Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. A native of Maple Glen, Pa., Griffin played her high school basketball for Bishop McDevitt, win- ning two Philadelphia Catholic League titles. A 1987 graduate of McDevitt, she was inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997, and in 2002, re- ceived the Philadelphia Catholic League’s alumni achievement award. She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Saint Joseph’s in 1991 and com- pleted her M.B.A. from SJU in 1993. She resides in Conshohocken, Pa., with her husband, Curtis, and children, Kaylie, Hannah and Curtis, Jr. Kaylie will be a senior on Griffin’s roster in 2024-25. Head Coach Cindy Griffin Saint Joseph’s Women’s Basketball 2024-25 Saint Joseph’s Women’s Basketball n 13 MELISSA DUNNE Associate Head Coach/ Recruiting Coordinator Sixth Season KATIE KUESTER Assistant Coach/ Recruiting Coordinator 10th Season ASHLEY PRIM Assistant Coach Third Season SUSAN LAVIN Chief of Staff 22nd Season MARY SHEEHAN Director of Basketball Operations Second Season 14 n 2024-25 Saint Joseph’s Women’s Basketball Hawks Coaching and Support Staff Saint Joseph’s Women’s BasketballYOUR JOURNEY, OUR PRIORITY RELAX AND RECHARGE AT CITY AVENUE JUST MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN PHILADELPHIA Experience a blend of modern amenities and unbeatable location at the Courtyard Philadelphia City Avenue. Whether you’re visiting for business or leisure, our spacious rooms, free Wi-Fi, and on-site dining options ensure a comfortable and productive stay. Just minutes from downtown, historic attractions, and shopping, we offer the ideal base for exploring all that Philadelphia has to offer. Book your stay today and enjoy convenience and style in one of the city’s best neighborhoods! BOOK TODAY To reserve your room, call 215.477.0200 or visit Marriott.com/PHLAV Courtyard by Marriott® Philadelphia City Avenue 4100 Presidential Blvd Philadelphia, PA 19131 Marriott.com/PHLAVCALEB SAMSON Director of Video and Scouting Operations CHLOE WELCH Graduate Manager CHRISTI LEE Assistant Athletic Trainer ALEX BRUNSON Head Strength and Conditioning Coach MATT BUSCH Director of Athletic Communications 16 n 2024-25 Saint Joseph’s Women’s Basketball Hawks Support Staff Saint Joseph’s Women’s BasketballJ ill Bodensteiner enters her sev- enth year as Vice President and Di- rector of Athletics at Saint Joseph’s University in 2024- 25, leading the Hawks’ 20 NCAA Division I men’s and women’s varsity sports and the University’s Campus Recreation Department. Coming to Hawk Hill in June of 2018 after an accomplished 20-year tenure at the University of Notre Dame, Bodensteiner has helped St. Joe’s develop a holistic approach to college athletics with a comprehensive focus on the field, in the classroom, on campus, and as an industry leader. Over her first ix years, Bodensteiner has over- seen the genesis of an exciting era in St. Joe’s Ath- letics, defined by competitive excellence, transfor- mative student experiences, facility upgrades, and creating a premier destination on Hawk Hill. Competitive Excellence During her tenure, Saint Joseph’s field hockey program has transformed into a nationally-ranked power, capturing four Atlantic 10 titles, while ap- pearing in the NCAA tournament four out of five years, and winning the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament game, a 3-1 win over #10 Wake For- est in 2022. In the spring of 2022, the Hawks’ men’s and women’s lacrosse programs each won their respective conference titles and appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in pro- gram history, helping Saint Joseph’s earn its high- est-ever Division I LEARFIELD Directors Cup rank, 133rd, and finish first in the A-10. This past spring, Saint Joseph’s baseball team won its first A-10 regular season title in nearly 50 years, while men’s lacrosse captured the inaugural A-10 regular season championship. Transformative Student Experiences Under Bodensteiner’s direction, Saint Jo- seph’s created the Beyond the Hill program to develop student-athletes in the areas of ac- ademics, leadership, diversity and inclusion, spirituality and service, and career. A notable aspect of Beyond the Hill involves the neigh- boring Gompers Elementary School. In 2021, St. Joe’s used funds from a $100,000 grant it received to design and implement a recess cur- riculum; while throughout the year, dozens of student-athletes volunteer to support Gompers students during recess. Recreation and Facilities Upgrades During the 2023-23 academic year, $84 mil- lion in renovations of the recreation and ath- letic facilities will begin, including a compre- hensive renovation to the Fitness & Recreation Center, a basketball practice facility, an indoor turf training space, renovated locker rooms, and renovated high performance space. In previous years, Bodensteiner has overseen facilities up- grades to the basketball locker rooms, practice courts and offices; Sweeney Field, including the installation of a new energy efficient LED light- ing system; and SJU Softball Field. JILL BODENSTEINER VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS SJU Director of Athletics 18 n 2024-25 Saint Joseph’s Women’s Basketball Saint Joseph’s Women’s BasketballPremier Destination Behind Bodensteiner’s guidance, Hawk Hill has transformed into a pre- mier destination for Division I conference championships, high school ath- letic events, and e-Sports competitions. Saint Joseph’s strong success on the field of competition has led the Hawks to hosting numerous conference post- season championships, including A-10 field hockey, lacrosse, soccer and soft- ball tournaments, and NEC men’s lacrosse championships. In 2023, Saint Joseph’s Hagan Arena was the backdrop for the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association boys and girls basketball championships, along with a sold-out crowd for the highly-anticipated boys’ basketball game be- tween nationally ranked Camden High School and Imhotep Charter. At the University City’s Athletic Recreation Center, Saint Joseph’s hosted both the Philadelphia Catholic League’s girls’ basketball semifinals, and the Pennsylva- nia Interscholastic Esports Association e-Sports State finals. Industry Leadership Bodensteiner brings to Saint Joseph’s strong NCAA leadership experi- ence, currently serving on the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, the Committee on Academics, and the Division I Council’s NIL Working Group. Bodensteiner previously served on the Committee on Women’s Athletics, the Federal and State Legislative Working Group (charged with evaluating issues related to name, image, and likeness), and the Division I Legislative Solutions Working Group (charged with crafting legislative proposals related to NIL). Education Hometown: Valparaiso, Indiana College: University of Notre Dame - BA Psychology/Sociology Washington University in St. Louis School of Law - JD University of Notre Dame - MBA Industry Service • NCAA Division I Council NIL Working Group • NCAA Committee on Academics (2021 - present) • Women Leaders in College Sports, Member, Board of Directors (May 2020 - present) • Member, Division I Women’s Basketball Committee (2016 - 2018; 2022 - present) • NCAA Division I Legislative Solutions Group (2019 - 2021) • NCAA Federal & State Legislative Working Group (2019) • Chair, ACC Women’s Basketball Strategic Planning Committee (2016 - 2018) • LEAD1, Fellow in Residence in Washington D.C. (Spring 2017) • NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics (2011 - 2015) Getting to Know Bodensteiner SJU Director of Athletics 2024-25 Saint Joseph’s Women’s Basketball n 19 Saint Joseph’s Women’s Basketball www.ThePartyCenter.com 610-935-TENT TENTS - TABLES - CHAIRS - CHINA GLASSWARE - STAGING - LINENSNext >