Albany, NY – The Sage College’s department of athletics announces the resignation of head women’s basketball coach and senior woman administrator, Jackie Craft. Craft departs Sage to become the head women’s basketball coach at Hartwick College (Oneonta, NY).
Director of Athletics and Recreation, Dani Drews said of Craft, “Jackie has done a tremendous job at Sage not only building our women's basketball program, but our entire department as well.” Drews continued, “We could not have achieved all that we have at Sage over the last few years without her. Hartwick made a great choice and we wish Jackie and the Hawks the best of luck. "
Sage will begin a national search for Craft's replacement immediately.
As the head coach of the Gators, Craft guided the program for 10 seasons and capped her final season with the best season in the program’s history. The 2013-2014 Gators posted the best finish in school history with a 17-10 record, while also capturing the Skyline Conference Championship and a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament, also program firsts. She departs Sage as the winningest coach in the program’s tenure since the first season in 1972, having also coached the program longer than any individual.
Craft came Sage in the summer of 2005 as the Head Coach Women's Basketball Coach. Twice during her tenure the program garnered the Skyline Conference Team Sportsmanship award. She also served Sage as the Sports Information Director from 2005 until the summer of 2009. She also served the department as an assistant athletic director and the senior woman administrator.
Prior to coming to Sage, she was an Assistant Coach at Tompkins County Community College for the 2004-2005 season. At the completion of the season she was named the second Head Coach in Tompkins Cortland Community College history. She was also a Head Coach for the Upstate Ladies AAU program.
A 2004 graduate of Oswego State University, she received her bachelor of science degree in wellness management with a minor in health science. While at Oswego, Craft was a three-year letterwinner and served as team captain during her senior year. In her senior year, 2003-2004, the Lakers rewrote the team record books, several of which still stand. She is still ranked among the leaders for all-time scoring. Craft is ranked fourth for career 3-point field goals made, fifth for 3-point field goals made in a single season, and third for free throw percentage in a single season.
In June of 2011, she garnered the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) Judith M. Sweet Commitment award. In addition to her administrative duties, she coached a struggling women’s basketball program to the playoffs in just a few short years. In the Fall of 2010, Craft volunteered to coach a sport she had never played or coached before, inheriting a lacrosse team of just four returning players. When the season began in February of 2011, she had a roster of 19 players ready to compete. By season's end, the women's lacrosse at Sage had captured the Skyline Conference Sportsmanship Award in the sport.
