NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Mark Zacher, the winningest coach in the history of Norwich University's women's basketball program, has announced his retirement. After 15 years as head coach, Zacher will retire effective May 31st, having secured 182 victories in his tenure.
"For the past 15 years, I have been able to live and fulfill my dream by serving as the head women's basketball coach here at Norwich University," Zacher said. "I have had the joy of working alongside professional colleagues in our department, competing against extremely worthy opponents in our games, and coaching outstanding and hardworking players both on and off the court. Every moment has been a joyous adventure that I will treasure for the rest of my life. When I came here, my goal was to make this my destination job and, after 15 seasons, I believe that I have accomplished that. But, the time has come for me to move on to new challenges and for our program to have a fresh approach with new leadership. In looking back, I would like to especially thank former Norwich University President Richard Schneider and former athletic director Anthony Mariano for their confidence in me and their support of our program for many years. I would like to thank the assistant coaches that I have had the pleasure of working with to build our teams. And, most importantly, I would like to thank all of the student-athletes who have honored me by calling me 'coach' over these many years. None of you will ever be forgotten! Thank you for your patience, your commitment, your work, your dedication, and your perseverance. You have instructed, taught, and coached me just as much as I have ever done for you! Thank you!"
Under Zacher's leadership, the Cadets achieved two 20-win seasons and 12 postseason appearances, including two Great Northeast Athletic Conference championship trips and two Eastern College Athletic Conference tournaments. Zacher is the only coach in the program's history to have won over 100 games.
Zacher had the privilege of coaching a number of talented players during his tenure, including five 1,000-point scorers and three of the top five leading scorers in program history. Among these was Aliah Curry '15, who holds the record for the most points in both men's and women's basketball history at Norwich with 2,267 points. Heather LeBlanc '17 ranks as the third student-athlete in team history to record at least 1,000 career points (1,463) and rebounds (1,046), while Haley Brewster '25 is currently ranked fifth on the scoring list with 1,327 points.
"I would like to thank Mark Zacher for his selfless and dedicated leadership of the Norwich women's basketball program for the last 15 years," said Athletic Director Ed Hockenbury. "His incomparable work ethic, commitment to the university, and focus on recruiting young women of character and integrity to Norwich have helped make our program an example of how to do things the right way in Division III athletics. As a department member, he has been a friend and colleague who helped many young coaches, while consistently demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the priority of education and the 'I will try' motto of our University. Coach Zacher's career leaves a legacy of helping many young women improve as basketball players while teaching them valuable life lessons that have contributed to success beyond Norwich."
Zacher coached Christine Daniels Giannone '11, the GNAC Player of the Year, and Ally Daniels '10, the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year. During his tenure, 15 different GNAC All-Conference honorees emerged. Emily Oliver '19, a four-year member of the women's basketball team, earned the distinction of being Norwich University's first GNAC Woman of the Year recipient.
Zacher led the Cadets to the GNAC Championship in his first season at the helm in 2009-10, achieving an overall record of 20-8 and a GNAC mark of 10-2. The team advanced to the title game before securing an invitation to the 2010 ECAC Division III New England Women's Basketball Tournament.
"Coach Zacher was the first coach to give me the chance no other coach had given me," said Christine Daniels Giannone '11, who, under Zacher, set the NCAA Div. III record for double-doubles in a single season in 2011 with 26, which now ranks fifth nationally. "In high school, I was 'average,' no one would have thought I'd be a collegiate 1,000-point scorer, let alone conference player of the year. I owe my success to him! He recognizes true talent. I played basketball since I was four and had many coaches, but Coach Zacher was by far the best coach I've ever had. The players that he coached know how much of an amazing coach he was and always will be!"
During the 2013-14 season, Zacher oversaw the Norwich program's successful participation in the GNAC Championship as the tournament's eighth seed. The team made history by defeating top-seeded Emmanuel College in a thrilling overtime game that has since been acknowledged as "the greatest win in Norwich history." This victory brought Emmanuel's 64-game conference winning streak to an end and prevented their pursuit of a fifth consecutive conference title. Norwich went on to win the semifinals against JWU (Providence), becoming the first team in GNAC history to advance to the championship game as an eighth seed.
"Coach Zacher is one of the best Division III coaches in the country," said Emmanuel head coach Andy Yosinoff, the all-time winningest coach in Div. III men's and women's basketball history and a longstanding rival and friend of Zacher. "All his teams are extremely prepared, and Mark gets them to play hard every game. No matter what Norwich's record may be, I am always scared to death before I play his team. He does such a great job scouting us that he knows our plays better than me. I wish Mark only the best in his retirement."
The following season, the Cadets recorded the fifth-most successful season in program history, finishing with an overall record of 22-6. Norwich advanced to the GNAC Semifinals and the 2015 ECAC Division III New England Women's Basketball Tournament. In that season, Curry received her second First Team All-Conference recognition and her fourth All-Conference recognition overall.
Curry's distinction as the program's first and Norwich's second inductee to the GNAC Hall of Fame came in August 2023. Prior to that, Zacher oversaw Curry's induction into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019-20.
"Coach Zacher has not only shaped us as athletes, but as individuals, instilling in us the values of perseverance, teamwork, and dedication," said Aliah Curry '15, the all-time leading scorer in Norwich men's and women's basketball history. "His unwavering commitment to our development both on and off the court has left a deep-rooted mark on Norwich University's basketball program. Under Coach Zacher's guidance, we've learned the true meaning of resilience, pushing us to exceed our own expectations and strive for excellence in every aspect of our lives. His leadership has fostered a culture of camaraderie and unity, transforming us into a tightly-knit family bound by a shared passion for the game. Beyond the wins and losses, Coach Zacher's greatest triumph lies in the countless lives he's touched, molding us into not just better athletes, but better individuals ready to tackle life's challenges with the same determination he's instilled in us on the court. As we bid farewell to a legendary coach, we carry forward his teachings and spirit, forever grateful for the profound impact he's had on our journey. I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything and for the countless memories of an unbelievable college career that I will forever cherish. Coach, as you once yelled out onto the court during a VERY important upset game 'why not us?' I yell it back to you, 'why not you?' I cannot wait to see what this next chapter of life has in store for you. This is not 'goodbye,' it is a 'See you later!'"
Zacher's seven GNAC Tournament victories tied him for first among coaches in program history. Likewise, the Cadets hosted seven GNAC Tournament games during his tenure, tied for the most among women's basketball coaches in the program's illustrious 49-year history.
Before Norwich, Zacher spent 11 seasons as an assistant and associate head coach at the NCAA Division I level. During that time, Zacher coached two Conference Players of the Year, three Conference Defensive Players of the Year, 15 All-Conference selections, seven All-Rookie Team players, one Conference Rookie of the Year, 11 1,000-point scorers, and one Olympian.
He was the associate head coach at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla., for the 2008-09 season and aided the program to double their total wins and conference wins over the previous season's record.
Zacher also spent 10 years as an assistant coach at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Md. During his tenure at "The Mount," the program achieved a 109-79 record in Northeast Conference play, winning two NEC regular-season titles and qualifying for 10 straight NEC tournaments.
A national search for Zacher's successor is underway.
