ALBANY — Joanna Bernabei-McNamee and success are synonymous.

Be it as a player or coach, the Weirton Madonna product is a proven winner.

Bernabei-McNamee has quickly and impressively climbed the basketball coaching ladder to the Division I level. She took over the reins at the University of Albany last season, guiding the Great Danes to 21 wins, the American East Conference title and an NCAA tourney berth.

That volume of winning resulted in Bernabei-McNamee being selected as the 2017 Women’s Division I Coach of the Year by the Basketball Coaches Association of New York.

Bernabei-McNamee is now poised for year No. 2 at Albany. The former West Liberty hoop great feels quite comfortable with a year under her belt with the Great Danes.

“We know each other better as a staff and we know our players better. They also know us. They realize what our expectations are,” Bernabei-McNamee said. “There is still a sense of excitement and pressure…good pressure. Our seniors don’t want to be the first class not to win a championship in six years.

“Practices have been going well with a lot of energy and effort. I try to make our practice intense and competitive,” she added. “We don’t do the same things every day. We don’t want to make it drudgery. We have five true freshmen so we need to be in a teaching mode, and I told our seniors that patience is a virtue (dealing with our freshmen) but we still must hold our players accountable.”

Albany was selected second in the America East Preseason Coaches Poll. New Hampshire was unanimously tabbed to finish first.

“We are excited about this year. We have nine returners, so experience is a plus,” Bernabei-McNamee noted. “New Hampshire returns all their scorers so they deserve to be voted No. 1. But we split with them last year. We don’t discuss those preseason ratings as a team. They mean nothing.”

Bernabei-McNamee opens the season at national power Maryland on Nov. 10. She knows the Terps quite well, helping guide them to the national title in 2006 while as an assistant at College Park.

“It will be exciting to go back. For me it will be one of those games we want to play hard and win. There will be a little added pressure to showcase our players from a smaller program,” Bernabei-McNamee offered. “We will have high hopes and we expect to perform well. Our players are really excited about playing on the biggest of stages.”

Bernabei-McNamee landed the Albany post after an impressive stint at the University of Pikeville in Kentucky. She directed Pikeville to a 63-26 record during her three-year tenure at the NAIA school. She guided her charges to a 26-9 record and a Final Four berth in her final season at Pikeville. As a result, the former Blue Don was named the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association NAIA Regional Coach of the Year and the Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year.

Bernabei-McNamee enjoyed a brilliant Madonna career. She carried the Lady Blue Dons to three straight state tournament appearances. The highlight being a state title her senior season.

She was named captain of the West Virginia Class A All-State Team and captain of the OVAC Class A-AA West Virginia squad in her senior season at Madonna. The multi-talented guard finished her prep career with 1,002 points and more than 500 career assists.

Bernabei-McNamee selected West Liberty to continue her academic and basketball careers. She again scripted a brilliant basketball resume, earning All-American honors while being named WVC Player of-the-Year.

Bernabei-McNamee launched her coaching career at West Virginia Wesleyan. That was followed by stops at Eastern Kentucky, West Virginia and the University of Maryland.

Joanna and her husband Joe McNamee have two sons, Luke (11) and Caden (10).

BUBBA’S BITS

THE SPARKY Trophy is heading back up Ohio 7 after Martins Ferry’s thrilling 21-18 win over rival Bellaire Saturday in one of the most exciting prep games I have ever witnessed. The victory takes on added significance for the Purple Riders’ nation as it is No. 700 in program history, a total reached by just some 50 schools across the nation. The win also secured a Purple playoff berth. Coach Mark Spigarelli’s young Big Red charges played exceptional in defeat.

BRENT PRY is the defensive coordinator for Penn State. His father Jim was offensive coordinator for West Liberty in the early 1980s. He is now offensive coordinator at Dartmouth.

LOGAN HOLGORSEN, son of West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen, has committed to North Texas. The younger Holgorsen is a junior quarterback at Morgantown High.

AUBURN IS again enjoying another banner year on the gridiron. A West Liberty grad is in line for some of the credit. Ryan Russell is the director of strength and conditioning for Auburn football. Russell earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from West Liberty in 2003. He was an all-WVIAC receiver for three seasons for the Hilltoppers.

JOHN MAGISTRO put the wraps on an amazing coaching career Friday night as his Westerville Central Warhawks dropped a tough 35-31 nod to playoff-bound Olentangy. The former Bellaire High coaching great announced prior to the season his intentions to yield the Westerville post at season’s end. I hope he has a change of heart as he still has a lot coaching magic left in his tank.

LINSLY SCHOOL will be playing an 11th football game this season. The OVAC 2A champion Cadets will face Kiski this Friday.

KUDOS TO the Marshall County BOE for committing $6.2 million for renovations to Monarch Stadium. The John Marshall facility is in dire need of an upgrade. The money will be well spent.

JOE ELLIS of Colerain recorded a hole-in-one Thursday on the No. 18 hole at Fairway River Links. He used a 5-wood to ace the 180-yard par 3. Henry Lewis witnessed the shot.