About Women's Basketball

Women's basketball was started at HCC in 1968 under coach Marge Eipper. In 1971 Mary Hill became the coach for two years. In 1973, JoAnne Devine took the helm and coached for 14 years until 1987. Finally, Donna Rouillard was the coach for final three years of early HCC basketball. During this time period both the men's and women's teams were playing at the old Holyoke Armory. In 1989, the Armory was no longer available to HCC. As a result, the women's basketball team went into a 11 year hiatus. In 2000, Holyoke Community College was in the final stages of completion of the David M. Bartley Center for Athletics and Recreation. This modern state-of-the art facility enabled Holyoke Community College to bring back the women's basketball program.

In 2000 Al Wolejko was hired to recruit and plan to play in 2001-02. Since his hiring the women's team has been nothing short of sensational. In 2001-02 the team finished 2nd in the Massachusetts Community College Athletic Conference (MCCAC). In 2002-03 and 2003-04 the team won the State Championship the MCCAC crown and finished 2nd in New England. The team lost the New England Title game in 2004-05. Since Coach Wolejko's arrival HCC 14 players have earned All New England honors and 2 have earned All American honors.

The team plays a 27 game regular season schedule, not including post season play. The schedule allows HCC student-athletes to travel throughout New England and beyond playing an extremely competitive schedule. Home games are played at the Bartley Center, a first class campus facility. The facility features a three court gymnasium, a fitness and wellness, a multipurpose exercise area, lockers with steam and sauna, and seminar/classroom. The maple floor in the gymnasium is a fixed-floating floor for resiliency and comfort for the student-athletes