Former English hoop star Jeanette
Anderson (right) is the coordinator
of player development for the Binghamton University women’s basketball program.
By the time Jeanette Anderson had wrapped up her final season on the Caldwell College women’s basketball team last year, she had crossed off just about everything on her “to do” list.
The former English High star topped off a wildly successful career by being named the Daktronics East Regional Player of the Year and the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Player of the Year. She was named to the All-East Region first team and took home regional Player of the Year.
Her accomplishments as a player could fill a small book, but when her career finally came to an end, Anderson had to decide on the next step. She briefly played overseas (in Finland), but returned home just before the start of the 2014-2015 season and decided to tackle a new challenge.
Linda Cimino, her coach at Caldwell College, had taken the head coaching job at Division I Binghamton University in New York and there was an opening on her staff. Anderson was hired as coordinator of player development.
Although she attends practice, only four staff members are allowed on the court. Anderson’s responsibilities lean more toward some of the off-the-court things that need to be done within the program. She deals with their travel arrangements. She puts together itineraries, figuring out where they’ll be eating on the road and where they need to be and when. She makes sure all the gear and uniforms make the trip and she keeps tabs on the players’ academics.
“I want to get some experience in administrative athletics,” Anderson said. “I’m feeling my way through. I’m still learning, experiencing everything and soaking in all these opportunities. I’m very grateful. I’m just going to see where it takes me.”
Anderson was a communications and psychology major at Caldwell. She’s hoping to start working on her master’s degree next fall, at Binghamton. Anderson said although she would have gone to college with or without basketball, playing at the college level has opened many doors.
Anderson said one of the highlights during her college playing years occurred during the summer of 2011 when she was on a travel team with other college players. They went to Italy and had the opportunity to visit six or seven cities.
“Everything I have had the opportunity to have and have done is because of basketball,” Anderson said. “I’m just really happy to have had the opportunity to play and to get an education.”
As a player at Caldwell College, Anderson scored 1,816 points and she had more than 1,000 rebounds. She was second on the team, all-time, in field goals made (695); third in blocks (87) and third in rebounding (1,119). Her 1,816 points puts her fifth (all-time) in scoring for the Cougars.
Although her experience playing abroad in Finland didn’t work out, Anderson said she would love to try playing overseas again if the opportunity presented itself.
The Bearcats (4-25) will wrap up their season this weekend at home in the America East Conference tournament.