UMass basketball: Yolanda Cole and Samera Marsh named assistant coaches on Minutewomen’s staff

By HANNAH BEVIS 

Staff Writer 

Published: 04-26-2023 5:20 PM

Mike Leflar has made his first hires as head coach of the UMass women’s basketball team. 

Leflar has brought on two new members to his staff, Yolanda Cole and Samera Marsh, according to a release from the school on Wednesday. Cole and Marsh will both serve as assistant coaches for the Minutewomen, and both come with extensive coaching resumes. 

“Our program got better today,” Leflar said in the release. “Samera Marsh and Yolanda Cole represent what UMass Basketball will be moving forward. People make the experience and we have surrounded our student-athletes with two great people and experienced coaches.” 

Cole has been coaching at the Division 1 level for 16 years, most recently as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Hofstra University. 

“I followed Yolanda’s coaching career for quite some time and have always been impressed with the impact she has made on her teams and staffs,” said Leflar in the release. “Everyone I spoke with talked about her strengths as a relationship builder and that is something I value. Yolanda has significant on-court experience and I look forward to working alongside her as we continue to grow UMass women’s basketball.” 

Marsh has been coaching for 14 years, and comes to UMass from an assistant coaching position at Manhattan College. The Minutewomen frequently recruit from New York, New Jersey and the DMV area, and Marsh is familiar with some of those basketball hot spots. 

“Samera’s enthusiasm for basketball and for her players was clear from our first conversation,” said Leflar in the release. “That enthusiasm, paired with her experiences coaching and recruiting in New York and New Jersey are a perfect combination. Samera will coordinate our recruiting efforts and those states will continue to be a big part of our footprint.”

Wednesday’s announcement was the first regarding the coaching staff since Leflar was hired earlier this month to replace Tory Verdi, who left for the University of Pittsburgh in March. Former assistant coach and Hatfield native Lynne-Ann Kokoski was named the head coach at Bryant University, her alma mater, on April 14.

Hannah Bevis can be reached at hbevis@gazettenet.com. Follow her on Twitter @Hannah_Bevis1.]]>

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