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Four of a kind

By Gary Brown
NCAA.org

If Division III were to compile an all-star team of coaches, half of them just might come from William Smith.

Pat Genovese (lacrosse), Jack Warner (cross country), Sally Scatton (field hockey) and Aliceann Wilber (soccer) account for more than 130 years of collegiate coaching experience, three hall-of-fame inductions (and likely a fourth not long from now), more than 1,600 victories, dozens of NCAA tournament appearances, a handful of national championships and a positive impact on literally thousands of student-athletes.

The fact that this foursome is entrenched in Geneva, New York, speaks volumes for the 1,100-all-female-student school that along with its all-male counterpart, Hobart, is part of a unique “coordinate system” of schools that share educational experiences but feature separate student governments, deans and athletics departments.

“They’re all great leaders and mentors and are extremely humble,” said Athletics Director Deb Steward, who since being appointed in 2005 has benefited from the four without having hired any of them. “They are always looking to learn, which is contrary to the notion that coaches further along in their tenure are less open to new ideas.

“They would never say that they know it all.”

They’ve just about won it all, though.

“We’re at a place that really supports our efforts for women in athletics,” said Wilber, the lone soccer coach in William Smith history. “When you work every day with bright, aspiring and highly motivated individuals, it fosters more of the same. All of us have a strong background as teachers and a real interest in our student-athletes as human beings.”

“We have always had the tools to create successful programs,” said Scatton, who’s been at William Smith since 1989. “Yes, it has been a long time here, but when you work at a place that gives you the support you need, there hasn’t been anything to encourage us to go anywhere else. There have been all the right ingredients to keep us here.”

Pat Genovese

• 27 winning seasons, 16 NCAA tournament appearances (including five championship games)

• National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Class of 2009

• Coached field hockey from 1971 to 1987, leading William Smith to an NCAA regional title and a trip to its first Division III title game (1987)

• Holds degrees from SUNY Cortland, Green Mountain and Ithaca

Deb Steward on Genovese: “Pat is the most caring and nurturing person you’d ever want to be around. She’s been here the longest so she knows where all the skeletons are. She’s our resident historian and great mentor to staff and student-athletes.”

Genovese on the foursome: “You just don’t find this kind of closeness in a lot of other departments. We all are competitive and want what’s best for our own program, but it’s also a collaborative effort.”

Sally Scatton

• Won three Division III field hockey championships (1992, 1997 and 2000) in 20 postseason appearances

• Graduated magna cum laude from Ithaca, where she played field hockey, lacrosse and basketball; earned a master’s degree in education from SUNY Cortland in 1981

• National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame member

Deb Steward on Scatton: “Sally is the joker of the bunch. She’s always giving colleagues a hard time and keeps them laughing. She also is extremely competitive, as her three national championships demonstrate.”

Scatton on the foursome: “Pat and Aliceann have the ability to blend their coaching and personal lives. I have watched them go through all the trials and tribulations of being a coach and a mom and a mentor.”

Jack Warner

• Head coach of the William Smith cross country team since 1995 but has more than 50 years of experience as a cross country and track coach

• A 2005 inductee into the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame

• A 1951 graduate of Syracuse, Warner served three years active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps

Deb Steward on Warner: “Jack is a ray of sunshine for us with his passion for student-athlete growth and his sense of humor. He’s a part-time coach, but you can readily find him at work every single day.”

Warner on the foursome: “I guess I would be characterized as the most unusual because of my age. I’ve been on the road awhile. But you can always learn, no matter how old you get.”

Aliceann Wilber

• Has led William Smith to 20 NCAA tournament appearances in her 30 years, including the 1988 national championship

• First female recipient of the NSCAA’s Bill Jeffrey Award for outstanding achievement and longtime dedication to college soccer

• One of three NCAA coaches (and the first woman) to be Coach of the Year four times

Deb Steward on Wilber: “Aliceann is the creative side of the brain for all of us – she offers a whole different look at things from those of us who are more analytical. She’s passionate about what she does and about her student-athletes, but her creativity is what stands out.”

Wilber on the foursome: “Jack is unique. He could have retired from college coaching years ago, but he just loves being involved in his sport and working with young people.”