GU assistant Mountain takes over at Santa Clara
Jennifer Mountain, who helped build the most successful era in the history of the women’s basketball program at Gonzaga and among the best in West Coast Conference history, is leaving the Bulldogs to take over rival Santa Clara.
The former Bulldog star and successful high school boys coach signed a five-year contract Tuesday and will be introduced at a new conference this morning. Mountain replaces Michelle Bento-Jackson, whose contract expired after the season.
“I’m excited,” Mountain said Tuesday afternoon. “It’s kind of overwhelming, everything happened all of a sudden.
“It’s hard to leave Gonzaga. I’ve been in Spokane 20 years. I have a great situation, good people, they’ve given me everything from an education to a job. It’s hard to leave but it’s good for me.”
Mountain, a native of Portland, finished her career at GU with 1,422 points, still fifth on the school’s career list. She returned to the school for the 2001-02 season as an assistant for Kelly Graves. It was her second stint as an assistant, having assisted Julie Holt from 1991-93.
“I’m so happy for her,” Graves said. “It’s one of those things, part of you doesn’t want to lose her, part says she’s ready. It’s a great opportunity, and I’m thrilled she’s in the league and we’ll get to see her.”
In Mountain’s seven seasons as an assistant coach, GU has gone 140-78 overall, 72-26 in WCC games. The last four years the Zags have won or shared the WCC regular-season title with a 51-5 record, the best four-year mark in league history.
Mountain obviously knows the blueprint for success in the WCC.
“That’s obviously the goal,” she said. “I’m not scared. Obviously we have great talent at GU. The level of player in the entire conference has to jump up. It will be a challenge to build a program like Kelly and I did at Gonzaga. I want to recruit the same type of players. Hopefully I can pull a couple of recruits away from Kelly.”
Graves said, “I want her to build a good program. (As a league) we need to get better, we need someone to go with us. We’re not going anywhere, we’re still going to be there. She’s going to be a formidable opponent. I hope we build quite a rivalry.”
Between stops at GU, Mountain coached the St. George’s boys to the State B title game twice while compiling a 134-62 record. She also coached volleyball, track and served as athletic director while at the school.
Gonzaga just concluded a 25-9 season with a loss at Colorado in the second round of the Women’s NIT. The Zags were 13-1 in WCC games, winning their fourth straight league title. The 2006-07 season ended with Gonzaga’s only appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Bento-Jackson’s sixth season at SCU ended with a 20-11 record, 8-6 in the WCC, good for second behind the Bulldogs.
“The one thing I really liked at Santa Clara was the people,” Mountain said. “The people were nice, similar to the family feel at Gonzaga which has intrigued me since I stepped on campus as a player. They’re excited to turn the program around.”
Graves said he would meet with athletic director Mike Roth today to begin the groundwork to replace Mountain.