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O'Banion Named Head Coach at Loyola University Maryland
4/23/2021 8:49:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota assistant coach Danielle O'Banion has been named the head coach at Loyola University Maryland, the Greyhounds announced Friday.
O'Banion had been on staff for the past three seasons since head coach Lindsay Whalen was hired after the 2017-18 campaign. O'Banion's on-court responsibilities included co-directing team defensive schemes, coaching the Gopher post players, and preparing scouting reports/game strategies. Off the court, she actively engaged in prospect recruiting, game scheduling, and directing the Lindsay Whalen Basketball Camps.
"Coach Danny brought 20 years of coaching experience to our staff at the University of Minnesota," Whalen said of O'Banion. "During her time here Danny brought a passion for the game that was second to none. Her wealth of knowledge of the game will be a tremendous asset to Loyola University Maryland as she leads its women's basketball program."
Under O'Banion's tutelage, Taiye Bello was a consensus All-Big Ten Second Team selection by the league's coaches and media as a senior and an All-Big Ten honorable mention honoree in her junior season. Bello Finished her career as Minnesota's all-time leader in offensive rebounds (462) and ranked third in defensive rebounds, fifth in field goal percentage, total rebounds and blocks, sixth in double-doubles and ninth in rebound average.
O'Banion was also an assistant coach for the Golden Gophers during its best five-season run in school history from 2002-03 to 2006-07. In that span, Minnesota posted five straight winning seasons, including three 25-win campaigns, and four-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2003-06. Minnesota advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2003 and 2005 and made the program's first and only Women's Final Four in 2004. While at Minnesota, O'Banion worked with the Golden Gopher backcourt, which included Whalen and current assistant coach, Kelly Curry.
O'Banion served as the head coach at Kent State from 2008-12, where she effectively restored the roster by signing 17 student-athletes in four years. She mentored two all-conference honorees and secured the largest financial gift to the women's basketball program in athletics history during that four-year period.. In addition, she has also been an assistant at Harvard and Memphis.
At the 2016 NCAA Women's Final Four in early April, O'Banion was presented the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award for women's basketball. The Summitt Award is presented by USBWA annually to players, coaches, officials or administrators in women's college basketball that have demonstrated extraordinary courage in the face of adversity.
O'Banion received the prestigious honor for her fight against cancer. She was diagnosed with Stage 2 lymphoma cancer in 2014 and went through a series of chemotherapy treatments. While in treatment, Danielle coached every game and missed fewer than 10 team practices. Six months after being diagnosed, O'Banion announced on Twitter that the cancer had gone into remission. She entered the 2015-16 season cancer free and still is to this day.
As a student-athlete, O'Banion was a standout for the Boston College women's basketball program from 1997-2001. She helped lead the Eagles to the program's first two NCAA Tournament berths in 1999 and 2000, and Boston College advanced to the tournament's second round both seasons. O'Banion was voted a team co-captain her senior campaign.
O'Banion had been on staff for the past three seasons since head coach Lindsay Whalen was hired after the 2017-18 campaign. O'Banion's on-court responsibilities included co-directing team defensive schemes, coaching the Gopher post players, and preparing scouting reports/game strategies. Off the court, she actively engaged in prospect recruiting, game scheduling, and directing the Lindsay Whalen Basketball Camps.
"Coach Danny brought 20 years of coaching experience to our staff at the University of Minnesota," Whalen said of O'Banion. "During her time here Danny brought a passion for the game that was second to none. Her wealth of knowledge of the game will be a tremendous asset to Loyola University Maryland as she leads its women's basketball program."
Under O'Banion's tutelage, Taiye Bello was a consensus All-Big Ten Second Team selection by the league's coaches and media as a senior and an All-Big Ten honorable mention honoree in her junior season. Bello Finished her career as Minnesota's all-time leader in offensive rebounds (462) and ranked third in defensive rebounds, fifth in field goal percentage, total rebounds and blocks, sixth in double-doubles and ninth in rebound average.
O'Banion was also an assistant coach for the Golden Gophers during its best five-season run in school history from 2002-03 to 2006-07. In that span, Minnesota posted five straight winning seasons, including three 25-win campaigns, and four-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2003-06. Minnesota advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2003 and 2005 and made the program's first and only Women's Final Four in 2004. While at Minnesota, O'Banion worked with the Golden Gopher backcourt, which included Whalen and current assistant coach, Kelly Curry.
O'Banion served as the head coach at Kent State from 2008-12, where she effectively restored the roster by signing 17 student-athletes in four years. She mentored two all-conference honorees and secured the largest financial gift to the women's basketball program in athletics history during that four-year period.. In addition, she has also been an assistant at Harvard and Memphis.
At the 2016 NCAA Women's Final Four in early April, O'Banion was presented the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award for women's basketball. The Summitt Award is presented by USBWA annually to players, coaches, officials or administrators in women's college basketball that have demonstrated extraordinary courage in the face of adversity.
O'Banion received the prestigious honor for her fight against cancer. She was diagnosed with Stage 2 lymphoma cancer in 2014 and went through a series of chemotherapy treatments. While in treatment, Danielle coached every game and missed fewer than 10 team practices. Six months after being diagnosed, O'Banion announced on Twitter that the cancer had gone into remission. She entered the 2015-16 season cancer free and still is to this day.
As a student-athlete, O'Banion was a standout for the Boston College women's basketball program from 1997-2001. She helped lead the Eagles to the program's first two NCAA Tournament berths in 1999 and 2000, and Boston College advanced to the tournament's second round both seasons. O'Banion was voted a team co-captain her senior campaign.
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