As he enters his 37th season as the head coach of the Rams' women’s basketball program in 2025-26, 44th overall in the college ranks, Tom Shirley is one of the most successful coaches in the history of the women’s game.
The 2014, 2023, 2024, and 2025 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Coach of the Year, Shirley has guided the Rams to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, five CACC championships, two Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference crowns, and two New York Collegiate Athletic Conference titles.
Shirley enters the 2025-26 campaign with 905 victories, tops among active Division II coaches. Across all NCAA divisions, he ranked third among active coaches and 9th all-time through 2024-25. In his 35 seasons at the university, the Rams have a record of 756-313 and have won at least 20 games 27 times, including their first 30+ wins in a season.
Under Shirley’s guidance, six different players have earned All-America honors: Tammy Greene (1991-94), Darlene Hildebrand (1992), Theresa Carroll (2000), Samara Speakes (2004-05), Christine Wooding (2012), and Bria Young (2016). Since the University joined the CACC in the 2005-06 season, Shirley has coached 46 players to All-CACC honors, including six CACC Players of the Year (Christine Wooding – 2012, Bria Young – 2016, Jessica Kaminski - 2019, Haley Meinel - 2023, Sam Yencha - 2024, Cassie Murphy - 2025) and one CACC Rookie of the Year (Tori Arnao – 2013).
In the classroom, the Rams have had tremendous success with 35 players earning CACC All-Academic Team honors. Jessica Romano (2009 – 3rd team) and Kristen Blye (2013 – 2nd team) earned a place on the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team. The program has been recognized twice by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association as the Rams made the organization’s Academic Top 25 Honor Roll in 2004 (16th) and 2015 (T-17th).
In addition to his Coach of the Year awards, Shirley was selected as the American Women’s Sports Federation Division II Coach of the Year and Converse District Coach of the Year in 1993. Shirley came to the school in 1989 as the University’s associate director of athletics and women’s basketball head coach and was elevated to director of athletics in 1992, holding the A.D. position until he stepped away from the job in August of 2024.
Along with his administrative and coaching duties, Shirley served two four-year terms on the NCAA Division II Championships Committee from 2005-09 and 2015-19. He has previously served as the president of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Athletic Directors Council and was a member of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee.
Jefferson started the 2024-25 season 5-0, but had a misstep that dropped them to 9-6 around January. The Rams rebounded, winning their next 15 games that brought them to their second straight CACC Championship Finals appearance and making the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. Cassie Murphy led the Rams 15.9 points per game and 9.7 rebounds per game, putting her at 14th in the country with 16 double doubles. This gave her the CACC Player of the Year award and All-CACC First Team honors. Emma Kuczynski reached 1,000 career points on the year, putting her on the All-CACC Second Team. This year also saw Shirley coach Kuzynski to earn WBCA-D2SIDA National Player of the Week, the first for the school in it's history. He also had his sixth player in the program reach 1,000 career points and rebounds as Sam Yencha hit that feat on February 22, 2025.
The 2023-24 season was the most successful year in Jefferson women's basketball history. The Rams had their first 30+ win season in program history, had 23 consecutive wins on the season (most in program history), won the CACC Championship, and reached the NCAA East Region Final (Sweet 16) for the second consecutive year as they closed out the season with a 32-2 record. Three Rams reached the milestone of 1,000 point shooter (Cassie Murphy, Sam Yencha, and Morgan Robinson). Robinson lead Division II with 281 assists and 8.3 assists per game, as well as tied for first with 2 triple-doubles on the season. Robinson also became the all-time assist leader in Jefferson history, breaking the 40-year old record as she has 826 career assists. Haley Meinel was second in the nation with 132 steals and 3.88 steals-per-game. Sam Yencha ranked third in Division II with 22 double-doubles and 393 rebounds. Jefferson also lead the nation in winning percentage (94.1), assist/turnover ratio (1.60), and fouls-per-game (10.5).
In 2022-23, Jefferson advanced to the NCAA East Region Final (Sweet 16) for the first time since 1986 and closed the year with a 28-5 record. Haley Meinel was chosen the D2CCA East Region Player of the Year as well as the CACC Player and Defensive Player of the Year. Meinel led Division II with 123 steals while Morgan Robinson was tops in the nation with 243 assists. Robinson also earned All-Region honors from the D2CCA.
The Rams had a year for the record books in 2018-19. Jefferson reeled off a school-record 29 victories, finishing with a 29-3 mark. The Rams captured their third CACC Championship and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Jefferson opened the season with 20 consecutive wins, the second-best start in program history. The squad was ranked as high as second in the nation at one point, the best ranking in school history. Four players were named All-CACC, another program record, including Jessica Kaminski, who garnered CACC Player of the Year honors. Kaminski went on to be named to the D2CCA All-East Region first team and was the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Performer of the Year.
The following year (2019-20), Jefferson struggled out of the gate, adjusting to having just one returning starter and three underclassmen in the regular lineup. Sporting an 8-11 record entering the month of February, the Rams finally put it together, rattling off an impressive 12 straight wins, and it culminated with their second consecutive CACC Championship. Unfortunately, Jefferson was unable to continue its run into the NCAA Tournament as the postseason was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Alynna Williams led the conference in scoring and earned All-CACC and D2CCA All-East Region honors. She also was named the CACC Tournament MVP.
After a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Rams returned to the court in 2021-22 and did not miss a beat. Jefferson got off to a quick 3-0 start, giving Shirley his 800th career victory on November 17, 2021 at Shippensburg, the 17th coach in NCAA women's basketball history to reach the mark. The Rams went on to boast a 24-9 record and advanced to the CACC Championship Game for the fourth straight season. The Rams earned another bid to the NCAA Tournament and earned their first win in the tourney in 24 years, defeating perennial East Region contender Bentley in a hard-fought first-round game. Haley Meinel, the CACC Defensive Player of the Year, was named to the East Regional All-Tournament Team for her efforts in getting the Rams to the second round.
In their first campaign as Jefferson in 2017-18, the Rams won 26 games, their most since 1995-96, while making the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last four years.
The Rams won their first CACC championship in 2009 as the team knocked off Wilmington, 72-63, in the final. The victory put the team in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in eight seasons. In addition, Shirley became the 24th NCAA women's basketball coach to reach 700 career wins on Feb. 6, 2016—a 59-54 win at Dominican (N.Y.) College.
During the 1990s, the Rams were a dominant force as it won 20 or more games every season in the decade, made three NCAA Tournaments, produced a pair All-Americans, and one National Player of the Year. In the 1992-93 season, Shirley led the Rams to a then school-record 27 wins and to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since becoming the team’s head coach. In 1994, Greene was selected the Division II National Player of the Year after averaging a school-record 26.1 points per game. The Rams defeated Stonehill 63-59 in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament to record the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory since reaching the national semifinals in 1986.
On Feb. 20, 1997, Shirley became the program’s all-time winningest head coach with a 72-60 road victory over New York Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Adelphi to pick up his 123rd win with the Rams. The 30th women’s basketball coach in NCAA history to reach 600 career wins, Shirley picked up his 600th victory on Jan. 19, 2011 as the Rams defeated Chestnut Hill, 76-60, in the Gallagher Center.
Shirley began his head coaching career at DeSales University, his alma mater. He transformed an eight-win program into one of the top teams in the NAIA District 19, taking the Centaurs to the playoffs in four straight seasons from 1985 until 1988.
DeSales joined NCAA Division III in the 1988-89 season. Shirley quickly put the school on the DIII map as DeSales went 24-6 overall and reached the Sweet Sixteen round of the 1989 NCAA Tournament. Shirley, who also served as the director of athletics for eight years, has the distinction of coaching DeSales’ first three women’s basketball All-Americans: Lynn Butler, Tina Costello and Karin Povish. He left DeSales with 148 wins, which is the second-highest total in school history.
Shirley lives in Harleysville, Pa., with his wife, Monica, and has two daughters—Kristen, who has a bachelor’s in psychology and an MBA from Philadelphia University, and Caitlin, a graduate of St. Joseph’s University.
| Tom Shirley's Coaching Record |
| Year |
School |
Record |
Pct. |
Postseason |
| 1981-82 |
DeSales |
10-14 |
.417 |
|
| 1982-83 |
DeSales |
10-14 |
.417 |
|
| 1983-84 |
DeSales |
19-6 |
.760 |
|
| 1984-85 |
DeSales |
20-8 |
.714 |
|
| 1985-86 |
DeSales |
21-10 |
.677 |
|
| 1986-87 |
DeSales |
22-8 |
.733 |
|
| 1987-88 |
DeSales |
23-7 |
.767 |
|
| 1988-89 |
DeSales |
24-6 |
.800 |
ESAC Champions, NCAA Round of 16 |
| 1989-90 |
Philadelphia U. |
17-11 |
.607 |
|
| 1990-91 |
Philadelphia U. |
11-17 |
.393 |
|
| 1991-92 |
Philadelphia U. |
26-6 |
.812 |
|
| 1992-93 |
Philadelphia U. |
27-2 |
.931 |
NYCAC Champions, NCAA First Round |
| 1993-94 |
Philadelphia U. |
23-7 |
.767 |
NYCAC Champions |
| 1994-95 |
Philadelphia U. |
24-7 |
.774 |
|
| 1995-96 |
Philadelphia U. |
26-5 |
.839 |
|
| 1996-97 |
Philadelphia U. |
21-8 |
.724 |
NCAA First Round |
| 1997-98 |
Philadelphia U. |
25-9 |
.735 |
NCAA Second Round |
| 1998-99 |
Philadelphia U. |
22-9 |
.710 |
|
| 1999-00 |
Philadelphia U. |
22-9 |
.710 |
|
| 2000-01 |
Philadelphia U. |
21-12 |
.636 |
NCAA First Round |
| 2001-02 |
Philadelphia U. |
19-11 |
.633 |
|
| 2002-03 |
Philadelphia U. |
21-10 |
.677 |
|
| 2003-04 |
Philadelphia U. |
20-10 |
.667 |
|
| 2004-05 |
Philadelphia U. |
20-13 |
.606 |
|
| 2005-06 |
Philadelphia U. |
22-7 |
.759 |
|
| 2006-07 |
Philadelphia U. |
21-10 |
.677 |
|
| 2007-08 |
Philadelphia U. |
19-10 |
.655 |
|
| 2008-09 |
Philadelphia U. |
21-10 |
.677 |
CACC Champions, NCAA First Round |
| 2009-10 |
Philadelphia U. |
15-13 |
.536 |
|
| 2010-11 |
Philadelphia U. |
15-12 |
.556 |
|
| 2011-12 |
Philadelphia U. |
20-9 |
.690 |
|
| 2012-13 |
Philadelphia U. |
14-13 |
.519 |
|
| 2013-14 |
Philadelphia U. |
20-8 |
.714 |
|
| 2014-15 |
Philadelphia U. |
22-9 |
.710 |
NCAA First Round |
| 2015-16 |
Philadelphia U. |
25-7 |
.781 |
CACC Champions, NCAA First Round |
| 2016-17 |
Philadelphia U. |
14-15 |
.483 |
|
| 2017-18 |
Jefferson |
26-6 |
.813 |
NCAA First Round |
| 2018-19 |
Jefferson |
29-3 |
.906 |
CACC Champions, NCAA First Round |
| 2019-20 |
Jefferson |
20-11 |
.645 |
CACC Champions, NCAA Tournament* |
| 2020-21 |
Jefferson |
N/A # |
|
|
| 2021-22 |
Jefferson |
24-9 |
.727 |
NCAA Second Round |
| 2022-23 |
Jefferson |
28-5 |
.848 |
NCAA Region Final |
| 2023-24 |
Jefferson |
32-2 |
.941 |
CACC Champions, NCAA Region Final |
| 2024-25 |
Jefferson |
24-8 |
.750 |
NCAA First Round |
| 8 seasons at DeSales |
149-73 |
.671 |
|
| 36 seasons with Rams |
756-313 |
.707 |
|
| Career record (42 seasons) |
905-386 |
.701 |
|
* The 2020 NCAA Tournament
was not played due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
# Jefferson did not compete in women's basketball in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
