| By Annette Barnette
Glenville State College officials have announced changes in the coaching staff of the Lady Pioneers for the upcoming season.
 GSC President Dr. Peter Barr says longtime Assistant Women's Basketball Coach Dennis Fitzpatrick(pictured left) has been named Head Coach of the team.
"I am confident in his coaching abilities to lead the team this season. He knows the players, the conference, the other coaches, the facilities, and the NCAA rules and regulations," said Barr.
This announcement comes after GSC Head Women's Basketball Coach Tracy Wyatt Raban submitted her resignation earlier this month.
Fitzpatrick say he's ready to take on the challenge.
"I have very big shoes to fill with the success of the program in recent years, but this is a new beginning for the program. We have twelve young ladies who are working extremely hard to live up to the reputation the Lady Pioneer basketball team has built, and I expect us to be very competitive," said Fitzpatrick, who helped coach the Lady Pioneers to the NCAA Division II East Region Championship title this past season, which included a trip to the Elite 8 Tournament in Kearney, Nebraska in March.
Assistant Coaches Rachel Redick and Jerod Alltop
Barr also announced Fitzpatrick now has two outstanding assistant coaches. "I am very fortunate to have Rachel Redick and Jerod Alltop assisting me with the team. Rachel has a great passion for the game of basketball. She played with that passion and has exhibited it as a coach as well. Jerod returns to the Lady Pioneers Program with knowledge of the GSC program and the WVIAC. He will make a very good coach and be a great asset to the team," he said.
Alltop said, "I have known and worked with Coach Fitzpatrick and Rachel Redick and feel fortunate to be able to team up with these two talented individuals. It is great to get the opportunity to come back and coach at my alma mater. I am excited to get the chance to help keep the Lady Pioneer program as one of the elite programs in the country. "
Redick said, "It's a big honor to be an assistant coach after playing on the team for four years. I care very deeply about the team and everyone associated with it. We will try our best to uphold the highest standards for it."
Barr says leading the Lady Pioneers team during the upcoming season will be Fitzpatrick's primary focus even though he is serving as GSC's Interim Athletic Director.
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