YSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Hill sensed dream was at hand

Tisha Hill had a special feeling after her interview for the YSU coaching job.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Tisha Hill had a gut feeling when she left Youngstown last Friday following her interview that this would be the time for her to reach her dream.
Hill, who has been an assistant women's basketball coach for 10 years, was introduced Wednesday as the new women's basketball coach at Youngstown State University.
Hill, 33, and a native of Cleveland Heights, will replace Ed DiGregorio, who resigned last month after guiding the Penguins for 20 seasons and compiling more than 300 victories and three trips to the NCAA Tournament.
"I've been through this process before and I've had feelings after the interview, but never like this one," Hill said. "The people here whom I met were just wonderful and I just felt comfortable being around them."
Official introduction
YSU athletic director Ron Strollo made the official introduction Wednesday at a press conference on the floor of Beeghly Center, Hill's new home. More than 100 media, faculty, players and fans attended the event.
"I am privileged to announce Tisha Hill as Youngstown State University's new women's basketball coach," Strollo said. "Her excellent recruiting track record and the fact that she has been a part of several winning programs speak volumes about her as a coach. What even impressed me more, though, was Tisha Hill the person."
Hill won out over three other finalists for the position: Jodi Kest, coach at Texas A & amp;M Corpus Christi; former YSU graduate and assistant coach Liz Hauger-Grzesk, an assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay; and Joanna Bernabei, an assistant at West Virginia University.
"Over the past few years I've been trying to realize a dream," Hill said. "Today, I'm living that dream."
The team on hand
The entire YSU women's basketball team was at the press conference, and Hill spoke to them during her address.
"Sitting right over there are a group of championship players just waiting for a championship team," she said. "My goal here is to get this program back to where it once was.
"I've been very fortunate that I've been involved in a lot of great programs," Hill said. "It's been a fun ride and a fun time.
"It's amazing," she said. "That's the one feeling that I have right now. There's been frustrations over the years trying to land a head coaching position."
Hill said that she will begin working immediately for the Penguins, but the first working day will be May 5.
"That's when we will all go to work," Hill said.
She has met with her team and was impressed.
"It was a very good first impression," she said. "I liked that they liked to do things together.
"When I first met with them, I asked them who wanted to be winners and they all said yes," Hill said. "I'd have been disappointed if any of them didn't want to be."
Hill said that she really hasn't seen any film on the Penguins from last season.
"I really didn't want to do any of that until I was assured that I had the job," she said. "Plus, I believe that everybody is entitled to make a fresh start this year.
One scholarship left
Hill said that she still has one scholarship to give, and she will begin working on that immediately.
"I'll probably be spending a lot of time on the phone this weekend using some of my contacts," Hill said.
Hill, who coached at Indiana University, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Virginia Tech and Ball State, said that she intends to do most of her recruiting in Ohio.
"There is plenty of talent right here in Ohio to go around, more than enough," Hill said. "The talent is getting so much better and I've worked very hard to get where I am today."
Hill said that she was sitting on the couch at home last Sunday when she got the call from Strollo.
"He kept asking me if I had any questions about the university, and I kept wondering when he was going to tell me whether I had the job or not," she laughed.
Parents Veronica and Ed Hill and her brother were in attendance at the press conference.
"I'm a very family oriented person," Hill said. "And being around here was a very comfortable feeling for me."
She said that her first job will to have one-on-one meetings with all her players.
"I want to get to know each and every one of them very well," Hill said.
Strollo indicated that he and Hill have not gone over all the details of her contract, but he expects it to be a three-year deal.