YSU’s Martin hires assistants Duhnke, Sword

YOUNGSTOWN — Cindy Martin, the Youngstown State University women’s basketball coach, has named Jen Duhnke and Shannon Sword to her coaching staff.

Duhnke spent the 2007-08 season as the top assistant at Division II Indiana (Pa.), where she had responsibilities in the areas of recruiting, academic monitoring, on-floor coaching, scouting and team travel. She also spent the 2004-05 season at IUP as a graduate assistant.

“Jen was a huge part of the outstanding season we had at IUP last year and is the most dedicated assistant coach that I have worked with,” Martin said Thursday. “She has a passion and love for women’s basketball that is second to no one.”

Duhnke was previous athletic director at Brookville (Pa.) High School and earned degrees from Clarion University and IUP.

Sword was a graduate assistant coach at Ashland University for two seasons. She was responsible for on-floor coaching, film exchange and day-to-day operations of the program.

Sword was an assistant coach at Manhattanville College and has been coach of the Dayton Lady Hoopsters, a 15-and-under AAU team, and an assistant at Miamisburg High School.

Sword played at Cleveland State where she was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter.

She was a first team All-Horizon League selection in 2004 and was named the team’s MVP.