Director of Athletics Brian Granata announced that Rose Katz has been named head women’s basketball coach at Arcadia University. She is the 11th head coach in the NCAA Division III era of the program.

Katz arrives at Arcadia after leading the women’s basketball program at Emory & Henry College for the last three seasons, where she turned around a struggling Wasps’ program and coached the 2014 Old Dominion Athletic Conference scholar-athlete of the year. She also served as adviser to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

“We are very excited to welcome Rose to Arcadia,” Granata said. “She has a true passion for the sport of basketball and relates very well to her players. Her time as a Division III student-athlete and coach, familiarity with the Middle Atlantic Conference, and ties to the local recruiting scene will serve her well in her role as head coach of the Knights.”

Katz served as an assistant coach at Commonwealth Conference rival Widener University from 2008 to 2011, where she was responsible for recruiting, monitoring academic progress, film exchange, coordinating team travel, and fundraising. The Pride won the Commonwealth Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament in 2008-09.

Widener had a 53-29 overall record during her tenure, had five All-Commonwealth Conference selections (four of which were First-Team honorees), and the league’s 2009 and 2010 rookie of the year recipients. One of those honorees was two-time WBCA All-American and Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly-SIDA Academic Performer of the Year Kate Dellinger, who was a key member of the Pride when Widener reached the national quarterfinals in 2012-13.

“I would like to thank President [Nicolette DeVille] Christensen, Athletic Director Granata, and the entire search committee for affording me this great opportunity to lead the women’s basketball team at Arcadia University,” said Katz. “It is truly an honor and a privilege to return to the Middle Atlantic Conference, which I believe to be one of the best conferences in the country.”

“I am thrilled to work with the fantastic administration, great coaches within the athletic department, and all of the dedicated student-athletes,” she continued. “Through the hard work of our current players and the devoted recruiting efforts by our staff, we look forward to building a tradition of excellence, on and off the court, that everyone at Arcadia can be proud of.”

Katz first coached at the AAU level, guiding the South Jersey Jazz from 2004 to 2007 to a pair of top-10 finishes at the AAU National tournament. In 2007-08, Katz moved to the Philadelphia Belles, which won the 2008 Boo Williams Tournament and finished second in the USJN Tournament in Washington, D.C. She coached the Philadelphia Inquirer’s 2009 and 2010 South Jersey high school player of the year.

Katz was a four-year member of basketball at DeSales University, where she served as team captain her senior year. Katz helped lead the Bulldogs to a 26-4 record in the 2007-08 season, winning the Freedom Conference Championship and advancing to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. She also helped DeSales capture the 2005 ECAC Division III South Championship.

Katz earned a bachelor of science in sport management from DeSales in May 2008 and a master of science in sport management from Drexel University in 2010.

Arcadia posted an overall record of 10-15 this past season, and tied for eighth in the Commonwealth Conference standings with a 4-14 league record.