On the court, in the classroom and throughout the community, seventh-year Vanderbilt Head Coach Melanie Balcomb is wholly committed to the total success of each student-athlete in her program. As she continues to build upon the great tradition that is Commodore women's basketball, the results speak for themselves. With an up-tempo style of play that consistently out-works opponents, the Commodores have posted six consecutive 20-plus-win seasons and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of Balcomb's six years in Nashville.

While Balcomb has amassed 310 victories in only 15 years as a head coach, the 2008 season must rank among her most impressive coaching performances. Despite graduating three All-Southeastern Conference seniors from her 2006-07 squad -- WNBA draft picks Carla Thomas and Dee Davis, and current VU graduate assistant Caroline Williams comprised the first class that were recruited to Vanderbilt by Balcomb -- she led the Commodores to a 25-9 record and the school's 13th appearance in the NCAA Sweet 16, all with two freshmen and no seniors in the starting lineup. For the sixth straight year, Balcomb's Commodores ranked in the NCAA's Top 10 in field-goal shooting percentage (46.6). Balcomb's team-first agenda helped five Commodores earn postseason honors from the SEC -- including first-team All-SEC honors for Christina Wirth; second-team honors for Jennifer Risper; All-Freshmen accolades for Jence Rhoads and Hannah Tuomi; and a Sixth Woman of the Year nod for Jessica Mooney, marking the third consecutive year that Vanderbilt's depth had been so lauded.

Taking the helm at Vanderbilt in 2002, Balcomb wasted no time in quickly implementing her own style. She worked hard to transition veteran players into a new system, while establishing a team-first attitude and building comradery on the squad. Her first year saw the Commodores win six of their last seven regular season games, earn an NCAA Tournament berth, and lead the nation in field goal percentage (51.3) against the fourth toughest schedule in the country. Balcomb was named a finalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year award.

In 2003-04, Balcomb led the Commodores to their fourth Southeastern Conference Tournament title. She masterfully balanced strong upper-class leadership with exciting freshmen talent, winning 10 consecutive games and advancing to the program's 11th Sweet 16 appearance. One year later, her team made its second consecutive trip to the NCAA Sweet 16. The Commodores posted the most wins (10) in the program's history in Southeastern Conference play finishing with a 10-4 record. The Commodores were ranked seventh in the final AP poll of the 2006-07 season, and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament after winning another SEC Tournament title. That Vanderbilt squad was the nation's best three-point shooting team, and ranked among the Top 10 in points scored. The team's 28-6 mark was the best record for a VU squad in 14 years.

Balcomb's impressive resume was not built overnight, as she had taken other programs to new heights of success before landing in Nashville. The Cranbury, N.J., native spent seven seasons at Xavier University. Beginning in 1995, her up-tempo style wreaked havoc on the Atlantic 10 while building the Musketeers into a national contender. In 1998, Xavier recorded its second postseason appearance in school history with a selection to the Women's National Invitational Tournament. Each of the next three seasons, Xavier competed in the NCAA Tournament, capped in 2001 by a victory over perennial power Tennessee and a run to the Elite Eight.

En route to earning three invitations to the NCAA Tournament and compiling a 136-78 record during her tenure, Balcomb's offensive schemes helped push Xavier onto the national stage. Musketeer field goal percentages ranked among the top three in the nation during three different seasons while the 1999 squad led the country in 3-point accuracy at 40.1 percent. Her 2000-01 squad averaged 79.4 points per game, the highest total in program history. Individual records were rewritten as well. Of the 15 Musketeers who have scored at least 1,000 points in a career, six of them played on Balcomb-coached teams.

Before her accomplishments at Xavier, Balcomb took her first head coaching position at Ashland (Ohio) University. Prosperity was immediate as Balcomb's first unit matched the best record in school history at 18-9 while registering its first winning season in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with an 11-7 mark. Prior to becoming a head coach, Balcomb served three years as an assistant at Providence College (1990-93), during which the Lady Friars went 62-30, made two NCAA Tournament appearances and once (1990-91) led the nation in scoring while they amassed a 26-6 record. In 1989-90, Balcomb was an assistant at Ohio University and she began her coaching career with a four-year stint (1985-89) on the staff at Niagara University.

In all, Balcomb has coached 17 players who have received All-Conference accolades. Seven of her players have been drafted by the WNBA, including VU's Anderson, Ashley McElhiney, Jenni Benningfield and Ashley Earley. Her Xavier teams won two league tournament titles (2000 and 2001) and one regular-season championship in the Atlantic 10 Conference (2001).

Xavier's successes during the Balcomb era helped push for construction of the Cintas Center, a state of the art facility which became home to Xavier basketball at the start of the 2000-01 season and - ironically - was dedicated with a victory over Vanderbilt. That season the program posted a school record for attendance with a total of 40,098 fans, who thrilled in the Musketeers' style of play and their results. Commodore followers have enjoyed the entertainment as well. Her basketball education began at an early age among some of the most well respected coaches in the game. Balcomb's father, Alan, was a varsity boy's coach for 30 years at South Brunswick (N.J.) High School, and then served as an assistant for four years at Princeton University under Pete Carril, the master of the half-court game.

For Balcomb, however, a complete education goes far beyond the hardwood. Every eligible, four-year player during Balcomb's coaching tenure has earned her degree. Six of seven squads at Xavier earned team grade point averages that ranked in the Top 25. In 2004-05, 40 percent of the Commodore basketball team was named to the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll. Vanderbilt led the SEC with eight players being named to the honor roll in 2003-04.

Balcomb also stresses the importance of community service to her teams. VU logged more than 95 hours of community service last season, including numerous opportunities to visit with young patients at the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Balcomb herself has been active in outreach to the surrounding area, participating in numerous fundraising events for local and national organizations, including Coaches vs. Cancer, the Race for the Cure, Mercy Ministries, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and the Girl Scouts of America. She joined colleagues to represent the SEC in the 2008 4Kay Golf Classic to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

An avid golfer, Balcomb finds time to make it to beach on her rare weeks off, and also enjoys reading.

BALCOMB'S ACCOLADES
H Eight NCAA Tournament Appearances, including five straight at Vanderbilt H Three NCAA Regional Semifinals H Two SEC Tournament Championships H One Regional Finals Appearance H 2003 Naismith Coach of the Year Top 25 Finalist H 2001 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year H 2001 Greater Cincinnati Women's Sports Foundation Coach of the Year H 2001 Columbus Dispatch Ohio Coach of the Year H 2001 New Jersey Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year H 2001 ESPN The Magazine Coach of the Year Finalist H 2001 Naismith Coach of the Year Finalist H Inducted into Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame, 2001 H 2001 March of Dimes Greater Cincinnati Coach of the Year

What They're Saying About Melanie Balcomb
"Melanie Balcomb is one of the bright young coaching stars in women's college basketball. Her diverse basketball experience includes an exposure to Pete Carill's Princeton offense plus Rick Pitino's fast break principles, both of which have influenced her philosophy. She has been able to incorporate the best of all she has learned while adding her own flair. When you play Vanderbilt, you understand that you will face a well-prepared, savvy basketball team." --Doris Burke, CBS/ESPN Analyst

"Vanderbilt made one of the best decisions for the future of their program when they hired Melanie Balcomb. She's a great teacher and recruiter of the game and has instilled a fun but effective offense that Vandy fans and television viewers find enjoyable. I don't doubt that one day Melanie and her team will be cutting down the nets, celebrating a national championship." --Nancy Lieberman, ESPN Analyst

"Coach Balcomb teaches the offensive side of the ball with a high level of detail, fundamentals and knowledge of reads, timing and angles. She creates an offensive system that maximizes each player's individual talents and skill while adding dimensions to their game. She can prepare in practice and adjust in game. Her team is so ready, no grease board on the sideline during games. . . check it out for yourself." --Debbie Antonelli, Women's Basketball Analyst

"Melanie Balcomb is one of the brightest young coaches in the country. The way she relates to her players is special. Here style of play is very different for the SEC and that's why it's so successful. She's brought in her system and her own style which is why Vanderbilt continues to be one of top programs in the country." --Ann Meyers, ESPN Analyst

"Coach Balcomb enhanced my development as a student-athlete. She has the ability to challenge her players on and off the court. But more importantly, the life lessons I have learned from her have made me a better person." --Ashley Earley, Class of 2005

BALCOMB'S YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD

Year University Wins Losses Postseason 2007-08 Vanderbilt 25 9 NCAA Sweet 16 2006-07 Vanderbilt 28 6 NCAA 2nd Round 2005-06 Vanderbilt 22 11 NCAA 2nd Round 2004-05 Vanderbilt 24 8 NCAA Sweet 16 2003-04 Vanderbilt 26 8 NCAA Sweet 16 2002-03 Vanderbilt 22 10 NCAA 2001-02 Xavier 12 19 2000-01 Xavier 31 3 NCAA Elite 8 1999-00 Xavier 26 5 NCAA 1998-99 Xavier 24 9 NCAA 1997-98 Xavier 17 12 WNIT 1996-97 Xavier 10 17 1995-96 Xavier 15 13 1994-95 Ashland 10 17 1993-94 Ashland 18 9 Career (15 years) Combined 309 156 .665 Vanderbilt (6 years) Combined 147 52 .739 Xavier (7 years) Combined 135 78 .538 Ashland (2 years) Combined 28 26 .538