Daemen University Head Women’s Basketball Coach
Jenepher Banker announced her retirement, ending a nine-year tenure that will go down as one of the most successful stints in program history. “After a great deal of thought and consideration, I have made the difficult decision to retire as the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Daemen. This was not an easy decision, but one I believe is the right thing for me and my loved ones at this time,” Banker said in a statement. A four-time East Coast Conference Coach of the Year, Banker posted a 165-76 record while leading the Wildcats, good for a program-record.685 winning percentage. Under her tutelage, the program developed into a regional and national contender at the NCAA Division II level, winning six ECC regular season championships, five ECC tournament championships and two East Region championships. Along the way, Banker’s teams made six consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, with runs to the Sweet 16 in 2022 and the Elite Eight in 2021 and 2024. “We are incredibly fortunate to have had Coach Banker leading our women’s basketball program for nearly a decade,” said Vice President of Athletics Traci Murphy. “She made a profound impact, not just on the program, but on Daemen Athletics as a whole, and she undoubtedly leaves a legacy of success that we can only hope to match in the future.” The Wildcats returned to the postseason the following year, battling through the ongoing pandemic to capture the program’s first NCAA tournament win – a 73-54 defeat of third-seeded Georgian Court – en route to a regional title and subsequent trip to the Elite Eight where they matched up with top-seeded and eventual national champion Lubbock Christian. In the 2021-22 campaign, Banker and the Wildcats set out to prove that their success the previous year was not a fluke, and they did just that, racing to a 16-1 conference record and a second conference tournament championship in a three-season span. Entering NCAA tournament play as the No. 8 seed in the East Region, Banker led the Wildcats to upsets over top-seeded Southern New Hampshire and fourth-seeded Jefferson to make the program’s second straight Sweet 16 appearance. They came up just shy of going back to the Elite Eight, falling 67-65 to seventh-seeded Pace. That wouldn’t be the case two seasons later, however, as Banker choreographed a 23-win campaign, tying the program’s NCAA Division II era record for wins in a season, culminating in a trip back to the Elite Eight. Entering the NCAA tournament as the No. 6 seed in the East Region, Banker’s squad again made a run against higher-seeded opponents, knocking off third-seeded Saint Rose, second-seeded (and nationally-ranked) Assumption and fourth-seeded (and nationally-ranked) Jefferson to win a second regional title, before falling to eventual national runner-up Texas Woman’s to end the season. The 2024-25 season brought more of the same as Banker guided her group to a 15-1 conference record. All told, they racked up 22 wins on the season, including a 70-48 defeat of seventh-seeded Jefferson in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, a win that will go down as Banker’s last. She was later named the Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY) Division II Women’s Coach of the Year for her efforts. “I want to express my deepest gratitude to President Gary Olson, Athletic Director Traci Murphy and former Athletic Director Bridget Niland for their unwavering support throughout my time at Daemen,” Banker said. “To the players, assistant coaches, support staff, families and everyone who has been a part of this incredible journey: thank you. This program will always hold a special place in my heart, and I’ll continue to be one of its biggest fans.” Banker mentored players responsible for 26 All-Conference selections in her tenure, including ECC Player of the Year honorees Alahna Paige (2023-24), Katie Titus (2021-22) and Caroline White (2020-21). All three players garnered All-American recognition during their careers. In addition, three of Banker’s players – Titus, Tiara Filbert and Sarah Saba – rank among the top 10 point producers in program history. Stingy defense and home court success became the calling cards for Banker’s teams through the years. The Wildcats ranked 22nd or better nationally in points per game allowed five times in her final six seasons, including a pair of top-10 rankings. They posted a 74-8 record at Lumsden Gymnasium over that same span. Banker arrived at Daemen after a wildly successful run as the girls varsity coach at Grand Island High School. From 1998-2013, Banker led the Lady Vikings to seven Section VI championships, four Far West Regional appearances and a run to the New York State Final Four. She also spent five seasons (1988-93) as the head coach at Penn State Behrend where she compiled a record of 67-61. In 14 seasons as a collegiate head coach, Banker boasts a record of 229-137. Including her high school coaching tenure, she has amassed more than 490 wins. A national search to identify the next Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Daemen will commence immediately.
Courtesy of: daemenwildcats.com
WBCA All-NCAA Division II Awards 2026
