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Rhonda Rompola Position: Head Coach

When RHONDA ROMPOLA first took over the SMU women's basketball team in 1991, she claimed that she was establishing a winning tradition, guiding SMU to a 17-12 record in her debut season. The time was taken to build tradition and Rompola has forged ahead the past 16 seasons with record winning percentages and the first postseason tournament appearances in school history. In her 16 years at SMU, Rompola has tallied a 288-188 mark, earning her 250th career win Jan. 29, 2005, at Boise State.

The 2006-07 season saw Rompola guide SMU to an 18-win season while helping Janielle Dodds (All-C-USA) and Delisha Wills (C-USA All-Freshman) to individual honors. SMU advanced to the quarterfinals of the C-USA Championship and closed out the season by winning five of its last seven games. Rompola also signed one of SMU's best recruiting classes in years, adding state championship game MVPs Haley Day and LaShandra Hill.

During the 2005-06 campaign, the Mustangs claimed third place in their inaugural year in Conference USA, posting a 16-14 record and reached the semifinals of the league tournament, held for the first time at SMU. Then-sophomore post Janielle Dodds continued her strong play, earning first-team All-Conference USA honors, while then-senior forward Sarah Davis closed out her career with more than 1,000 points scored, and became SMU's all-time shot blocker during the course of the season.

In its final year as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (2004-05), the Mustangs posted a 19-11 record and reached postseason play after being invited to the WNIT.

SMU earned 13 home victories -- a program-best record. With a slew of freshmen, the young Mustangs gained valuable experience which will pay off in future years. Dodds earned the WAC's Newcomer of the Year award and was the recipient of Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-America honorable mention honors -- another program first. Dodds was one of only three freshmen in the country to be recognized.

In the 2003-04 season, SMU opened by playing three top-25 teams in its first four games of the season. The Mustangs survived seven straight games on the road heading into conference play and produced their best games at Moody Coliseum, including a hard-fought battle against No. 6 Louisiana Tech. SMU finished the regular season as the fifth seed going into the WAC Tournament, but dropped an overtime decision in the quarterfinals.

The 2002-03 campaign proved to be a season in which the SMU women's basketball team built its future upon. The Mustang squad -- including three seniors, two juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen -- produced a solid foundation for a bright future. SMU posted a 16-15 record, highlighted by a 71-68 upset victory over 15th-ranked Oklahoma in Norman. The Mustangs closed out the season by winning four of their last six games and reached the semifinals of the 2003 WAC Tournament.

With 11 active players to start the 2001-02 season, the Mustangs dropped to nine players after two sustained season-ending injuries. Each of the Mustangs garnered plenty of playing time and experience.

In the 2000-01 season, Rompola guided the Mustangs to a 17-12 overall record with an 11-5 WAC record, finishing third in the league.

Rompola also guided the Mustangs to back-to-back-to-back 20-win seasons (1998-99, 1999-2000) for the first time in school history. Named the 1999-2000 Dallas Morning News WAC Coach of the Year, Rompola and her staff saw the Mustangs achieve a first for the program -- the WAC regular season championship with only five returning letterwinners.

After opening the 1999-2000 season with three wins, SMU dropped five straight games, but picked itself up and won the next 12 consecutive games -- a school record. The Mustangs took advantage of their home court, going 12-1 at Moody Coliseum -- another school record -- en route to winning the WAC regular season title. SMU made its third straight NCAA postseason appearance, its sixth in the last seven years. The 12th-seeded Mustangs defeated North Carolina State and became just the eighth No. 12 seed to advance in the NCAA Tournament.

During the 1998-99 season, SMU claimed its first conference championship, defeating No. 4 Colorado State in the WAC Tournament final. The Mustangs won 13 of their final 15 games, including a school-record eight in a row. With its victory over Colorado State, SMU toppled the highest-ranked opponent ever. The Mustangs followed that by knocking off No. 25 Toledo in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It was the first time SMU had defeated ranked opponents in back-to-back games.

While Rompola added several firsts to her list of accomplishments in 1998-99, it was by no means the beginning of the list.

Her initial year as head coach was billed "a season of firsts" because of the numerous records that SMU set with Rompola's fast-paced, high-pressure style of play. But the ink was barely dry in the record books when the 1992-93 Mustangs produced their own parade of "firsts."

The 1993-94 team continued to carry the program to new heights. The Mustangs exploded on the scene in 1994-95, smashing a series of records. SMU set marks for victories (21), winning percentage (.677), SWC victories (nine), SWC finish (tied for second), points scored (2,515) and rebounds (1,336).

The 1995-96 campaign featured a strong senior-laden squad, loaded with experience. The Mustangs posted their third straight postseason NCAA appearance and closed out the season with a 19-11 mark. The 1996-97 Mustangs put up an identical win-loss mark but, as a bubble team, were bypassed for NCAA postseason play.

While Rompola's 1991-92 squad earned a vote in the Associated Press top 25 poll for the first time, the Ponies rang up 34 points in the following year's poll.

Perhaps the most significant sign of a program on the rise is its postseason progress. During the 1994-95 season, the Mustangs picked up their first votes in the final AP poll, collecting seven points. SMU continued that trend, receiving AP votes for 11 weeks. Before Rompola took over the helm, SMU had not beaten a ranked team. That trend has been altered completely, as six ranked teams have fallen to SMU during Rompola's tenure. In each of Rompola's first three years, SMU advanced to the semifinal round of the Southwest Conference Tournament, a feat never accomplished by the Mustangs. The 1994-95 team broke through the SWC barriers of the past and advanced to the championship game.

The 1992-93 team was the first to play in a national postseason tournament, advancing to the championship game of the Women's National Invitational Tournament.

The Mustangs earned an appearance in the 1994 NCAA Tournament, where SMU received a No. 13 seed in the Mideast Region and lost in the first round to fourth-seed Louisiana Tech.

In 1994-95, SMU earned a No. 10 seeding in the West Region and defeated No. 7 Southern Miss in the first round, 96-95 in overtime, for its first NCAA Tournament win in school history. The Mustangs then fell to second-seeded Stanford on the Cardinal home court, 95-73.

During the 1995-96 season, SMU earned a NCAA postseason bid for the third straight year. Seeded 10th, the Mustangs lost to No. 7 seed DePaul, 96-82, in the first round of the Mideast Regional.

In their first year as a member of the Western Athletic Conference, the Mustangs made their presence known, reaching the semifinals of the 1997 conference tournament held in Las Vegas, Nev.

The excitement and enthusiasm surrounding SMU women's basketball has become contagious, as reflected by increased home attendance figures. SMU has established single-game and regular-season attendance records in recent seasons. In 1995-96, the Mustangs averaged 1,428 fans per home game. A crowd of 4,019 witnessed the contest between SMU and Texas Tech.

Rompola, who graduated from SMU with a business degree in 1983, originally played at Old Dominion. She played on the Monarchs' AIAW national championship teams in 1979 and 1980. In two seasons, Rompola averaged 10.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 51.6 percent from the floor and 83.9 percent from the foul line. She recently was honored with honorable mention honors on the all-time Lady Monarch basketball team.

After transferring to SMU, Rompola led the 1981-82 Mustangs to an 18-15 record, the last winning season by SMU until she became head coach in 1991-92. The 18 wins during that season were also a school record until 1992-93.

Rompola led the Mustangs in points (683), scoring average (21.3 ppg) and rebounds (8.8) in 1981-82. She still holds the school records for season scoring (total and average) as well as free throw percentage (.863). Her record of 278 rebounds in a season was broken by Shasta Smothers-Johnson in 1984-85 (310).

Rompola stresses the importance of SMU's academic excellence.

"SMU offers a total package, which is extremely attractive," Rompola says. "It's a renowned university with small classs, providing an education second to none.

"The SMU women's basketball program has risen to national levels in a relatively short amount of time. We intend to maintain our status within the basketball elite for a long time. We pride ourselves in the closeness between the team and the coaches -- it's a true family atmosphere."

SMU is a "home away from home" for the players, which Rompola says is a key factor in the Mustangs' success.

"I believe that one of the reasons why we're successful on the court is because we play as a team, a close-knit family," Rompola says. "You have the benefits of a small university, but SMU also is located in Dallas, one of the largest cities in the country, where the opportunities after graduation are endless."

Rompola and her husband, Mike Dement, were married in June 2007. She attended War Memorial High School in Sayreville, N.J., where she was a three-time all-state and all-conference performer, leading her team to a 44-8 record and the 1978 Central Jersey Championship. In May of 2005, Rompola was inducted into her high school's Hall of Fame as a member of the inaugural class.

SMU, the only Division I athletic program in Dallas, Texas, sponsors 17 sports and has been ranked as the top school in its conference for 10 straight years in the Director's Cup overall athletic rankings. More information about SMU and its coaches, athletes and teams is available at www.SMUMustangs.com.