Former SUNY Broome women's basketball player Alyssa Polosky was named head coach of the Geneseo Knights in July. Alyssa became Geneso's eighth head coach after Scott Hemer was selected to lead Division I Canisius College after 11 years as the Knights head coach. In 2016 Polosky was featured on SUNY Broome's athletic website and appeared in the Spring Alumni Magazine for her success, both as a player for Broome and Geneseo, and an assistant coach for the Knights. The last paragraph of the 2016 article read: "Wherever Alyssa Polosky has been she has left her mark. The question is where will it be next……On the court, in the classroom or both?" Question answered.
As a player, Polosky has won championships at Union-Endicott, SUNY Broome and Geneseo. Alyssa graduated from Union-Endicott High School where she led the Tigers to a Section IV Championship and was the recipient of the 2007 NYS Section IV Officials Player of the Year award. After graduation from UEHS, Polosky attended SUNY Broome where she majored in Liberal Arts while playing basketball for the Hornets. In 2008 Polosky led an unselfish team to the school's first NJCAA #1 national ranking and the MSAC Championship. Polosky earned All-Conference and All-Region honors during her tenure at Broome as well as being named captain her sophomore year. Upon graduation from Broome in 2009, she made the choice to attend SUNY Geneseo to finish her basketball career there. Once again Alyssa helped capture another championship, this time it was the SUNYAC Championship. While playing for the Knights she was named captain her senior year, made the First Team All-Conference, Second Team All-ECAC, Honorable Mention All-America by the Women's Basketball Coaching Association (WBCA), and was a State Farm All-American Honorable Mention in 2011.
During her 7 years as an assistant coach Geneseo saw six 20-win seasons, three SUNYAC Championships, a pair of trips to the Sweet 16 and four total NCAA Tournament appearances. The 2016/2017 season saw the Knights post a 25-3 record, 18-0 in conference play, and a SUNYAC Tournament Championship, their third since 2015.
When asked about his thoughts on Alyssa being named as his successor, Coach Hemer responded, "I'm extremely excited for Alyssa and even more so for the program at Geneseo. Alyssa bleeds navy and white and that dedication is what will drive her success there as a head coach." About the importance of Polosky's decision to come to Geneseo after Broome, "When I first became head coach at Geneseo, both Alyssa and BCC teammate Brittany Finkle were my main targets on the recruiting trail as we looked to build a winning culture. Once they committed to join our program, I knew that we were heading in the right direction. What I didn't realize is just how far Alyssa would take us as both a player and a coach. From being named an NCAA Division III All-American as a senior to a pair of Sweet 16 appearances as a coach, Alyssa has been the heart and soul of a program that became one of the premier names in the country."
After graduating from SUNY Broome in 2009, Alyssa transferred to Geneseo where she earned a degree in Elementary and Special Education in 2012 and her Master's degree in Literacy in May of 2014. Polosky was a reading specialist at Avon Central School District where she also coached Avon Middle School's modified volleyball and softball teams. The former Endicott, NY native resides in Rochester, NY.
Where will Alyssa's next mark be...........
