Coach George Hardison will be entering his ninth season at the helm of the Women’s Basketball Program at UConn-Avery Point. Coach Hardison has earned NJCAA Region XXI Coach of the Year honors three times and has also earned the Coach of the Year honors for District F. During his tenure as head coach, the women’s basketball program has set a new standard for success both academically and athletically.
In 2019-2020, the program had another successful campaign, entering the season unranked, but climbing as high as No. 10 in the NJCAA Division III National Poll. The team fell to No. 2 nationally ranked Massasoit CC in the NJCAA Division III Tournament Championship and missed their bid to compete in the NJCAA Division III National Tournament. Abby Stone was named to the All-Tournament Team in addition to Rebekah Sanders, who received the honor for the second straight season. The Pointers finished the season 19-9 overall and were top five in the nation in scoring for the second season in a row at 81.7 points per game and finished fourth in assists at 20.1 per game. Several Pointers has very strong statistical seasons and topped many career records. Academically, the program finished with an overall GPA of 3.38 in the Spring of 2020. The team GPA of 3.03 for the 2019-20 academic year earned the program the NJCAA All-Academic team honor. Several Pointers were named to the NJCAA Region XXI Athletic Director’s Spring Honor Roll and the NJCAA All-Academic Team. Sanders and Stone were named to the NJCAA Region XXI First Team and Burke received Second Team honors. Sophomore Julitza Delgado was also named to the Second Team.
In 2018-19, the Pointers started the season ranked No. 3 in the country, ended up winning the Region XXI Championship and qualified for the National Tournament at Northampton CC. The team gave a strong showing in the first two rounds, and ended up finishing No. 7 in NJCAA Division III. The program ended the season with an overall record of 16-15, and Coach Hardison was awarded Region XXI and District F Coach of the Year honors.
In 2017-18, the team was 25-7 overall, the best in school history for a basketball program. They were also the Region XXI Champions and finished the season ranked No. 4 in the nation and finished third at the NJCAA Division III National Tournament, losing by four in the Final Four against eventual national champion Hostos CC. Coach Hardison was also awarded Coach of the Year for both Region XXI and District F.
For the 2016-17 season, the team faced some substantial adversity, but still finished with a record of 12-11. During the 2015-16 season, the program finished with a record of 15-10 and received the Region XXI Sportsmanship Award. Coach Hardison was named Region XXI Coach of the Year for the 2014-15 season, and the team compiled a record of 11-6 overall.
Prior to UCAP, he was an assistant coach at the Community College of Rhode Island from 2011-13. During the 2011-12 season, CCRI compiled a record of 19-12 with a Region XXI NJCAA Championship, and also won the Super Regional XV/XXI NJCAA Championship. In 2012-13, CCRI was 25-7, won the Region XXI NJCAA Championship, was named District N NJCAA Champions, and made an appearance in the Division II NJCAA National Tournament in East Peoria, Ill.
Coach Hardison has coached AAU basketball since 2006, most recently with the RI Breakers. Coach Hardison has been coaching in Southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island for the past 20 years, with a strong background in camp and clinic work, recruiting, and player development. He has also spent several years coaching in the Eastern Connecticut Conference (ECC) and the Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL). He was an assistant coach at Stonington, Westerly and New London High Schools over several seasons, with many postseason conference and state tournament appearances. During the 2007-08 season, Coach Hardison was the head coach at Wheeler High School in North Stonington, Conn. The team had a record of 15-10, and reached the Class S state tournament semifinal game. He is also is the founder and director of The Hoop Academy Basketball Camp which has been in operation since 1999 and conducts camps and clinics throughout Southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island year round.
In addition to his coaching duties, Coach Hardison is also the Assistant Athletic Director at UConn Avery Point and teaches middle school science. He lives in Preston with his wife Colleen and his daughter Adrianna.
