June 24, 2010
PHILADELPHIA - La Salle head women's basketball coach Jeff Williams is pleased to announce the newest additions to his staff as Ervin Monier, Jayme Callahan and Erin Dickerson will join him on the sidelines for the 2010-11 season.
Monier, who will be Williams' top assistant, takes over as the associate head coach after spending six seasons in the same role at a pair of schools. Last season, he coached alongside Southern California head coach Michael Cooper and five years prior (2004-09) he was the associate head coach at Rhode Island.
"Simply put, Ervin is one of the best coaches in the industry and I am extremely pleased to have him join my staff as the associate head coach," Williams said. "He has helped build and improve every program he has been associated with and I am looking forward to tapping into his knowledge of the Atlantic 10. He has worked in all aspects of operating and setting up programs and his thought process works like a head coach. He is a ready to be a head coach and I welcome that characteristic.
"He is a proven dynamic recruiter as indicated by the top seven rated class he recruited to USC and the past players he's recruited to Temple and Rhode Island," Williams continued. "He's an excellent tactician on both sides of the ball and he has developed players at all levels and positions. I know in Ervin Monier I have the consummate associate and I am truly excited."
At USC, Monier helped the Trojans to its best finish in the Pac 10 since the 2004-05 season with a 12-6 record, a three-seed in the conference tournament and a semifinal appearance. Overall, the team posted a 19-12 record, the most wins in four years, and knocked off four NCAA tournament-bound teams. His last recruiting class was ranked seventh nationally by ESPN.
"I am full of enthusiasm, excitement and honor to be asked by Coach Williams to help him build the La Salle women's basketball program and to take it to heights it has never been before," Monier said. "I have been fortunate to work with two high character, quality coaches in the past with Dawn Staley (Temple) and Tom Garrick (Rhode Island). Jeff Williams is in that same class. I hope to be able to assist Coach and La Salle with the same standards as Temple, URI and USC."
No stranger to the Atlantic 10 Conference or the city of Philadelphia, Monier was an Staley's assistant on North Broad Street for four seasons (2000-04), helping the Owls to a pair of Atlantic 10 titles and three postseason appearances, including NCAA berths in 2002 and 2004. At Temple, he recruited a pair of WNBA first round picks in Candice Dupree and Kamesha Hairston.
"Jeff is a man of great integrity that is one of the most well-liked, respected coaches in the business," Monier continued. "He knows and respects women's college basketball and understands the demands of the college student-athlete. And he genuinely can coach. He is a proven program builder and I look forward to assisting him in this journey to the top of the Atlantic 10 and Big 5 at such a magnificent university like La Salle."
Monier began his coaching career as an assistant at Hawthorne (CA) High for six years (1985-91), then moved to Los Angeles (CA) Southwest College for five seasons (1991-96). He was an assistant at Washington Prep High in Los Angeles in 1998-99, then at Chadwick High on the Palos Verdes Peninsula during the 1999-00 season. He also taught at the middle school and high school levels in the Los Angeles Unified School District during that time.
Callahan will serve as the recruiting coordinator following two seasons as an assistant at Southeast Missouri State (2008-10). Prior to her coaching the Redhawks, Callahan served as head women's basketball coach for Division III Webster University in her hometown of St. Louis, MO for two seasons (2006-08). In her final season at the helm of the Gorloks' program, she coached one SLIAC All-Conference selection and three SLIAC All-Academic athletes.
"I am very fortunate to have Jayme on staff," Williams said. "I consider her a `jack of all trades.' She has been a head coach, assistant coach and also worked in compliance. Her energy level is through the roof. Jayme will have a huge impact on La Salle women's basketball."
Her other coaching stops have included one year as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (2005-06) and three seasons as a head coach at two prep programs. In her only season at Putnam County High, she was named Tri Rivers Conference and District Coach of the Year (2002-03), and she was at Trinity Catholic High School for two years (2003-05).
A four-year starting point guard for Missouri Southern State from 1998-02, Callahan averaged 6.5 points, 4.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game over her collegiate career. She finished as the Lions all-time career leader in steals (225) and games started (107), starting every game since her freshman season. She also ranks second on the school's career assist chart with 429.
"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that Coach Williams and La Salle University has given to me," Callahan said. "To work under a great leader such as Coach Williams, and with a successful staff in Coach Monier and Coach Dickerson, I am excited what the future holds for La Salle Women's Basketball and am honored to be a part of it."
Dickerson joins the La Salle staff as an assistant coach after one season as an assistant at Furman University in Greenville, SC. The 2009 Northwestern graduate lettered all four years as a shooting guard in the Wildcat basketball program, seeing action in 112 games.
"Erin is a great addition to the staff," Williams said. "Although she's young, she has a tremendous basketball mind. I think Erin's enthusiasm and passion will quickly make her one of the top young coaches in the business."
She played her final season under head coach Joe McKeown, who paced the sidelines of Atlantic 10's George Washington University for 19 seasons. As a senior she led Northwestern in three-point shooting, converting 35-of-96 (36.5%), finishing in the top 10 in the Big 10 Conference.
A native of Chicago, she was a standout performer at Whitney Young High School, where she helped her team to sectional and regional championships and state final appearances. She also starred for the Chicago Flames' AAU squad, helping key her squads to four consecutive Illinois state titles.
"I am very excited to join Coach Williams and the rest of the staff here at a great institution such as La Salle University," Dickerson said. "Under his leadership and with the help of Coach Monier and Coach Callahan, I am excited to embark in the journey of putting this program back on the map."
