Tonya Cardoza: Difference between revisions

'''Tonya Maria Cardoza''' (born April 2, 1968)<ref name="NCAA Coaches" /> is currently an assistant coach for the [[NCAAUniversity of Connecticut]]'s women's basketball coachteam and the former<ref name="inquirer.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/college-sports/temple/temple-womens-basketball-tonya-cardoza-20220322.html|title=Temple women's basketball coach Tonya Cardoza is out after 14 seasons|date=March 22, 2022 }}</ref> head coach of the [[Temple University]] women's basketball team. She previously played basketball for the [[University of Virginia]] 1988–1991, and prior to being the head coach at Temple, worked as an assistant coach at the [[University of Connecticut]] for fourteen seasons before joining the Temple coaching staff in 2008.

InCardoza became the head coach of Temple for the 2008-2009 season after [[Dawn Staley]], a Virginia teammate of Cardoza, left the Temple head coaching position to become the head coach at the [[University of South Carolina]]. Cardoza was named to replace Staley as head coach at Temple.<ref name="Cardoza joins temple" /> Cardoza joked that she was surprised Temple was so good defensively, quipping that Staley hadn't been much of a defensive player in college. But it was a good-natured jab between former teammates. Cardoza and Staley had both played for Virginia in their playing careers. She followed the jab with serious respect, noting that Staley "set the bar".{{cn|date=January 2024}}

CardozaShe guided the Owls to the NCAA tournament in her first three seasons at the helm, twice reaching the second round.<ref name="USA Today new coach" /><ref name="Contract extension" /> In 2012, despite a second place finish in the Atlantic 10, the Owls settled for the Women’s NIT. Temple failed to reach the postseason following the 2012-2013 season, their last in the Atlantic 10.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

Following the 2013 season, Temple transitioned to the American Athletic Conference, which was a step up in competition. Over the next eight seasons under Cardoza’s leadership, the Owls would earn only one more NCAA tournament appearance, bowing out in the first round of the 2017 competition.{{cn|date=January 2024}}