PORT ANGELES — Alison Crumb was selected as Peninsula College’s new head women’s basketball coach, following the resignation of Julie Stewart on June 2.
Crumb, a 2003 Port Angeles High School graduate, is familiar with the Peninsula College program.
She captained the Pirates to the only NWAACC North Division title in school history in 2005 and broke the school record for assists while playing for Stewart.
Crumb closed out her college career at Western Oregon University before reuniting with Stewart as an assistant coach at Peninsula in 2008.
Stewart coached at Peninsula in two separate stints, from 2003 to 2005 and last season.
Stewart was 53-33 as head coach at Peninsula with two trips to the NWAACC basketball tournament.
“I was not expecting Julie to step down this year and am, of course, disappointed to be losing her,” Peninsula athletic director Rick Ross said in a press release.
“But I’m also confident that Ali will continue to offer our program the same quality of character, work ethic and positive spirit that Julie represented.”
The 2008-2009 Pirates graduated 10 sophomores, so Crumb will have a great deal of work to do with a large incoming freshman class.
“I am very excited about taking on this wonderful opportunity to coach young women in the sport that I love with great passion,” Crumb said.
“It is going to be a lot of work for everyone involved to build from the success that the Pirates had last season, and there are going to be a lot of new faces attached to the program, which is difficult and exciting at the same time.”
Crumb is going to focus on improving the strength and conditioning of her players during the offseason in order to get them ready for the rigors of NWAACC play.
Expect a more up-tempo Pirate attack under Crumb next season.
“I like a fast-paced game with in-your-face man-to-man defense, running the basketball and getting everyone involved from the 5 to the 1.”
Peninsula opens the Crumb era at the Clackamas Tournament on Nov. 27.
