Joan Bonvicini Joins Sport Tours International Staff

8/18/2008

Joan Bonvicini, one of only 18 head coaches in Division I women’s basketball history to win 600 games, has joined the staff at Sport Tours International according to company president Lee Frederick. Bonvicini, most recently the head coach at the University of Arizona, will help Sport Tours market and sell it’s women’s basketball tournaments and foreign trips as well serve as a liasion between the coaching community and Sport Tours.

“I’ve known Joan for a long time and always admired her as a coach and as a person and a traveler,” Frederick said. “Joan took quite a few trips with Sport Tours and we always came away impressed. When she showed an interest in joining us it was really a no-brainer. She brings instant credibility with all head coaches and she can use those connections to help us grow.”

A veteran of 29-years on the sidelines, Bonvicini owns a 612-294 career head coaching record. Bonvicini began her career at Long Beach State in 1979 and won 325 games with only 71 losses in her time in California. Bonvicini led the 49’ers to the NCAA Final Four in both 1987 and 1988 to go with six Elite Eight and nine Sweet 16 appearances.

Bonvicini moved on to Arizona and the Pac 10 conference in 1991 where she won another 287 games, including a 174-69 mark at home. The Wildcats appeared in seven NCAA Tournaments under her direction, including a berth in the 1998 Sweet Sixteen. Bonvicini’s 1996 squad won the WNIT and her 2004 group claimed the Pac 10 championship.

“I used Sport Tours International four different times while at the University of Arizona and I was very impressed with the way they ran their tours and tournaments,” Bonvicini said. “I am excited about the ability to still connect with the college coaches across the country while taking on a new challenge.”

In addition to her college coaching duties, Bonvicini has experience on the international level. She led the USA team at the 1981 USA Olympic Sports Festival, the 1990 USA Select team, the 1991 USA Pan American team, and the 1993 USA World University Games squad. Bonvicini is a member of five different Hall’s of Fame, including the Long Beach State University Hall of Fame and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.

For more information or to contact Joan Bonvicini call Sport Tours International at 414-228-7337, visit the website at www.sporttours.net or email Joan at joan@sporttours.net.