ATLANTA – Elsebeth Birman, the assistant coach for the Shenandoah University women's basketball team, has been named as the NCAA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and announced Thursday.
 
Birman, who just completed her fifth season on the Shenandoah bench, was nominated for the honor by head coach Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft.
 
The Hornets have won 54 games and the 2019 ODAC championship during Birman's tenure while also leading the nation in team GPA in 2019. She has mentored two student-athletes: Jordan Sondrol and Ashley Stone, that earned a total of four All-ODAC accolades.
 
In 2019, Sondrol was the first woman in program history to be named first team All-ODAC.
 
After three seasons as a part-time assistant, Birman moved into a full-time role prior to the 2019-20 season. That squad tied an ODAC-era record with 16 overall victories and advanced to the Salem Civic Center portion of the ODAC Tournament for the fourth straight season.
 
Off-the-court, Birman serves the department as a member of its RED (racial equity and diversity) team and also has a secondary responsibility in game management.
 
"I could not be more excited for El," Smeltzer-Kraft said. "She is the epitome of what a great assistant coach looks like. She is totally invested in the development of our student-athletes on- and off-the-court and works tirelessly to improve our program.
 
"Our program is immeasurably better because of El. She is most deserving of this WBCA honor."
 
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