Jennifer O’Shea has been named the new head coach of the girls’ basketball team at Fox Chapel Area High School. She succeeds Meaghan Meabon who resigned earlier this year to focus on her family.
Coach O’Shea will have the task of growing a program that has thrived in recent years. She plans to continue the momentum of years’ past and also has ambitions to further develop a feeder system, beginning in the elementary schools.
As a high school student at Carlynton High School, Coach O’Shea played under the direction of Mike McConnell, who has guided his teams to many successful campaigns during his tenure. A point guard, Coach O’Shea scored 1,564 career points at Carlynton and played collegiate basketball at Washington & Jefferson College where she was named to the PAC All-conference team.
Most recently, Mrs. O’Shea served for four years (2009-2013) as an assistant for her father, Tim Joyce, whose Bishop Canevin team won the PIAA and WPIAL Class AA championships in 2013. Her younger sister Erin, a junior at Bishop Canevin, is a starter for that team.
Mrs. O’Shea also served as the head coach at Brentwood Borough High School for four years (2005-2009) before leaving to focus on her family. Prior to that Coach O’Shea was an assistant coach at Carlynton, Canevin and Shaler Area high schools.
Joining Coach O’Shea on the volunteer assistant coaching staff is her husband Terry “T”. He served as an assistant coach at Bishop Canevin from 2003-2006. An accomplished player himself, he was the 1992 Pennsylvania High School Basketball Player of the Year in 1992 and went on to have an illustrious collegiate career at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP).
The coaching staff also includes Melissa McKamish, who is staying on as an assistant coach, with newcomer Diana Hoke also named as an assistant.
“Coming to Fox Chapel is an awesome opportunity to join an established and growing program,” says the head coach. I’m so happy to be here and anxious to startworking with the players.”
“I believe Coach O’Shea will be able to build upon what coaches Meagan Meabon and Jeremy Bennett started in terms of continuing to be contenders for section titlesand playoffs runs,” says Fox Chapel Area School District Athletic Director Michael O’Brien. “She has great enthusiasm, is a good role model for the girls, and has a strong desire to get involved in our community’s youth basketball program.”
Last year, the Lady Foxes had their first 20-win season, WPIAL semi-finalists, and PIAA Class AAAA qualifiers.