Gabby Lisella took on a new role at Rowan in September 2019, with her promotion to Associate Athletic Director following a 19-year career as head women’s basketball coach. In her current role, she is responsible for the department’s internal operations, which includes management of Rowan’s athletic facilities, while also serving as a sport supervisor for a number of programs.
Lisella guided the women’s basketball team to 260 victories during her 19 years at the helm, setting the school record for most career wins in the program’s history. Under her guidance, two Profs were named the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Player of the Year and one was selected the conference's Rookie of the Year. A total of 32 players were chosen to the All-NJAC teams while she saw six players receive Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-America honors.
In her final season as coach, the Profs went 15-11 overall and 13-5 in the conference, while reaching the NJAC Semifinals for the fourth consecutive year. That followed a 16-10 overall record, and 12-6 NJAC mark, in 2017-18 and an 18-9 overall record in 2016-17. After that season, guard Anyssa Sanchez became the most recent Prof to be named a WBCA All-American as she received honorable mention.
Lisella led Rowan to an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament in 2015-16 as the Profs posted a 23-6 record and reached the NJAC title game. Rowan hosted the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Second Round with a win over New Paltz. For her efforts, she was selected as the D3hoops.com Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.
In her first season with the Profs, 2000-01, she led Rowan to a 17-8 record and a spot in the NJAC Championship. Just three seasons later, Lisella guided the team to a 21-5 mark in 2003-04.
Lisella came to Rowan after five years as women’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director at Oswego State. While there, she guided the Lakers to their first-ever trip to the SUNYAC Tournament in 1998-99 and led the team to a 14-11 record, to set the mark for wins and record the program’s first winning season in 16 years. She was honored with the SUNYAC Coach of the Year award that season and saw seven players garner All-Conference recognition.
Prior to Oswego, Lisella was the head women’s basketball coach at the University of the South from 1991-95 in addition to serving as the assistant coach for softball and soccer and a physical education instructor. Lisella was the interim head women’s basketball coach at St. Lawrence University for the 1990-91 season while also holding the positions of head volleyball coach and physical education instructor. She started her coaching career as the junior varsity women’s basketball coach and assistant lacrosse coach at Cortland State from 1989-90.
The native of Towanda, PA, graduated from East Stroudsburg University with a bachelor’s in health and physical education in 1985 and earned a master’s in physical education from Cortland State in 1994. At East Stroudsburg, Lisella played varsity basketball and volleyball, where she was the team captain and an All-Conference first-team selection.
As both a coach and an administrator she has been active in the sport, serving on the following committees – the NCAA Division III Regional Advisory Committee, WBCA Coach of the Year, and the WBCA All-America selection committee. She is currently a member of the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Committee, beginning her term in 2021.
