DeLand, Fla. ? After 15 seasons at the helm of the Hatters women's basketball program and 24 years as a head coach on the collegiate level, Dee Romine has decided that the 2007-08 season will be her last, and that it is time to retire.
“We have enjoyed our relationship with Dee over the years, she has been a leader in the athletics program, and a mentor to students and coaches,” said Stetson Athletics Director Jeff Altier. “We would like to celebrate her dedicated service to this institution, as well as her successes with the women's basketball program.”
Romine coached the Hatters to five winning seasons and 13 trips to the conference tournament in 15 seasons. Her Stetson tenure was highlighted by two seasons in particular. In 2000-01 the Hatters completed the season with an overall record of 22-7 and a berth in the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament semifinals. In 2004-05 she led Stetson to an A-Sun Championship with tournament wins over Belmont (68-54), UCF (61-59), and Georgia State (88-62). An impressive conference title earned Romine a spot in the Stetson record book as the first Hatters basketball coach to lead a team into the NCAA Division I National Championship Tournament.
Earlier this season on January 19, Romine reached a milestone when she earned the 300th victory of her collegiate coaching career with a 74-70 win over Mercer in the Edmunds Center. Heading into her final regular-season game on Saturday Romine has career record of 304-342, and 182-238 at Stetson.
In addition to her coaching, Romine spent five years as the Senior Women's Administrator at Stetson. She was responsible for evaluating the head coaches of the women's teams at Stetson, as well as serving as the main contact for the day-to-day operations and special events presented by Stetson women's athletics. She relinquished those duties in 1999 to focus fully on coaching the women's basketball team.
“It has been my distinct honor to have had the opportunity to work at Stetson University the past 15 years. I appreciate all of the support from the Stetson and DeLand community during my time here. A special gratitude to Doug & Margaret Lee, Jeff Altier, Richard Skeel and Debbie Gadd for their loyalty to me personally & professionally. I want to thank the current as well as the past staff and players that I have had the privilege to be associated with. I will treasure all of the great coaching relationships that I have made throughout my coaching career. When I took this position my ultimate goal was to bring a Conference Championship to Stetson University and we were able to do that in 2005. I have been able to accomplish more than any other coach in Stetson history and that is because of all of the outstanding people who worked and played for me”, said Romine.
“Stetson University will always be a part of me and I look forward to supporting the Hatters as their #1 fan. As I begin a new chapter in my life, I look forward to spending more time with my family and enjoying the free time for other hobbies and activities”, she added.
Romine will end her career at Stetson by leading the team into this year's A-Sun tournament in Nashville. She will remain on staff with an official retirement date of May 31, 2008. She will also continue to run the Stetson women's basketball camps this summer.
The search for a new head coach for Stetson women's basketball will begin in the near future.
