Associate head coach Pam Durkin is in her 16th season, with the 1997 Rider University Athlete of the Year returning to her alma mater as an assistant basketball coach on May 24, 2007 and she was named associate head coach on August 24, 2009.
Coach Durkin's responsibilities include coordination of all recruiting and working with the guards as well as over seeing the efforts to reconnect the team with its alumni.
Rider closed the 2022-23 season strong winning five of its final nine games, including an opening round victory in the MAAC Tournament over Marist. Amanda Mobley moved into second on Rider's career assist list, including a Division-I program record 13 against Manhattan. Mobley finished the season ranked just outside the top ten in the country for assists.
The Broncs were plagued by the injury bug under Milligan in 2021-22 with four players missing the entire season, and fifth suffering a season-ending injury just three games into the year. Lenaejha Evans made the most of her senior season with the Broncs, leading the squad in scoring on her way to Third-Team All-MAAC honors.
In 2020-21, the Broncs advaned to the semifinals of the MAAC Tournament, topping 10th-seeded Monmouth, and second-seeded Quinnipiac in Atlantic City. Makayla Firebaugh led the individual awards season for the team, being named MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year and Second-Team All-Met.
2019-20 was arguably the Broncs finest in program history. Durkin helped lead Rider to its first-ever MAAC Regular Season Championship. The top-seeded Broncs advanced past Niagara in the MAAC Quarterfinals before the remainder of the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19. Rider posted an 18-2 league mark, with 18 wins being the most for the team in league play in program history. Rider went 26-4 overall and the 26 wins are the most since the Broncs joined Division I following the 1981-82 season. The Broncs were consistently ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 poll, spending the final two months inside the top-12.
With team success came individual accolades and opportunity. Stella Johnson earned her second consecutive MAAC Player of the Year honor, becoming the sixth player all-time to achieve the feat in back-to-back years. She became Rider's first-ever All-American, earning honorable mention recognition from the Associated Press, Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), while also was picked a Senior CLASS Award Second-Team All-American. Johnson was also a finalist for both the Nancy Lieberman Award and Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year and finished the year as the leading scorer in NCAA Division I at 24.8 points per game, more than a point ahead of the next-closest player. She was also the only active Division I player with 2,000 career points, 700 career rebounds, 400 career assists and 300 career steals. In addition, Johnson was named the ECAC and Met Division I Women's Basketball Player of the Year. The list of honors continued with Johnson's second-straight Rider Female Athlete of the Year and MAAC Female Student-Athlete of the Year honors, while becoming one of two MAAC nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year. Johnson's resume drew the attention of the WNBA, as she was the 29th overall selection in the WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury, before making her WNBA debut for the Chicago Sky and later making a strong impact with the Washington Mystics in her rookie season.
Joining Stella Johnson in earning a MAAC major award was Amari Johnson, the league's Defensive Player of the Year. Amari also earned All-MAAC Second Team honors, along with fellow senior Lea Favre. Milligan also oversaw a strong performance in the classroom, with seven Broncs earning MAAC All-Academic Team recognition.
It was another banner year for the Broncs in 2018-19 as Rider finished the season with a 19-13 overall record and a 14-4 record in the MAAC. Rider earned the league’s automatic bid to the WNIT. It marked the second time in program history and the second time in the last three years that the team appeared in the WNIT. The Broncs won 10 or more MAAC games for the third year in a row (first time in program history 10 or more MAAC wins three straight years). The 14 MAAC wins are the most in program history in an 18-game conference schedule and the second-most in Rider history.
Three Broncs earned All-MAAC honors, highlighted by Stella Johnson being the only player in the league to be a unanimous selection to the First Team. Stella was also tabbed as the MAAC Player of the Year. It was the second time in program history that the team had a student-athlete recognized as the league’s best player.
In 2017-18, the Broncs went 14-17 overall and 10-8 MAAC play to earn the No. 5 seed in the MAAC Tournament. Rider won a MAAC Tournament game for the second year in a row after topping fourth-seeded Fairfield in the MAAC Quarterfinals. The Broncs advanced to the MAAC Semifinals for the second year in a row and the third time in program history.
During the year, four Broncs earned weekly awards from either the MAAC or College Sports Madness. At the conclusion of the regular season, three Rider players garnered All-MAAC recognition. Stella Johnson and Kamila Hoskova were named Second Team All-MAAC and freshman Jaiden Morris landed on the MAAC All-Rookie Team.
in 2017-18, Hoskova became the 22nd player in program history to score 1,000 career points. She ended her stellar tenure with the Broncs eighth all-time in scoring with 1,255 points.
The team had a record-breaking in 2016-17, finishing 24-9 and earning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) automatic bid to the WNIT thanks to a second-place finish during the regular season. The post-season berth was the first for the Broncs at the Division I level.
Durkin helped guide the Broncs to arguably the most successful season in program history in 2016-17, racking up 24 wins and earning the No. 2 seed in the MAAC Tournament. Picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll, Rider posted an 8-2 mark both on the road and at home in conference play. The team swept eight MAAC opponents during the regular season and was ranked for four weeks in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll.
The 24 wins are the most victories by the Broncs under Head Coach Lynn Milligan and the most for the program since the team won 26 games during the 1981-82 season. The 24 wins against Division I opponents is the most in a single season in program history as well. The 16 MAAC wins are also the most under Milligan in a season and in program history. The team finished above .500 in conference play for the third time since entering the league and the No. 2 seed is the best for Rider since joining the MAAC as well.
In 2016-17, the women's basketball team saw four players earn All-MAAC honors as announced in early March by the league office. The four players earning All-MAAC honors is a new program record for Rider as the team saw three players receive league-wide distinction in 2012-13, 2001-02 and 1999-2000. The four players honored by the league were the most by any team in the conference this year.
In 2014-15, Durkin helped the squad posted double-digit wins for the fourth season in a row.
In 2013-14, Durkin helped lead the Broncs to 15 wins, tying for fifth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Rider advanced to the MAAC semifinals for the first tme in its 17 years in the conference and the Broncs won their first playoff game since 2004-05.
During the season, Durkin helped put a player on the All-MAAC First Team for the second season in a row with MyNeshia McKenzie under consideration for Player of the Year honors in the conference. McKenzie graduates as Rider's all-time leading rebounder and in third place on the all-time scoring list.
Durkin also had a player on the MAAC All-Rookie team with Julia Duggan earning Rider's fifth All-Rookie honoree in her seven seasons.
With 15 wins in 2012-13, Rider is coming off its best season since the Broncs went 16-12 in 1994-95.
The 15 wins were the fifth most in the 74-year history of the program and Rider tied its best Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference record and finish at 10-8, finishing fourth in the conference.
Rider made the MAAC quarterfinals and junior guard MyNeshia McKenzie earned First Team All-MAAC and Second Team All-Met honors with senior Caitlin Bopp earning Third Team All-MAAC honors.
For the fourth time in Durkin's first six seasons, a Rider player earned a spot on the MAAC All-Rookie team with freshman Mikal Johnson earning the honors in 2012-13.
Coach Durkin's efforts allowed the Broncs to add Cintella Spotwood and Shannon Ferguson to the 2007-08 team and paved the way for four National Letter of Intent signings for the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons, three for 2010-11, three for 2011-12 and four for 2012-13.
“Pam's experience coming in has been terrific for the program,” Milligan added. “She has kept things organized and has allowed me to focus more on the upcoming season. Her work with the guards, and particularly 2008 graduate Janele Henderson, allowed Janele to put up a career year and break the 1,000-point plateau.”
In 2010, Durkin was inducted into the Al Carino Basketball Club South Jersey Hall of Fame.
Durkin came to Rider from Drexel University where she served as an assistant coach for seven seasons. While at Drexel, Durkin was also in charge of alumni relations for the team, including coordination of Alumni Day and production of the team's Hoop Scoop newsletter. She played an important role in the recruiting and development of a pair of All-Conference selections and the team's Defensive Player of the Year in 2004-05, as well as two guards from the All-Star Girls Report Top 100.
“The support from our Rider alumni and the friends of the team was outstanding,” Milligan said. “Pam's efforts, through e-mail or putting out a top notch newsletter, really helped build support for the program.”
While at Rider, Durkin was an All-Northeast Conference selection and also garnered NEC All-Academic Team honors. In addition, she was chosen as the 1996-97 South Jersey Collegiate Player of the Year by the Al Carino Basketball Club. She culminated her career with the Broncs in 1997 when she ranked seventh in the nation in rebounding average, pulling down 11.7 boards per game. That year she was inducted into the Sterling High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
After graduating from Rider with a bachelor's degree in biology, Durkin continued her education at The College of New Jersey. She served as a graduate assistant while earning a master's degree in physical education and athletic administration in 1999.
Her first coaching job came during the 1999-00 season when she became an assistant at Niagara University. At Niagara, Durkin was in charge of recruiting and also took part in on-court player development.
A native of Somerdale, N.J., Durkin led Sterling High to four league championships and two state titles during her high school career. She currently resides in Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
