By marcus.henry@newsday.com
Beth O' Boyle who was named as the new coach of Stony Brook's women's basketball team.
If newly hired Stony Brook women's basketball coach Beth O'Boyle had her way, the 2011-12 season would start today.
Stony Brook announced the hiring of its eighth women's basketball coach Thursday.
O'Boyle takes over a program that compiled a 31-89 record the last four years, including a 7-23 mark this season.
O'Boyle will be the Seawolves' third coach in three months. She replaces interim coach Evelyn Thompson, who took over for Michele Cherry. Cherry resigned Jan. 16 after three-plus seasons.
The team's struggles notwithstanding, O'Boyle sees potential.
"I think that Destiny Jacobs is a talented post player with a great touch, and Sam Landers is really a tough point guard that has had some great games," she said.
Jacobs and Landers are two of 11 returning players for the Seawolves.
"They've done some really good things across the board," O'Boyle said. "The next couple of weeks, I'm going to find out a little more about them."
O'Boyle met with the team for the first time Sunday night.
"Right off the bat, you can feel her energy and her passion," Landers said. "She wants to be here. We're excited."
Junior guard Tamiel Murray said: "It feels good to know that we have a good foundation. Now we have to build on it."
O'Boyle spent the last four seasons as an assistant on the Canisius staff, including the latter two as associate head coach. Her only head-coaching experience was during a three-year stint at Division III Montclair State.
"I think being the associate head coach at Canisius really prepared me well," O'Boyle said. "[Canisius coach] Terry Zeh gave me a lot of ownership in what we were doing.''
Stony Brook athletic director Jim Fiore didn't limit his search to candidates with head-coaching experience.
"We were just looking for the best fit," Fiore said. "Someone who's going to work and loves Stony Brook."
