April 11, 2001
SPOKANE, Wash. - Jennifer Mountain, a 1991 Gonzaga University graduate and still the third-leading scorer in Bulldog women's basketball history, will return to her alma mater as an assistant coach on second-year head coach Kelly Graves' staff.
Mountain, the head boys' basketball coach at Saint George's School in Spokane since 1994, replaces Cynthia Mayes who is returning to California to be near her fianc?. Mountain, recently appointed the athletic director at St. George's, will assume her new duties June 1.
A native of Portland, Ore., Mountain scored 1,422 points in her Gonzaga career, including 465 points her senior season. She ranks in the top 10 in school history for career field goals made, 3-point field goals made, free throws made, assists and steals.
"While I hate to lose Cynthia off the staff, I'm looking forward to Jennifer joining our staff," Graves said. "She has a vested interest in this program and its tradition. She has proven she is an excellent coach and I think she'll instill a sense of value and pride toward this program to our players."
Mountain has coached the boys' team at St. George's since 1994, compiling a 134-62 record. The Dragons were the Washington State Class B Tournament runner-up last month and in 1996. In their only other State B Tournament appearance under Mountain the Dragons finished seventh. She coached the Dragons to a pair of Panorama League Tournament titles in 1996 and this past season, to five top-four Panorama League finishes and to seven league tournaments. St. George's also advanced to the District 7 Tournament five times, finishing in the top four three times including the 1996 title.
"I'm looking forward to the opportunity of coming back to Gonzaga. Ultimately, I want to be a head coach at the collegiate level and I believe this is the best career move for me. Kelly and I will work well together and I'm excited about returning to be a part of the program," Mountain said.
Mountain was an assistant coach at Gonzaga under Julie Holt from 1991-93 and was a volunteer assistant coach at Spokane's Whitworth College from 1993-94. She also served as the head volleyball coach at St. George's from 1992-96, and was the Dragons' head boys' and girls' track and field coach from 1992-99.
