Eastern Michigan Athletics
Women's Basketball
Verdi, Tory
Tory Verdi
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- emu_wbb@emich.edu
- Phone:
- 734.487.0481
When the Eastern Michigan University athletics department was searching for a head women’s basketball coach to lead the team into the future, there was one name that continued to move to the top of the list — Tory Verdi.
Verdi came highly touted as someone that would bring some excitement and stability into the program to help continue the success of EMU women’s basketball.
The 2015-16 season is Verdi’s fourth as head coach after being named to the position April 26, 2012.
The 2014-15 campaign proved to be Verdi’s most successful to date. He led the Eagles to a 24-13 record and tied the school record for the most wins in a season, while his squad made a run to the 2015 WNIT “Sweet 16”. Overcoming the horrible tragedy of a fallen student-athlete, the team made its successful run, becoming just the eighth EMU squad to make an appearance in the postseason. The 24 wins also marked just the seventh season that EMU has boasted a 20-or-more win season during the history of the program.
In addition, Verdi took the Eagles to the 2015 Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship game as the No. 6 seed to advance to the finals. In addition to the success of his entire squad, he also saw Cha Sweeney continue to build on a stellar start to her career at EMU. Sweeney was named to the All-MAC Second Team after recording the most point scored by an Eastern Michigan sophomore when she totaled 637 on the season.
In Verdi’s second season with the Eagles, he led the team to one of the biggest turnarounds in the nation as the Green and White tied for 17th nationally in a list of most improved Division I programs. EMU finished 18-14 in the 2013-14 season with an increase of 10 wins and a nine-game improvement in overall record. Verdi also helped coach Sweeney to MAC Freshman of the Year and All-MAC second team honors, while Sweeney and Janay Morton were both named the to the All-Freshman squad.
For the second consecutive season, Verdi and his staff boasted the top recruiting class in the Mid-American Conference according to the Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report. Olson’s site, which is one of the top sources for women’s basketball recruiting in the nation, had EMU ranked as the 56th-best class. In 2012, EMU was listed as the 65th-best class in the nation.
EMU was the lone MAC institution represented inside Olsen’s top 70 ranked teams. The Eagles ranked ahead of LSU (57), Syracuse (58), Kansas State (63), Rutgers (64), Arizona State (66) and Washington (67).
In Verdi’s first year in Ypsilanti, he took on the task of rebuilding the Eagles program that returned eight letterwinners that combined for just 32.4 points per contest.
Despite facing the 20th toughest non-conference schedule in the nation, the team showed progress posting an 8-22 overall and 6-10 Mid-American Conference record.
The 42-year old Verdi has strong ties throughout the Midwest and has worked at every level of women’s basketball. An experienced coach at both the collegiate and professional levels, he has been a part of 12 teams that have participated in the postseason since the 2001-02 campaign.
In 2011-12, Kansas posted a 21-13 overall record and an 8-10 league mark to finish tied for sixth place in the Big 12 Conference. The Jayhawks were awarded an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and then surprised the hoops world with wins in the first and second rounds to advance to the team’s first NCAA “Sweet 16” since 1998.
The Jayhawks, who finished the season ranked No. 25 in the final USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll, knocked off 23rd ranked Texas, Jan. 4, for KU’s first Big 12-opening victory since 2006 and the program’s first road win over a ranked opponent since 2000. The squad would also go on to upset No. 21 Texas Tech, No. 17 Nebraska and No. 7 Delaware.
Directly working with the post players, Verdi helped Carolyn Davis earn first team All-Big 12 honors as well as garnering honorable mention All-America accolades from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). She also became the 14th Jayhawk to amass at least 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in a career. Davis was named to the watch lists for the Naismith Wooden and Wade trophies, while ESPN.com called the 6-foot-3 post player one of the top five centers in America.
Meanwhile, Aishah Sutherland was an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick after becoming just one of four players in the league to rank in the top 10 in the conference in both scoring (13.9 ppg) and rebounding (8.9 rpg). Fellow post player Tania Jackson grabbed academic honors from the league office as well.
Verdi was instrumental in getting Asia Boyd and Chelsea Gardner to decide to play in Lawrence, Kan. A product of Detroit’s Renaissance High School, Boyd was the 39th-best player in the country in the 2011 recruiting class and the second-ranked player out of Michigan by ESPN’s Hoopgurlz.com. Meanwhile, Gardner was named to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) All-State Team in 2010-11 while earning back-to-back all-district first team appointments.
In his first year at Kansas in 2010-11, he helped the team to a 21-13 (6-10 Big 12) mark and an appearance in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT).
Before heading to KU, Verdi spent five seasons at former Big 12 foe Nebraska from 2005-10 as the offensive coordinator and post players’ coach. While Verdi was on staff, the Cornhuskers completed their most successful season in school history in 2009-10, compiling a 32-2 record, a Big 12 regular-season title and a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16.
That same season, Verdi coached Kelsey Griffin to first-team All-America status. Griffin, the 2010 Big 12 Player of the Year, went on to become the No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft after a decorated career at NU. The forward left the program as the Huskers’ second-best rebounder and ranked No. 3 on the career scoring list. She also ranks in the top 10 for career scoring average and blocked shots.
Verdi’s guidance also extended over to All-Big 12 performers Cory Montgomery and Danielle Page. When Griffin missed the entire 2008-09 season with an ankle injury, Montgomery stepped up to carry the load for the Huskers inside. Verdi helped develop Montgomery’s game under the basket as she went on to rank among the top 10 players in the Big 12 in both scoring and rebounding that season and was recognized by the league as an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection. Following her senior season in 2009-10, when she was named to the All-Big 12 First Team, Montgomery left Nebraska as the school’s No. 12 all-time scorer and 13th-best rebounder and was drafted in the second round by the WNBA’s New York Liberty.
Page was also an eventual WNBA player who worked under Verdi’s direction. After earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades in 2007-08, Page spent the 2008 WNBA season with the Connecticut Sun.
Prior to his stint at Nebraska, Verdi served as the interim head coach at Columbia University from February through April of 2005. He was the head assistant coach at Columbia from October 2004 until February 2005.
Before taking his position at Columbia, Verdi spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons as an assistant coach with the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA. He helped the Sun to the Eastern Conference title in 2004 and the Eastern Conference finals in 2003. He also spent time working as a special assistant for the Suns during the 2005 season before joining the Nebraska coaching staff.
In addition to his professional experience as a WNBA assistant, Verdi served as the head coach of the Springfield Spirit in the National Women’s Professional Basketball League from October 2003 to April 2004.
Before joining the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun in 2003, Verdi served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, Conn. He helped WCSU to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2002 and 2003.
He also served as a volunteer assistant men’s coach at the University of Hartford from 1996 to 1997, after working as an assistant men’s coach at his alma mater, Keene State College in New Hampshire, from 1995 to 1996.
Verdi was born in New Britain, Conn. He earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Keene State College in 1996, before adding a master’s degree in computer technology from the University of Hartford in 2003.
Verdi is the first male hired to lead the EMU women’s basketball program in its history. Previously, Assistant Coach Shane Clipfell served as the team’s acting head coach for 24 games during the 2006-07 campaign when then-Head Coach Suzy Merchant was on maternity leave.
Verdi and his wife, Heather, have two sons, Tyler (11) and Bradyn (6), and a daughter Avery (9).
THE TORY VERDI FILE
Full Name: Salvatore P. Verdi
College: Keene State College (Graduated in 1996 - bachelor's in elementary education)
University of Hartford (Graduated in 2003 - master's in computer technology)
Family: Wife: Heather Sons: Tyler (11) and Bradyn (6) Daughter: Avery (9)
Verdi came highly touted as someone that would bring some excitement and stability into the program to help continue the success of EMU women’s basketball.
The 2015-16 season is Verdi’s fourth as head coach after being named to the position April 26, 2012.
The 2014-15 campaign proved to be Verdi’s most successful to date. He led the Eagles to a 24-13 record and tied the school record for the most wins in a season, while his squad made a run to the 2015 WNIT “Sweet 16”. Overcoming the horrible tragedy of a fallen student-athlete, the team made its successful run, becoming just the eighth EMU squad to make an appearance in the postseason. The 24 wins also marked just the seventh season that EMU has boasted a 20-or-more win season during the history of the program.
In addition, Verdi took the Eagles to the 2015 Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship game as the No. 6 seed to advance to the finals. In addition to the success of his entire squad, he also saw Cha Sweeney continue to build on a stellar start to her career at EMU. Sweeney was named to the All-MAC Second Team after recording the most point scored by an Eastern Michigan sophomore when she totaled 637 on the season.
In Verdi’s second season with the Eagles, he led the team to one of the biggest turnarounds in the nation as the Green and White tied for 17th nationally in a list of most improved Division I programs. EMU finished 18-14 in the 2013-14 season with an increase of 10 wins and a nine-game improvement in overall record. Verdi also helped coach Sweeney to MAC Freshman of the Year and All-MAC second team honors, while Sweeney and Janay Morton were both named the to the All-Freshman squad.
For the second consecutive season, Verdi and his staff boasted the top recruiting class in the Mid-American Conference according to the Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report. Olson’s site, which is one of the top sources for women’s basketball recruiting in the nation, had EMU ranked as the 56th-best class. In 2012, EMU was listed as the 65th-best class in the nation.
EMU was the lone MAC institution represented inside Olsen’s top 70 ranked teams. The Eagles ranked ahead of LSU (57), Syracuse (58), Kansas State (63), Rutgers (64), Arizona State (66) and Washington (67).
In Verdi’s first year in Ypsilanti, he took on the task of rebuilding the Eagles program that returned eight letterwinners that combined for just 32.4 points per contest.
Despite facing the 20th toughest non-conference schedule in the nation, the team showed progress posting an 8-22 overall and 6-10 Mid-American Conference record.
The 42-year old Verdi has strong ties throughout the Midwest and has worked at every level of women’s basketball. An experienced coach at both the collegiate and professional levels, he has been a part of 12 teams that have participated in the postseason since the 2001-02 campaign.
In 2011-12, Kansas posted a 21-13 overall record and an 8-10 league mark to finish tied for sixth place in the Big 12 Conference. The Jayhawks were awarded an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and then surprised the hoops world with wins in the first and second rounds to advance to the team’s first NCAA “Sweet 16” since 1998.
The Jayhawks, who finished the season ranked No. 25 in the final USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll, knocked off 23rd ranked Texas, Jan. 4, for KU’s first Big 12-opening victory since 2006 and the program’s first road win over a ranked opponent since 2000. The squad would also go on to upset No. 21 Texas Tech, No. 17 Nebraska and No. 7 Delaware.
Directly working with the post players, Verdi helped Carolyn Davis earn first team All-Big 12 honors as well as garnering honorable mention All-America accolades from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). She also became the 14th Jayhawk to amass at least 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in a career. Davis was named to the watch lists for the Naismith Wooden and Wade trophies, while ESPN.com called the 6-foot-3 post player one of the top five centers in America.
Meanwhile, Aishah Sutherland was an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick after becoming just one of four players in the league to rank in the top 10 in the conference in both scoring (13.9 ppg) and rebounding (8.9 rpg). Fellow post player Tania Jackson grabbed academic honors from the league office as well.
Verdi was instrumental in getting Asia Boyd and Chelsea Gardner to decide to play in Lawrence, Kan. A product of Detroit’s Renaissance High School, Boyd was the 39th-best player in the country in the 2011 recruiting class and the second-ranked player out of Michigan by ESPN’s Hoopgurlz.com. Meanwhile, Gardner was named to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) All-State Team in 2010-11 while earning back-to-back all-district first team appointments.
In his first year at Kansas in 2010-11, he helped the team to a 21-13 (6-10 Big 12) mark and an appearance in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT).
Before heading to KU, Verdi spent five seasons at former Big 12 foe Nebraska from 2005-10 as the offensive coordinator and post players’ coach. While Verdi was on staff, the Cornhuskers completed their most successful season in school history in 2009-10, compiling a 32-2 record, a Big 12 regular-season title and a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16.
That same season, Verdi coached Kelsey Griffin to first-team All-America status. Griffin, the 2010 Big 12 Player of the Year, went on to become the No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft after a decorated career at NU. The forward left the program as the Huskers’ second-best rebounder and ranked No. 3 on the career scoring list. She also ranks in the top 10 for career scoring average and blocked shots.
Verdi’s guidance also extended over to All-Big 12 performers Cory Montgomery and Danielle Page. When Griffin missed the entire 2008-09 season with an ankle injury, Montgomery stepped up to carry the load for the Huskers inside. Verdi helped develop Montgomery’s game under the basket as she went on to rank among the top 10 players in the Big 12 in both scoring and rebounding that season and was recognized by the league as an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection. Following her senior season in 2009-10, when she was named to the All-Big 12 First Team, Montgomery left Nebraska as the school’s No. 12 all-time scorer and 13th-best rebounder and was drafted in the second round by the WNBA’s New York Liberty.
Page was also an eventual WNBA player who worked under Verdi’s direction. After earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades in 2007-08, Page spent the 2008 WNBA season with the Connecticut Sun.
Prior to his stint at Nebraska, Verdi served as the interim head coach at Columbia University from February through April of 2005. He was the head assistant coach at Columbia from October 2004 until February 2005.
Before taking his position at Columbia, Verdi spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons as an assistant coach with the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA. He helped the Sun to the Eastern Conference title in 2004 and the Eastern Conference finals in 2003. He also spent time working as a special assistant for the Suns during the 2005 season before joining the Nebraska coaching staff.
In addition to his professional experience as a WNBA assistant, Verdi served as the head coach of the Springfield Spirit in the National Women’s Professional Basketball League from October 2003 to April 2004.
Before joining the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun in 2003, Verdi served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, Conn. He helped WCSU to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2002 and 2003.
He also served as a volunteer assistant men’s coach at the University of Hartford from 1996 to 1997, after working as an assistant men’s coach at his alma mater, Keene State College in New Hampshire, from 1995 to 1996.
Verdi was born in New Britain, Conn. He earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Keene State College in 1996, before adding a master’s degree in computer technology from the University of Hartford in 2003.
Verdi is the first male hired to lead the EMU women’s basketball program in its history. Previously, Assistant Coach Shane Clipfell served as the team’s acting head coach for 24 games during the 2006-07 campaign when then-Head Coach Suzy Merchant was on maternity leave.
Verdi and his wife, Heather, have two sons, Tyler (11) and Bradyn (6), and a daughter Avery (9).
THE TORY VERDI FILE
Full Name: Salvatore P. Verdi
College: Keene State College (Graduated in 1996 - bachelor's in elementary education)
University of Hartford (Graduated in 2003 - master's in computer technology)
Family: Wife: Heather Sons: Tyler (11) and Bradyn (6) Daughter: Avery (9)
| Intercollegiate Coaching Experience | |||
| YEAR | SCHOOL | JOB TITLE | RECORD |
| 2014-15 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | 24-13; 11-7 MAC; WNIT "Sweet 16" |
| 2013-14 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | 18-14; 7-11 MAC; WBI Tournament |
| 2012-13 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | 8-22; 6-10 MAC |
| 2011-12 | University of Kansas | Assistant WBB Coach | 21-13; 8-10 Big XII |
| 2010-11 | University of Kansas | Assistant WBB Coach | 21-13; 6-10 Big XII |
| 2009-10 | University of Nebraska | Assistant WBB Coach | 32-2; 16-0 Big XII |
| 2008-09 | University of Nebraska | Assistant WBB Coach | 15-16; 6-10 Big XII |
| 2007-08 | University of Nebraska | Assistant WBB Coach | 21-12; 9-7 Big XII |
| 2006-07 | University of Nebraska | Assistant WBB Coach | 22-10; 10-6 Big XII |
| 2005-06 | University of Nebraska | Assistant WBB Coach | 19-13; 8-8 Big XII |
| 2005 | Connecticut Sun (WNBA) | Special Assistant | 26-8 |
| 2004-05 | Columbia University | Assistant Coach/Interim Head Coach | 12-15; 5-9 IVY |
| 2004 | Connecticut Sun (WNBA) | Assistant Coach | 18-16 |
| 2003 | Connecticut Sun (WNBA) | Assistant Coach | 18-16 |
| 2002-03 | Western Connecticut State Univ. | Assistant MBB Coach | 20-9 |
| 2001-02 | Western Connecticut State Univ. | Assistant MBB Coach | 21-7 |
| 1997-00 | Pomperaug (Conn.) High School | Head Boys Basketball Coach | |
| 1996-97 | University of Hartford | Volunteer Assistant MBB Coach | 17-11; 11-7 AE |
| 1995-96 | Keene State College | Assistant MBB Coach | 2-22 ; 0-20 NECC |
| OVERALL COLLEGIATE COACHING RECORD | 263-170 (.607) | ||
Postseason Coaching Experience:
2002 NCAA Division II Regionals, 2003 NCAA Division II First Round, 2003 WNBA Conference Finals, 2004 WNBA Finals, 2005 WNBA Finals, 2006 WNIT Third Round, 2007 NCAA Division I First Round, 2008 NCAA Division I Second Round, 2009 WNIT First Round, 2010 NCAA Division I “Sweet 16”, 2011 WNIT Second Round, 2012 NCAA Division I “Sweet 16”, 2014 WBI Second Round, 2015 WNIT "Sweet 16"
Women's Basketball Practice Highlights Week of Aug. 4, 2025
Sunday, August 10
Inaugural Bowling with the Eagles Event
Friday, August 08
Women's Basketball Practice Highlights Week of July 28, 2025
Friday, August 08
2025 Women's Basketball Alumni Panel
Wednesday, July 30
