NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Victoria M. “Vicky” Chun, Yale University’s Thomas A. Beckett Director of Athletics, has announced Dalila Eshe as the Bulldogs’ 11^th Joel E. Smilow Class of 1954 Head Coach of Women’s Basketball in program history.
 
A familiar face in the Ivy League, Eshe comes to Yale from Princeton where she spent thre seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. She assisted the Tigers in achieving a No. 24 national ranking, an Ivy League title and a win over then-No. 15 Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament last season.
 
"We are absolutely thrilled to have Dalila lead our women's basketball program. She comes to us with a wealth of experience as a former student-athlete, professional athlete and coach from the highest levels of basketball. Dalila is a proven winner and her commitment to the student-athlete experience, and development of young women was clear in the interview process," said Chun. "Her success in recruiting and player development make her a perfect fit to be our next head coach. We welcome Dalila, her wife Way Veney, and their children, Wray Lee and Wren Rose to New Haven."
 
Eshe was selected 25^th overall in the WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm in 2006. She was also rostered with the Washington Mystics and Atlanta Dream in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
 
Additionally, she enjoyed a successful overseas career from 2006-2014 where she made stops in Romania, Turkey, Russia, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Taiwan and Portugal.
 
"I would like to thank our Athletic Director Vicky Chun and our Deputy Athletic Director Ann-Marie Guglieri for trusting me to lead this prestigious program. It is an honor and a dream come true to accept this position as the next women's basketball coach at Yale University," said Eshe. "This program has been very successful over the last few years with the hard work of the student-athletes and the staff. I am so excited to lead this amazing group of young women. We will pride ourselves on putting in the work to win championships. I'm looking forward to getting started. Go Bulldogs!"
 
Eshe's first collegiate endeavor came in 2013 when she served a season as Loyola Maryland's Director of Basketball Operations. She became an assistant coach the next year when she joined East Carolina University. In two seasons, she helped develop Itiana Taylor into the American Athletic Conference's (AAC) Newcomer of the Year and All-AAC performer. The Pirates also signed their first-ever top-50 recruiting class and earned a victory in the WNIT with Eshe on staff.
 
Eshe joined LaSalle University in 2016 as both an assistant coach and its recruiting coordinator. She led the Explorers to the signing of their first-ever top-100 recruit as well as their best incoming class in 25 seasons. On the court, LaSalle achieved its best record in eight years.