BRUNSWICK — Since her time sprinting up and down Midcoast basketball courts, Knox native Adrienne Shibles has built an impressive legacy for herself in the world of coaching, namely, as the head coach of the women’s basketball program at Bowdoin College in Brunswick.  

Bowdoin, the 2020 New England Small College Athletic Conference champions, sported a 27-2 record this season and was slated to challenge Indiana’s Trine University in the third round of the NCAA Division III playoffs until the remainder of the collegiate basketball was canceled amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The abrupt end to this season marked Shibles’ 12th season at the helm of the Bowdoin women’s basketball program. 

Shibles joined the Polar Bears in time for the 2008-2009 season, in which the Polar Bears claimed their eighth conference championship, ninth consecutive NCAA playoff appearance and a 24-5 record yielding conference and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) New England Coach of the Year accolades for Shibles. The 24 wins were the most by a first-year coach in the program’s history. 

Shibles guided the Polar Bears as far as the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA playoffs four times (2010, 2011, 2015 and 2016) before Bowdoin found themselves national runners-up during the 2018 and 2019 tournaments. 

Following the 2019 season, Shibles was bestowed the Coach of the Year accolade from the New England Small College Athletic Conference and as the WBCA Division III Coach of the Year. Additionally, Shibles was selected a court coach for the Team USA U16 team trials. 

An alumna of Mount View High School, Shibles was inducted in 2015 to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame for her achievements on the court. 

Following her time at the Thorndike high school, she earned her bachelor’s degree at Bates College in Lewiston, where she was two-time captain of the women’s basketball team and a 1,000 point scorer. 

Following her graduation from Bates, she coached basketball at Babson College, basketball and soccer at Colby College in Waterville and at Elms College in Massachusetts. At the latter, she received her start as a head coach while juggling her studies as a graduate student at nearby Smith College. 

From Elms, she became the head coach at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. The season prior to her arrival, the team sported a 7-17 record. Four years later, Shibles guided the team to a school-record 23 victories and a conference championship. 

“In her last five seasons at Swarthmore, Shibles averaged over 19 wins per year, qualified for the Centennial Conference Tournament four times, claimed the 2001 conference title and earned the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament bid,” her Bowdoin biography boasts. 

After nine years at Swarthmore, Shibles returned to her home state in 2006 with her husband to accept a position at Gould Academy in Bethel and later at Bowdoin in 2008. 

Shibles’ time at Mount View and Bates influenced the coaching style that was propelled the Knox native to the success she has experienced in her coaching career. 

“My experience as a high school and collegiate athlete provided me with confidence and with the life skills that were critical in my development as a person and leader,” she said. 

Recalling the influential people in her life as a basketball player, she was drawn to coaching the sport to help the next generation of student-athletes. 

“I wanted to give young adults the same opportunities I was provided through sport,” Shibles said. 

Her coaching career has provided exactly that, and then some. 

“I love building relationships and trust with student-athletes, and take great joy in watching a group of individuals come together to achieve a common goal,” she responded when asked about her favorite aspect of the profession. 

Success as a collegiate coach comes with some challenges, however. 

“Finding a healthy life balance as a coach is difficult given the late nights and long days/weeks in season,” Shibles responded when asked to name the most challenging aspect of the profession. 

Those who are interested in becoming coaches are advised, by Shibles, to seek the guidance a mentor. 

“Find a mentor who can assist you in your journey, but also understand that being an effective coach has much more to do with building relationships, developing leaders and being intentional about culture than it is about X’s and O’s,” she said. “Therefore, mentors can be leaders in all walks of life who have demonstrated the ability to manage a group of people effectively.” 

Shibles also offered advice for high school student-athletes seeking to play collegiate athletics.

“Coaches of high-functioning programs seek great teammates who are selfless, exhibit good body language and who have a strong work ethic,” she said. “If I see an athlete roll their eyes at their coach or their parent, it is a deal breaker for me in the recruiting process. Character trumps talent for many coaches who value culture and believe that cohesive teams win championships.” 

Reach George Harvey and the sports department at: sports@penbaypilot.com.