Colgate University recently welcomed Shannon Bush as the new head women’s basketball coach starting in the 2025-2026 season.
Bush has previously served on the coaching staff of other D1 schools, including Cornell University, Fresno State University, Siena College, University of Vermont and Sacred Heart University. With her last position as associate head coach at Cornell, Bush has already made her return back to Upstate New York, but her start at Colgate marks her return to the Patriot League. As a player for Holy Cross College, Bush was a part of a team that won the Patriot League Championship and made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
On returning to the Patriot League, Bush reflected on the benefits of the league.
“I am excited to be back in the Patriot League,” Bush said. “The league is unique in that it truly caters to the holistic student-athlete experience. It offers the best of both worlds in athletics and academics.”
Additionally, Bush recognized that Colgate offers this combination of academics and athletics. She shared how almost two decades that Colgate was a school she envisioned coaching at in the future. And now she has realized that goal.
“When I was a young coach, a mentor of mine told me that I needed to write down where I wanted this journey in the coaching profession to take me,” Bush said. “She told me that I needed to hold my vision every single day as I faced the challenges and adversity that are part of this job and lifestyle. I wrote down 3 schools on a piece of paper that day 19 years ago. Colgate was one of the schools. It is a dream to be here.”
Bush is filling in the shoes of Colgate’s previous head coach, Ganiyat Adeduntan, and commented on contributing to the development of the program’s legacy.
“Coach G and her staff set the standard and raised the bar for Colgate women’s basketball,” Bush said. “We look forward to continuing the positive trajectory and being a program that is consistently competing at the top of the Patriot League.”
What Bush brings as a coach is her ability to understand that the players on the court are students off the court and that she as a coach has a critical role in guiding their development as athletes and people.
“My coaching and leadership style is relational, intentional and instruction based,” Bush said. “I strive to help the student athletes grow on and off the court as well as empower them to find their own leadership voices.”
Bush has already been busy since she was announced as the new head coach, and has worked on recruitment and held a press conference. Despite her busy schedule with the more administrative responsibilities as a coach, Bush has also already been able to connect with the players. She commented on her excitement to coach players who are invested in the game and each other.
“I have loved getting to spend time getting to know this team,” Bush said. “The players are high character, high motor, hard working and so fun to be around. What is clear is their deep care for each other and their love of Colgate.”
Bush realizes that she is a new part of the team and hopes to immerse herself in the team’s dynamic to best be able to determine how to help the team improve to generate success.
“I told our players I am grateful to be joining their team,” Bush said. “While I chose them, they didn’t get to choose me. I can’t wait to learn more about the positive parts of the team culture and to work collaboratively with them to fill in the gaps so we can achieve at our highest level on and off the court. We want to win in every area.”
What lies ahead for the Raiders with Bush at the helm is the pursuit of another Patriot League Championship.
“This group is driven to get better and to work together to hang another banner in Cotterell Court,” Bush said. “I am excited to help them chase their goal.”
