Army West Point Athletics
Women’s Basketball Announces Staff Updates
July 10, 2024 | Women's Basketball
WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Army West Point Women's Basketball Program has announced the addition of Assistant Coaches, Claire Gritt, Glenn Rigney, Brie Wajer, and Brittany Aikens to its staff as well as the promotion of Tony DiClemente to Associate Head Coach, as revealed by Head Coach, Missy Traversi.
Claire Gritt steps into the role of an Assistant Coach, the Director of Basketball Operations after spending three years with Utah State's women's basketball program. She joined Utah State as a graduate manager in April 2021, advanced to Director of Basketball Operations in May 2022, and was promoted to assistant coach and director of player development for the 2023-24 season.
Gritt played collegiate basketball at Denver from 2017-2021, appearing in 114 games with 96 starts—the fifth most in Denver history. She scored 1,068 points, collected 249 rebounds, made 243 assists, and tallied 121 steals. Gritt ranks in the top ten in several Denver career records, including seventh in 3-pointers made (132), ninth in free throws made (258), and tenth in free throw percentage (.766). She earned Summit League Freshman of the Year and Honorable Mention honors in 2017-18.
Gritt, from Arlington Heights, Ill., graduated from Denver with degrees in psychology and communication, with minors in marketing and sociology, and earned her master's in sports management from Utah State.
Gritt expressed her enthusiasm about joining the Army women's basketball family stating, "Army West Point is such an incredible place with amazing people. I am so honored to be here and work with our fantastic cadet-athletes as they develop into our nation's future leaders. I am beyond grateful for Coach Traversi for giving me the opportunity to join this Army family and excited to get to work!"
Coach Traversi said, "Claire brings a passion and a relentless work ethic to our staff. She has the drive, humility, and discipline that connects with the West Point culture."
Glenn Rigney joins the staff as an Assistant Coach, the Director of Recruiting after a 20-year coaching tenure at Patriot League rival Lehigh University, where he served as the Mountain Hawks' associate head coach for 17 years. Rigney was instrumental in guiding Lehigh to 12 Patriot League semi final appearances, three league titles (2009, 2010, 2021), and coaching three Patriot League Players of the Year.
Rigney was recognized as one of the top mid-major assistant coaches by Silver Waves Media in June 2022. He has been noted for his strong defensive strategies, helping Lehigh lead the league in several defensive categories over the years.
Before his time at Lehigh, Rigney coached at Navy and American, contributing to their successes in the Patriot League. His extensive coaching career includes significant high school coaching experience and multiple championships in various sports.
Rigney holds a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Miami and has been actively involved with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association since 1989.
"I am so appreciative of Coach Traversi for providing me the opportunity to join her staff. It is an honor to be working with the highly motivated cadet-athletes at West Point and I am excited to get started," said Rigney.
Coach Traversi expressed her excitement on the hire saying, "Glenn, as our Director of Recruiting, brings a wealth of experience to West Point. With 20+ years in the Patriot League including prior service academy experience, Glenn is a proven winner and coach! His recruiting success and network will transition well to the national brand that is Army West Point."
Brie Wajer joins the staff as an Assistant Coach, the Director of Player Development after serving two seasons as the Director of Basketball Operations and Assistant Coach at Eastern Kentucky University.
At EKU, she managed the daily operations of the program, including budget logistics, academic enhancement, game-day management, team travel arrangements, equipment coordination, assigning student-managers, designing recruiting materials, and assisting with recruiting visits.
In the 2023-24 season, Wajer helped lead the Colonels to a 22-12 overall record. EKU reached the semifinals in the ASUN conference tournament under her guidance and secured a bid to the WNIT for the first time since 2002.
During the 2022-23 season, Wajer guided the program to an 18-14 overall record and an 11-7 mark in ASUN Conference play. EKU advanced to the ASUN Tournament quarterfinals for the second consecutive season. Wajer facilitated one of the most demanding travel schedules in all of NCAAW, including trips to Ireland, Boston, New York City, and a complete ASUN travel slate.
Before arriving in Kentucky, Wajer spent the 2021-22 season as Assistant Director of Basketball Operations with Villanova women's basketball. She oversaw all aspects of the program, including budget operations, academics, travel, meals, ticketing, and team managers.
In her first season on Denise Dillon's staff, Wajer contributed to a 24-9 record, highlighted by a road victory over No. 8 UConn, ending the Huskies' 193-game consecutive conference win streak. She played a significant role in the program's postseason efforts, leading to Villanova's qualification for the NCAA Tournament, where the Wildcats defeated BYU in the Round of 64.
Prior to joining the Villanova support staff, Wajer spent three seasons as a student-athlete with the program.
In her junior season, she helped lead the team to a 17-7 record, an appearance in the Big East quarterfinals, and a quarterfinals appearance in the WNIT with wins over UMass and Florida.
During the 2019-20 season, Wajer appeared in 16 games and was instrumental in helping the team to an 18-13 record, including an appearance in the Big East quarterfinals.
A native of Newcastle, Maine, Wajer graduated from Villanova in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts and a minor in communications.
Wajer states, "It's an honor to become a part of the Army women's basketball coaching staff. I look forward to supporting our cadet-athletes as they strive for excellence as players and members of the West Point Community. I am committed to assisting these female athletes in exceeding their goals and helping them prepare for life beyond West Point. I would like to thank Coach Traversi and staff for giving me this incredible opportunity! Go Army!"
Coach Traversi also expresses her excitement about the addition of Wajer, saying, "Brie's energy meets you at the door. Her contagious enthusiasm and high motor will be a welcomed addition to the Army Women's Basketball program. As a player development coach, Brie will be responsible for creating and executing year-round individual development plans for each one of our players. Brie's on-court efficiency and passion for the game will translate well to the cadet life here at West Point."
Brittany Aikens joins the staff as an Assistant Coach, Recruiting Coordinator. She previously spent two years as an assistant coach at Cal State Fullerton, where she contributed to the Titans' appearances in the Big West Tournament.
Before her tenure at Cal State Fullerton, Aikens was an assistant coach at Seattle University (2021-22) after serving as the team's director of operations during the 2020-21 season.
In 2019-20, Aikens was the Director of Player Development at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she gained valuable experience in recruiting, opponent scouting, and player development as a graduate assistant.
Aikens graduated from Fresno State in 2016, where she played basketball after transferring from Howard Junior College. At Fresno State, she was named the Most Improved Player and played a key role in the team's run to the Mountain West Conference championship game in her senior year. She also helped the team reach the NCAA Tournament (2013-14) and the WNIT (2015-16).
Aikens later earned a teaching certificate at Cal State San Bernardino and played semi-professional basketball with the SoCal Splash, where she became a conference and regional champion and competed in the national tournament.
Aikens earned a Masters of Arts in Higher Education Administration with Athletic Administration Specialization from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Aikens expresses her excitement about joining the Army Women's Basketball program, stating, "I want to thank Coach T for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. Being hired by Army West Point is not just a job; it's a chance to contribute to the legacy of leadership, discipline, and excellence that defines this esteemed institution. Growing up a military brat, with both my parents and brothers serving, this role is a deeply personal honor. It feels like a continuation of my family's commitment to service and a chance to give back to the community that shaped me, all while combining my passion for coaching and basketball."
Coach Traversi shares her enthusiasm, saying, "Brittany brings precision to her work, as well as a wide array of knowledge and experiences as a military brat herself. Throughout the interview process, Brittany's preparation stood out. She is passionate about combining her military and coaching background at West Point. Her military ties bring a unique perspective that will add to our program in a special way. Additionally, Brittany's recruiting network on the West Coast gives us an advantage in helping us find both future leaders and impactful cadet-athletes for our program."
Tony DiClemente was promoted to Associate Head Coach of the Black Knights in July 2024.
DiClemente joined the Army staff in April 2021 as an Assistant Coach. In his three seasons coaching at Army, he helped lead the Black Knights to three Patriot League Tournament appearances, including a trip to the semifinals. Additionally, he coached five All-Conference selections, two All-Rookie team selections, and a Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
Before joining the Army staff, DiClemente served four seasons as an assistant under Traversi at Adelphi. During his tenure at Adelphi, he coached six NE-10 All-Conference selections and helped guide the Panthers to one of their best seasons in program history in 2019-20. That historic year, the Panthers opened the season with a 16-game winning streak, finished with a 27-3 overall record, and captured the NE-10 Southwest Division regular-season title. The Panthers outscored their opposition by an average of 17.4 points per game and limited teams to the third-lowest three-point field-goal percentage (.250) in all of Division II. Adelphi, which ranked as high as No. 8 in the WBCA Division II Poll, earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division II East Region Championship, but the tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 crisis.
DiClemente is a 2017 graduate of Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing. He was a practice player with the Seawolves' women's basketball team as an undergraduate. He also earned a Master of Science in Sport Management from Adelphi in 2019.
On the promotion, Traversi says, "I am very excited to announce Tony as our program's new Associate Head Coach, a much-deserved promotion. Throughout the past 8 years, Tony has had a positive impact on my programs through his work-ethic, high character, and passion for coaching. He is a fantastic coach who continues to help develop our cadet-athletes as players and our nation's future leaders. He not only leads our players, but also helps, mentors, and empowers our staff to strive for greatness. He is the glue that makes us better and continues to inspire everyone in our program to represent West Point with honor and humility. Tony is the epitome of a team player and is willing to do whatever is needed for our program to be successful. He truly embodies the West Point culture of service over self and brings others along with him. This promotion is a special moment for me, as I have seen him develop into the coach he is. I have no doubt that he will continue to dominate his larger role in our program. I am very proud to have him alongside me as we look to compete in the upcoming 24-25 season!"
