Duquesne Athletics
Duquesne Athletics 2024 Hall Of Fame Class Honored
Duquesne Coach Dan Burt put all of the pieces together in his third season as his 2015-16 squad made its first, and to this point lone NCAA Tournament appearance.
A big reason for that was April Robinson, who Burt consistently referred to as the team’s catalyst.
Robinson was the captain for a program which earned a record 28 wins, securing the first A-10 regular season title, advantage to the championship finals and earning the aforementioned NCAA Tournament bid.
In 2016, she was named A-10 Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year and shared co-Player of the Year honors with Saint Louis’s Jackie Kemph.
To date, Robinson ranks fourth in program history with 1,598 points, first in made three-point field goals (249), second in assists (578), tied for first with Kadri-Ann Lass for games played (133) and first in games started (all 133). In 2019 Robinson became the third women’s basketball player to have her jersey retired.
“Coming in as a freshman back in 2012, I didn’t think this was even an option,” Robinson stated. “I came in and had an amazing coaching staff and amazing teammates who allowed me to grow as a person, better yet, a player as well. It certainly would not have been done without everyone by my side.”
The 2015-16 championship team had plenty of representation present with Burt, Lass, Robinson, Paige Cannon, Chassidy Omogrosso, Connor Richardson, Angela Staffileno, Amadea Szamosi, Brianna Thomas and All-Conference First and Defensive Team selections Deva’Nyar Workman in addition to assistant coaches Eddie Benton, Matt Schmidt, Rachel Wojdowski, graduate assistant Olivia Bresnahan and director of basketball operations Melissa Franko all present.
Burt highlighted that the 97 points scored in the NCAA Tournament First Round victory over Seton Hall are the most scored by a men’s or women’s D-I program in their first-ever tournament game.
“Obviously the most special memory was that 2015-16 season,” recalled Robinson. “Especially when we were at PNC Park when we had that ceremony and heard our name called. I won’t forget the feeling, I was sweating because before we were kind of sitting in the same predicament and then now we are in a bigger stage and luckily we heard our name called. Truthfuly seeing Erin (Waskowiak) make that shot in the NCAA Tournament. What an impressive career, incredible person who has been through a lot.”
