John Hannafin is in his third season as an assistant coach of the Lafayette women's basketball program. He previously served as the director of basketball operations in 2022-23.
After being promoted to assistant coach before the 2023-24 season, Hannafin has taken on a larger role in recruiting efforts and game planning. Lafayette garnered six Patriot League wins during the 2024-25 season and it won its first home playoff game since the 2021-22 campaign. Hannafin worked with the program’s latest 1,000-point scorers, Makayla Andrews ’24 and Abby Antognoli ’25, who both earned multiple All-Patriot League laurels over their careers. He also aided in the development of current sophomore Talia Zurinskas in her freshman season, when she was named to the All-Patriot League Rookie Team.
Hannafin comes to College Hill after an almost three-year tenure as the assistant girls’ basketball coach at Staten Island Academy where he worked on post-player development, daily practice plans, competitive schedule management and social media administration. Hannafin helped lead the Tigers to a No. 4 NYS ‘A’ ranking and the 2022 NY Class A State Championship.
“I am thrilled to have John join our staff. His energy and love for women’s basketball were evident throughout the hiring process,” said Lafayette coach Kia Damon-Olson said. “John’s background with running camps, community outreach and teaching will serve us well as we continue to build a championship-caliber program.”
Before Staten Island Academy, Hannafin was a student assistant for the women’s basketball team at his alma mater, Springfield College. The Staten Island, N.Y. native assisted the coaching staff daily, preparing scouting reports using Synergy Sports Tech and recording shot chart statistics.
Hannafin operated Springfield women’s basketball’s first Facebook page and curated a monthly newsletter to provide updates on the program. He also helped plan the program’s first alumni game, reaching over 350 previous graduates via email and social media.
Dating back to 2015, Hannafin’s athletics-focused resume includes multiple experiences that will aid him during his time with Lafayette: sales coordinator and director of marketing for Moe’s All-Star Camps & Training, marketing and community outreach intern for Wagner College athletics, college coach liaison for the Staten Island Showcase and clinic coordinator for Clinic with the Pros.
Hannafin earned a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from Springfield College in 2020, along with a Master of Education (Physical Education K-12) at Brooklyn College in May 2022.
Updated (5/27/25)
