Lynda Day is in her tenth year as head coach of the John Jay women's basketball program and her fourth year as Coordinator of Student Success.
In her role as Coordinator of Student Success, Day assists with the S.A.R.G.E. program, providing academic support to nearly 220 student-athletes, including registration assistance, educational program planning, graduation/transfer support, and career guidance.
On the court, Day has built the program into a perennial contender and is its all-time leader in career wins with 97 heading into the 2025-26 season. Additionally, she has led the Bloodhounds to three straight CUNYAC finals appearances in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
On February 6, 2024, Day achieved a program milestone, becoming the first Bloodhound women's basketball head coach to have the program regionally ranked.
After recording just six wins in her first two seasons, the Bloodhounds have recorded double-digit win totals in each of her last eight seasons. In 2024, under Day's guidance, the program amassed a program-high 19 wins while also finishing the year 12-2 in CUNYAC play, the best record in program history.
Day has guided 13 All-Conference players while mentoring one Rookie of the Year selection (Katie Healy, 2018). Additionally, under her tutelage, four student-athletes earned All-Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) honors (Ashley Zeolla, Kamryn Hammond, Katie Healy, and Nyasha Howard). Healy went on to become the program's second leading scorer all-time (1,599) and became just the second Bloodhound all-time with 1,000 career rebounds (1,125).
Day was named head coach on July 11, 2016, after serving as the lead assistant at SUNY Old Westbury for five seasons. In what turned out to be her final year on the Panthers' coaching staff in the 2015-16 season, the Panthers advanced to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance after securing the 2016 Skyline Conference Championship. During her time there, she mentored seven all-conference selections and coached the league Player, Defensive, and Rookie of the year honorees.
Day has proven herself to be an excellent recruiter on all levels. Before joining the Old Westbury staff, she served as the varsity assistant coach at Mary Louis Academy for four years. From 1999 to 2005, she coached girls' travel teams ages 7-9 and 10-12 for St. Demetrios and spent her summers coaching AAU basketball with the NYC Heat.
She broke into collegiate coaching in 2003, serving as an assistant women's basketball coach at her alma mater, Queens College. In her first season, she helped guide the Knights to 17 wins, the most since her sophomore year (2000-01; 15 wins). During the 2005-06 season, she served as interim head coach for nine games, posting a 6-3 record.
Day received a bachelor's degree from Queens College in 2003, where she majored in Sociology and minored in Psychology. She was a four-year member of the women's basketball program and served as team captain as a senior.
She earned her master's degree in elementary education from LIU Post in 2005.
