Associate head coach Blair Hardiek served for six years as a member of the women's basketball coaching staff at San Francisco after joining head coach Jennifer Azzi's staff in the spring of 2010. She helped lead the Dons to the finals at the 2015 West Coast Conference tournament to earn a bid to the WNIT, USF's first postseason appearance since 2001-02, and to the NCAA tournament in 2016 after the Dons took home the West Coast Conference Championship title.
Her duties included offensive coordinator, recruiting, game scheduling, camp director, opponent scouting, guard position coach, practice planning, and social media coordinator. The Dons experienced expontential development offensively under Hardiek's watch. In 2014-15 USF posted the highest scoring season ever (2,308 points) averaging the fifth-best scoring average at 69.9 points per game. The Dons finished in the top four in the West Coast Conference in free throw percentage (75.7 - 3rd), field goal percentage (42.5 - 4th), turnover margin (0.82 - 4th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.88 - 4th) during the march to the postseason.
In addition to recruiting top domestic talent, Hardiek spearheaded international recruiting at USF attracting national team-level players from around the world, and she recently attended the 2014 FIBA U-17 World Championships in the Czech Republic. The USF roster is dotted with players from several different countries: Michaela Rakova (Slovakia), Ninni Salmi (Finland), Raushan Gultekin (Sweden), Anna Seilund (Denmark), Alicia Roufosse (Canada), Cierra Roufosse (Canada), Zayn Dornstuder (Canada).
Hardiek moved to the Hilltop following a season as the top women's basketball assistant at San Francisco State. A four-year letter-winner and team captain at the University of Missouri, Hardiek had a successful playing career for the Lady Tigers of the prestigious Big 12 Conference while also excelling in the classroom.
As the top assistant for the Gators during the 2009-10 season, Hardiek gained valuable experience. She was responsible for the oversight of guard development, recruiting coordination both on and off campus, film breakdown and scouts of every opponent, player academic meetings and leading practices.
Hardiek began her coaching journey as an intern for Hall of Fame coach, Tara VanDerveer and her staff at Stanford. While working with VanDerveer, the Cardinal posted an overall record of 35-4 while earning a 2008 NCAA Final Four appearance. She has also coached, for two years, at the Tara VanDerveer Summer Camps.
Hardiek enjoyed a successful playing career at The University of Missouri. She was a point guard and team captain for the 2003-2007 squad. Also, Hardiek was the team's Pre-Season Total Point Leader, three time Team Hustle Award, along with the Tiger Free Throw Award.
In the classroom, Hardiek was a Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll honoree, graduating with a degree in communications and minor in business. Hardiek also earned her MBA from Golden Gate University in 2009. A native of Effingham, Illinois, Hardiek was a standout for Effingham High School, where she is a member of the Hall of Fame.
She holds her high school's scoring, rebounding, and steals records. Additionally, Hardiek was an Illinois High School Association (IHSA) All-State Nominee and a Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) All-State Nominee. Hardiek was also a nominee for the Street and Smith's All-State Team and invitee to the Nike All-American Camp.
Along with her work at Sanford and San Francisco State, Hardiek has held positions as a basketball trainer at Triple Threat Academy, Northern California's top basketball training program, served as a camp counselor for the Golden State Warriors and assisted with basketball clinics throughout many Northern California locations since arriving in the Bay Area in 2007.
