Karen Haag was the head women's basketball coach for the 19 seasons from 2001-02 until 2019-20.
She guided Saint Rose to three 20-win campaigns, four NCAA Championship Tournament berths, and 11 Northeast-10 Conference Postseason Championship appearances throughout her head coaching tenure.
A strong advocate of community service, Haag is a co-founder of Camp Bravehearts, which is a series of retreats designed for women who have been diagnosed with cancer. Haag, who is a cancer survivor herself, has also been involved with "Coaches vs Cancer" for the American Cancer Society.
Haag was selected to represent the Capital Region at the National Jefferson Awards Ceremony in recognition of public service at the end of the 2011-12 academic year. In 2008, Haag received the Make a Difference Award from the Susan G. Komen Foundation, an honor that is given once per-year to an outstanding individual who has made a difference in the lives of individuals facing breast cancer.
Haag, who served as the Chair of the NCAA East Region Women's Basketball Regional Advisory Committee, arrived at Saint Rose in 2001-02 after spending 10 years as the head coach at Wilkes University following a two-year stint at SUNY-Delhi.
Haag graduated from SUNY Oneonta in 1984 with a degree in English and Secondary Education. She also holds a master's degree in Curriculum Planning and Development from the University at Albany.
A star player in her own right, Haag is among Oneonta State's all-time leaders in scoring, assists and steals. The team's Most Valuable Player following both her junior and senior seasons, Haag garnered All-Conference accolades from the SUNYAC as a senior. She was also the first female basketball player to be inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
