The Revere native coached the Catamounts for seven seasons, including back-to-back America East titles the past two seasons. Vermont upset Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament this season before bowing to Notre Dame.

At UMass, Dawley will succeed Marnie Dacko, whose contract was not renewed after eight seasons. The Minutewomen finished this season 5-9 in Atlantic 10 play and 11-19 overall.

Dawley was 128-86 (.598) overall at Vermont and is the winningest coach in the program’s history. She was an assistant women’s coach at Dartmouth for 10 years and before that the head coach at Tufts for nine seasons.

Dawley will be the 10th women’s basketball coach in the history of the UMass program.

“I am extremely excited for this opportunity to be the head women’s basketball coach at the University of Massachusetts and return to my home state. UMass has been a school I admired growing up and I believe this program has a lot of potential and opportunity for growth and that has me excited. I can’t wait to get started, getting to know the returning players, and working with them,’’ said Dawley.

Dawley is a 1983 graduate of Saint Anselm.