NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- More than three weeks after Vanderbilt University's first choice for a new women's basketball coach resigned because of a resume discrepancy, the Commodores have selected Melanie Balcomb of Xavier to fill the vacancy.

"This is an ideal fit for me," Balcomb said at a Tuesday news conference to officially announce her hiring. "I am excited to be coaching at a university that has high standards and high aspirations."

Balcomb, 39, replaces Jim Foster, who resigned April 7 to take the same post at Ohio State. Former Colorado State coach Tom Collen was announced as Foster's replacement May 2, but quit the next day after questions were raised about the accuracy of his resume.

Balcomb said she is not disappointed that she was not Vanderbilt's first choice.

"In this business most people are not the first choice," she said. "I tell my players all the time that it's not who starts but what you do when you get in."

Collen resigned because of a discrepancy over whether he had one or two master's degrees. He has one master's in health education and recreational programming, but a resume he submitted to Colorado State in 1997 listed two master's degrees.

Collen said he never meant to be deceptive about his education, and that he believed for 17 years that he had earned two degrees.

Because of that situation, Vanderbilt officials spent more time talking with people about Balcomb and deliberated more internally, said Chancellor Gordon Gee.

"We decided to be very deliberative and to make sure we have the right coach, and I think we have done that," Gee said.

Balcomb was comfortable with the scrutiny, saying it helped her feel that she is "a good fit" for the position.

As for the controversy, she said it didn't tarnish her opinion of the Vanderbilt job.

"This is a great job, in a great place, at a great school in a great conference," she said. "None of that has changed."

Balcomb leaves Xavier after seven seasons as its winningest coach, with a 135-78 record. She won Atlantic 10 tournament titles in 2000 and 2001 and was named the 2000-01 Atlantic 10 coach of the year. During her tenure, Xavier played three times in the NCAA Tournament.

"The Xavier women's basketball program has come a long way since coach Balcomb took the job in 1995," said Mike Bobinski, athletics director at Xavier.

"I am very thankful for all her work in developing the program to the point where it is today. She leaves having made the program one that is competitive nationally, and one that is respected for its integrity as well."

Foster was 256-99 in 11 seasons with the Commodores and took them to the NCAA Tournament 10 times and to the Final Four once.

Vanderbilt is coming off a 30-7 record and its second straight appearance in the final eight of the NCAA tournament. The team returns center Chantelle Anderson, an All-American last season, and two other starters.

Virginia Tech's Bonnie Henrickson and South Carolina's Susan Walvius both negotiated extensions after talking to Vanderbilt about the vacancy.

Charli Turner Thorne of Arizona State, Sherri Coale of Oklahoma, Joe McKeown of George Washington and Kathy McConnell-Miller of Tulsa were among those who have either declined to be interviewed or interviewed and withdrew from consideration at Vanderbilt.

Balcomb said the Vanderbilt job interested her from the beginning.

"There are so many things we had in common," she said of Xavier and Vanderbilt, citing both being private schools with strong academic traditions.