Women's Coach

[richard k.]

Katzowitz (sp?) is reporting there is a news conference @ 2:00pm to announce the new women's basketball coach - someone from Louisiana-Lafayette (the Rajin' Cajuns) - 4 years @ ULL and who won 25 games with them this year, going to the NCAA. Not to be a downer before this guy even gets started, and he may turn out to be the best thing ever to happen to women's hoops @ UC, but Texas just hired the Duke head coach who won it all last year. I wouldn't expect UC to hire Pat Summit, but does every new coach have to be from a much lower level conference?

[jon b]

but does every new coach have to be from a much lower level conference?

I think the thought process is that it is better to have a head coach with experience versus a big-time assistant. Less learning on the job perhaps.

[lieberma]

But it is disappointing that with all of the good women's programs in the midwest, and north, that we get someone with very few recruiting ties to this area. Louisville hired the Md assistant (national champions last year) as their new head coach. It just seems that being in the Big East has not helped this search, or the AD is doing it on the cheap.

[Killick]

Dated info, but looks solid:
"J. Kelley Hall enters his second season as the head coach of Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball program. Last season, in his first year at UL Lafayette, he guided the Cajuns to an 8-19 record, while posting a 4-11 record in the Sun Belt Conference.
Hall came to UL Lafayette after spending the past years as an associate head coach at the University of Louisville where he served as the Lady Cardinals recruiting coordinator and defensive coach as well as handling on-the-floor coaching duties of the post players. During his stint at Louisville, Hall was key in signing the No. 2-ranked Junior College player in the country with Amande Wolfe. He also credited with organizing the first Lady Cardinals Elite Camp.
He was hired by Louisiana-Lafayette Director of Athletics Nelson Schexnayder on Friday, April 5, 2002, to instill a sense of credibility in the program and provide new leadership and direction to a program that has long desired a winning season.
“I'm very pleased and excited that someone of Mr. Hall's background and experience has decided to join us," Schexnayder said at the press conference to announce Hall's hiring. “I am most excited about his overall desire to be here with Louisiana-Lafayette. He is a welcomed addition to our staff."
“My wife and I are pleased to be joining this (UL Lafayette Athletics Department) team," Hall said after being introduced as the 10th head coach in Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball history. “This is a great opportunity for my first Division I head coaching job."
If past accomplishments are going to be any indication of his success here at Louisiana-Lafayette, Hall may make strides never seen before in Cajuns' women's basketball history.
Before Louisville, Hall spent four seasons in the Southeastern Conference as the recruiting coordinator at Auburn.
Hall's first recruiting class at Auburn ranked as high as fourth in the nation by Blue Chip Magazine. That class included All-Americans Shana Askew, Tasha Hamilton and Conswella Sparrow. In his second class, every player was named an All-American by USA Today and the class was ranked fifth overall in the country.
Hall's third recruiting class at Auburn reached nationally-ranked status as well. He rounded out his stay at Auburn with a class ranked in the Top 10 by USA Today, Blue Star and All-Star recruiting services. In that class, he signed Carol Smith who was named the Rawlings NJCAA Ntional Player of the Year.
Prior to his arrival at Auburn, Hall spent two seasons at Cal State- Fullerton working as an assistant and recruiting coordinator. White at CSF, he was able to coach the NCAA's leading scorer, Koko Lahanas. Hall also spent time at Mississippi State from 1992-94, one of three assistant coaching stints in the SEC.
Hall began his coaching career at his alma mater, Troy State, in 1982. While with the Trojans, he was an assistant coach for that one season.
Following the 1982 campaign, Hall moved on to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for a volunteer assistant position at the University of Alabama during the 1983-94 season.
He then became a head coach for the first time in his career, taking over the reigns of Gordon Junior College from 1984-85. He guided his team to a 19- 7 mark and a third-place finish in the Georgia Junior College Athletic Association.
Hall's next stop in the JUCO head coaching ranks was at Truett-McConnell Junior College in Cleveland, Ga., where he spent seven seasons. He compiled an impressive 185-49 record that included three state junior college championship teams and four runner-up finishes. In 1991 and 1992, he was named the GJCAA Coach of the Year. He also coached five NJCAA All-Americans. While at Truett-McConnell, he also served as director of athletics, physical education instructor, assistant dean of students and the chairman of the health and physical education department.
Hall received his bachelor's degree in secondary education from Troy State in 1982.
He is married to the former Meredith Michele Sisson and they have a daughter, Brynley Michele."