Women’s basketball coach Emilee Thiesse has announced that Ketty Paula has joined Minnesota State as an assistant coach.
“We couldn’t be more excited about the addition of Ketty Paula to our Maverick basketball family,” Thiesse said “It is a great honor to add one of my former players to our staff. Ketty is a proven champion who understands the commitment it takes to get to that level. Her passion and energy are contagious and we know that she will have a lasting impact on the players in our program.”
A native of Yankton, S.D., Paula joined the South Dakota School of Mines women’s basketball team as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2011-12 season. Paula would return to South Dakota School of Mines in August of 2013 as a full time assistant coach as the team made the transition to NCAA Division II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Prior to becoming the assistant coach at South Dakota School of Mines, Paula served as a health and physical education teacher at Rapid City Area Schools from August 2011 through May 2013. She also served as an assistant coach for the Stevens Raider girls basketball team and as the head coach of the freshman girls basketball team during the 2012-13 season.
Prior to her coaching career, Paula played four seasons with the South Dakota State women’s basketball team. It was during her senior season that Paula would meet Thiesse, who joined the SDSU coaching staff as an assistant coach in the summer of 2009.
As a member of the Jackrabbits, Paula earned All-Summit League Second Team honors as a junior and a senior. She was also a three-year starter and served as a team captain during her junior and senior seasons. Along with her honors on the court, she excelled in the classroom as she was named to the Academic All-Summit League Team three times.
During Paula’s four seasons with SDSU, the Jackrabbits made two trips to both the NCAA Tournament and the WNIT, to go along with a pair of Summit League championships. She finished her career with 1,042 points, 381 rebounds, 162 rebounds and 90 steals.
Paula also competed on the SDSU volleyball team and the women’s track and field team. During the 2010 volleyball season, Paula appeared in 57 sets during 22 matches as she tallied 77 kills and 37 digs. During the 2011 outdoor season, Paula competed in the discus and javelin events.
Paula received a Bachelor’s degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from SDSU in the spring of 2011 and is currently pursuing her graduate degree in Kinesiology and Sport Management.
Photo Courtesy Minnesota State Athletics
Tagged with: DII Emilee Thiesse Ketty Paula Minnesota State NSIC
