Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) Women’s Basketball Head Coach Christopher Minner has announced the addition of Stacy Stephens to his coaching staff. Stephens will become Minner’s assistant coach, taking over for Katie Peebles, who left OLLU this past spring for a head coach job at Sul Ross State University.
Stephens comes to OLLU after a three-year stint as assistant coach at NCAA DI Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. Prior to that, she was a special assistant at the University of Texas at Austin after an illustrious collegiate career with the Longhorns.
Minner commented, “I am very excited to have one of the best college players in the history of Texas on our coaching staff. Stacy is going to be fantastic for our post players and our program overall but our post players should be excited to learn from the best. Her recruiting experience in Texas and her knowledge of our program really stood out in the interview process. Her excitement and commitment to winning and wanting to win championships were evident during the process; it was important for me to get someone who was a part of a winning environment and Stacy was always on fantastic teams at the University of Texas as a player and as a special assistant.”
For the Longhorns, Stephens was an All-American and a finalist for the State Farm Wade Trophy – given to the best women’s basketball player in NCAA DI competition – and the Naismith Award – given to the top women’s collegiate basketball players – during her junior and senior years. She was a two-time Big 12 first-team player.
The Longhorns’ team with Stephens earned a 2003 NCAA Final Four berth and two regular-season and one tournament championship in the Big 12 Conference. She concluded her collegiate career tallying more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. She averaged 12.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game while at Texas.
Stephens was a third-round draft pick for the Houston Comets of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in 2004, and she spent four years playing professionally in the United States, Portugal, Sweden and Turkey.
“I am excited to join Our Lady of the Lake University’s athletic department and especially the women’s basketball team,” Stephens commented. “I believe in what Coach Minner teaches his student athletes and the competitive expectations within his programs. I look forward to learning from this opportunity and helping to continue the winning culture that is OLLU Women’s Basketball.”
Prior to her coaching position at the University of Texas, Stephens was assistant coach at NAIA/Red River Athletic Conference’s (RRAC) Texas College and director of basketball operations and Colorado State University.
She received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at Austin.
Minner concluded, “Our players who have met her are excited about having her join our program. They knew all about her WNBA and UT career. Stacy is a tireless recruiter and a great man-to-man defensive coach. She understands the hours needed as an assistant. She has played at the highest level of basketball and can share that knowledge with our program. I look forward to having her with us.”
Stephens joins one of the NAIA’s most successful women’s basketball teams. The team has had eight consecutive winning seasons for an overall 201-60 record. The Saints have made eight trips to the conference tournament and have captured two tournament titles. They have won five consecutive regular season trophies and have made six trips to the NAIA National Championship Tournament with three Sweet 16 and three first-round appearances. In 2015-2016, the Saints made history after earning the top spot in the NAIA Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, where they remained for six weeks. They are currently on a 32-home-game winning streak that began Jan. 10, 2015, through the end of last season, Feb. 25, 2017.
The Saints will begin their ninth season on Nov. 2 with a home game against Texas A&M International University and on Nov. 4 against Southwestern Assemblies of God University. They will participate in the Baker Classic in Missouri in mid-November and play two other home games through the end of the month. After a trip to New Orleans for games against Dillard University and Xavier University of Louisiana in early December, the Saints will begin their conference schedule against the University of St. Thomas on Dec. 7 in Houston.
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