Malone University Athletic Director Charlie Grimes announced today that former women’s basketball standout and current Pioneer assistant Selana Reale has been named the institution’s new women’s basketball head coach.
Reale takes over for Rick Tice, who will remain at Malone, taking on an expanded administrative role as Assistant Athletic Director.
Reale has served as an assistant coach on Tice’s staff for the last two seasons. She helped guide the Pioneers to a Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and the program’s first-ever berth in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional in 2016-17.
“I’m really excited for the opportunity to continue coaching and to serve in this new role for the women’s basketball team,” said Reale. “Malone is a great place for students to grow as individuals – in their faith, the classroom, and in competition. I’m eager to get to work and make this program the best it can be.”
A four-year member of the Malone women’s basketball team, Reale was named to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Second Team in 2013-14 after helping lead the Pioneers to a 21-10 record. Malone advanced to the GLIAC Tournament Championship Game that season after knocking off top-seed Wayne State University in the semifinal round and Reale was voted to the GLIAC All-Tournament Team in recognition of her outstanding play.
Although her senior season was cut short due to injury, Reale still amassed 829 career points which currently ranks 28th on Malone’s all-time scoring list. She is also tied for 24th on the Pioneers’ all-time rebounding list with 392 career boards and ranks 10th all-time with 281 assists. In addition, Reale’s career average of 3.2 assists per game is fifth-highest in program history.
“Coach Reale has an excellent basketball mind and was known as a determined and tenacious player in our program,” commented Grimes. “I’m so excited for her to join our head coaching staff, bringing her drive and commitment to excellence. She will be an outstanding role model to inspire and lead our young ladies with passion and diligence. She has boundless energy, a tremendous love for the game, and an equally strong commitment to seeing Christian principles lived out both on and off the court.”
Reale graduated from Malone with a bachelor’s degree in Life Science/Chemistry Education and then went on to earn her master’s degree in Higher Education from Tiffin University. While at Tiffin, Reale spent one season as a graduate assistant for the Dragon women’s basketball team under former Pioneer head coach Jason Mishler.
In addition to her collegiate experience, Reale’s coaching resume also includes four years of individual basketball instruction and skill development and one season as the head coach of Green Middle School’s 7th-grade girls team.
Tice, who had served as Assistant Athletic Director prior to becoming Malone’s women’s basketball coach in 2016, compiled a 33-23 mark in his two seasons, guiding the Pioneers to an NCAA Tournament berth in his first year at the helm of the program. He will now increase his focus on athletic fundraising through the Malone Sports Network and coordinate Malone’s Pioneer Classic golf outing, in addition to continuing his other administrative duties.
“We thank Coach Rick Tice for the outstanding two years he served our student-athletes as our head coach,” said Grimes. “He has brought a great stability and respectability to our program as we transitioned to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. He will go down in history as one of our first ever conference champions in our first year of G-MAC membership. I look forward to seeing him continue to serve our coaches and students with wisdom and compassion.”
Reale and the Pioneers will open the program’s third year of Great Midwest Athletic Conference competition this November.
http://malonepioneers.com/news/2018/3/26/selana-reale-named-womens-basketball-head-coach.aspx
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