The Angelo State Athletic Department has announced the resignation of Belles Basketball Head Coach Renae Shippy. Nate Harris, who was an associate head coach of the team, will become the team’s new head coach. He becomes the 12th head coach of Angelo State Women’s Basketball.
After spending two years in the assistant coach position under Kevin Baker, Shippy had been named the Belles’ head coach and went on to lead the team to back-to-back Lone Star Conference titles and the Regional Finals this season for the second time in program history.
Harris began his time at Angelo State after spending four years at Montana State. During his four years coaching the Bobcats, the team was a combined 77-47, including back-to-back Big Sky championships for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017. In his last two seasons with the Bobcats, Harris was the associate head coach and defensive coordinator.
Before his time at Montana State, Harris was an assistant women’s basketball coach at Division II Montana State-Billings. Harris was also in charge of defense with the Yellowjackets and helped lead the team to its first GNAC regular season championship and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2014.
The Yellowjackets finished that 2013-14 campaign ranked first in scoring margin, points allowed, defensive field goal percentage, rebound margin and defensive rebound rate.
Prior to his time at MSUB, Harris was an assistant coach for the men’s program at Fresno Pacific in Fresno, California. Fresno Pacific won 20 games and finished fourth in the Golden State Athletic Conference as Harris was the head assistant and played a large role in recruiting.
Before working at Fresno Pacific, Harris began his coaching career at his alma mater, Montana Tech. Harris had played at Montana Tech and graduated in 2007 with a degree in mathematics before taking an assistant coach job. In 2008 he was made the head assistant and served in that role until leaving in 2010.
Harris and Athletic Director James Reid will speak at a news conference that will be held Tuesday, April 2nd at 2:30 p.m. in the VIP Room of the Junell Center at 2235 S. Jackson St.
