The University of Houston Women’s Basketball team and Head Coach Ronald Hughey have announced the addition of Assistant Coaches Deneen Parker and LaSondra Barrett.
Barrett joined the Cougars prior to the 2019-20 season as Director of Recruiting Operations and will take on assistant coaching duties where she will work primarily with the Houston wing players. Prior to joining the Cougars, Barrett enjoyed coaching stops at Louisiana Tech and Florida International as an Assistant Coach. During the 2018-19 season, Barrett helped coach All-CUSA First Team selection Kierra Anthony have one of the most productive seasons of her career, ranking first in the C-USA and fourth nationally in scoring as she worked with the guards and small forwards. Prior to her time in Ruston, Barrett coached at Florida International, after spending two seasons at her LSU as Director of Player Personnel where she handled non-conference scheduling, academic relations and alumni relations.
A graduate of LSU, Barrett is a two-time First Team All-SEC selection and 2009 Co-Freshman of the Year. After being selected 10th-overall in the 2012 WNBA Draft, Barrett spent time playing abroad in both Israel and Australia before turning her attention to coaching.
WHAT COACH HUGHEY IS SAYING
“LaSondra will primarily be working with our wing players. She is a young and dynamic with playing experience both at LSU and in the WNBA. She is a recruiter that understands how to recruit the kids of this generation. Her competitive drive, relationship skills and buy-in make her a great asset for UH.”
Parker will join the Cougars after spending the 2019-20 season as an Assistant Coach at Indiana State. Prior to her time with the Sycamores, Parker spent three seasons as the Associate Head Coach at Northwestern State where she worked primarily with the post players, helping develop Victoria Miller into a Second Team Academic All-Southland selection and then freshman RaVon Nero into Northwestern State’s fifth highest freshman scorer in program history.
Parker has Texas ties after spending 21 seasons on the bench at SMU where she helped coach the Mustangs to five NCAA Tournament appearances (1996,1998, 1999, 2000, 2008). With Parker on the staff, SMU won the Western Athletic Conference regular-season title in 2000 and the C-USA regular-season titles in 2009 and 2013.
A graduate of Stephen F. Austin, Parker enjoyed a decorated collegiate career as a two-time Southland Conference Player of the Year and two-time District VI Kodak All-American. Parker helped the Ladyjacks to four consecutive SLC titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. She was inducted into the Stephen F. Austin Hall of Fame in 2010.
Following her collegiate career, Parker was a member of the gold-medal winning team at the 1991 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival and played professionally for sixth months in Luxembourg and Germany.
WHAT COACH HUGHEY IS SAYING
“Deneen’s experience in the state of Texas are critical for what we are trying to do here at Houston. She is a great relationship builder, a dynamic person, a hard worker, and is respected both nationally and in Texas. She is a dynamic addition to both our staff and the University of Houston.”
