First-year head coach Chanda Rigby announced the hiring of Michael Berry on Monday, rounding out her coaching staff. Berry joins Kayla Ard and Jennifer Graf who were hired as assistant coaches earlier in the summer.
Berry comes to Troy after spending over four seasons as the head women’s basketball coach at the University of Mobile, a NAIA member. After taking over mid-way through the 2007-08 season, Berry posted a 67-68 record with the Lady Rams while developing one of the top defensive teams in school history.
Berry’s squads ranked among the national leaders in blocks per game, defensive rebounds and total blocks in each of his last three seasons, and also set school records for fewest points allowed in a season and total blocks in 2009-10. During that season, Mobile posted a 17-12 overall record and found itself in the NAIA National Top-25 poll.
During his time as head coach, the Lady Rams defeated four NCAA Division II teams and NCAA Division I member Alabama State.
Under Berry’s watch, eight players earned all-conference honors, Alice Honnery was named to the NAIA All-America team in 2011, Danielle Goodly was named to the NAIA All-America team in 2009 and Crystal Hutchinson was named GCAC Freshman of the Year in 2008.
Prior to his time as head coach at Mobile, Berry spent four seasons as the Lady Rams’ assistant coach, helping the team make two NAIA National Tournament appearances (2005, 2006) and post two 20-win seasons.
Berry served for one season as the girl’s basketball head coach at Harvest Christian Academy in Pasadena, Texas before beginning his tenure at Mobile. Prior to that, he spent one season as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Sam Houston State.
Prior to that stint at the NCAA Division I level, Berry served as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, Texas, helping build the program from the ground up.
Berry won two NAIA National Championships at his alma mater, Oklahoma City University, as a women’s basketball assistant coach in 1999 and 2000.
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