McNeese first year head women’s basketball coach Kacie Cryer has assembled her staff consisting of Alaina Verdin, Edie (Leonards) Higgins, and Lindsey Lopez and it is one that has ties to McNeese and could be one of the youngest in the country.
“I am so excited to finally be able to announce my new staff to our Cowgirl family,” said Cryer. “After taking my time during this search I went after people who I trusted, would be loyal, were going to work really hard everyday and who were the right fit for myself and the girls. Alaina, Edie and Lindsay were those people. They will each bring a different look to our program but all three will bring big time energy and passion every single day on and off the court! What an exciting time for Cowgirl basketball. I wouldn’t want to start this new journey with any other coaches and players,” Cryer said.
Cryer will retain Verdin who has been at McNeese since 2011. Verdin played for the Cowgirls from 2011-2015. After a knee injury sidelined Verdin for the 2012 season, she came back and concluded her playing career in 2015. She moved to the sidelines for the 2015-16 season serving as Director of Game Operations. Verdin has been part of the Cowgirl success the past six years including the 2011 regular season Southland Conference title, two Southland Conference Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances (2011, 2012).
The native of Houma, tied for a team high in blocks her freshman season and scored a career high 19 points and grabbed a career high 12 rebounds as a junior.
“Alaina has a personality and smile that lights up a room when she walks in. She is a tremendous asset to our Cowgirl program and I knew when making this decision for my staff that I would not have to look very far. She is a Cowgirl all the way! Alaina is going to work hard in all that she does and I am sure lucky to have her on my side to begin this journey.”
Former Lake Arthur High girls head coach and former McNeese graduate assistant Edie (Leonards) Higgins returns to McNeese for her second stint as a collegiate assistant coach. Higgins served as assistant coach for LSU-Shreveport during the 2008-09 season before serving on the Cowgirl staff during the 2009-2010 season.
“Edie and I have been friends since we were 14 years old. Our friendship began through basketball and it has continued through our love of basketball. Our paths have crossed many times but this is the most exciting one for us both. Edie is a tremendous coach who turned Oak Hill and Lake Arthur High School around in the short time she was at both schools. Her toughness but caring approach in coaching is what makes her special. I am so excited to start a new chapter with her here at McNeese.”
Higgins began her high school coaching career at Oak Hill High School in 2010, serving as the junior high and high school coach for two years. She guided Oak Hills to the state playoffs in her first season and won the district title during the 2011-2012 season as well as being named Coach of the Year that same season.
While at Lake Arthur High, Higgins led the Lady Tigers to the district quarterfinals in her first season before winning the district title and taking her team all the way to the Top 28 in 2014, making it all the way to the semifinal round. For that, Higgins was named district and All Southwest Louisiana Small Schools Coach of the Year. This past year, Higgins and the Lady Tigers advanced all the way to the quarterfinals and her team was selected to the Top 28 Honor Roll team.
Higgins played collegiate basketball at both Louisiana College and LSU-Shreveport. While at Louisiana College, she was named to the American South Conference Freshman first team and to the ASC first team as a sophomore.
Following her sophomore season, she transferred to LSU-Shreveport where she was the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Newcomer of the year in 2007 and was named to the as well as a first team all-conference and all-academic in 2007 and 2008.
The native of Hackberry, Higgins was a four-sport letterwinner for the Mustangs. Her accolades include Sweet 16 MVP, all-state, all-district, district MVP, and All-Southwest Louisiana.
Lopez is a native of Elmwood Park, New Jersey and is the younger sister of former Cowgirl Lenissa (Lopez) Bellard who played for McNeese from 2005-2008 and served as a graduate assistant as well.
“Lindsay brings a new look to our program as she comes from New Jersey, but this is not her first time in Lake Charles or being involved in our Cowgirl basketball program. Her sister Lenissa Lopez Bellard played point guard here at McNeese from 2005-2008 and was a graduate assistant for the 2008-2009 season. I am so excited to have Lindsay as part of our team. Her energy, excitement and passion for the game is what makes her special and I am excited to see what her future holds here.”
Lopez joins Cryer’s staff after spending the last two years as assistant coach at Immaculate Conception High School in New Jersey. During those two years she was part of teams that had a combined 41-12 overall record and ranked in the Top 5 in the country both years. Lopez was part of the first state non-public B championship and consecutive Bergen County final appearances.
During the 2013-14 season, Lopez served as a volunteer assistant at Dominican College in Orangeburg, New York where she was involved in recruiting, film editing and assisted with preseason workouts.
Lopez played for Dominican College from 2010-2013 where she helped her team to four consecutive conference tournament semifinal appearances. She earned all-conference honors three times and ranked 19th in the nation in three-point field goal percent during the 2011-12 season and reached the 1,000 point milestone during her senior season (2012-13). She ranks 12th in all-time scoring and ranks third in three-point field goal attempts and top 5 in individual season free throw percent and three-point attempts.
http://mcneesesports.com/news/2016/6/20/womens-basketball-cryer-completes-coaching-staff.aspx
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