Pittsburg State University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jim Johnson announced today (May 21) that Amanda Davied has been hired to become the Gorillas’ head women’s basketball coach.
Davied, who has served the past 14 seasons as the assistant coach for her alma mater, replaces her former mentor, Lane Lord, who accepted the head coach position at NCAA Division I member University of Texas Rio Grande Valley earlier today.
“I am beyond grateful at the confidence Dr. Scott and Jim Johnson have shown in appointing me head coach of the women’s basketball program at Pittsburg State,” Davied said. “This is a dream come true. I am fortunate to have served as assistant coach under two outstanding mentors in Steve High and Lane Lord. I can’t thank them enough for their guidance and support over the years. There’s no doubt I am ready for this opportunity and expect to carry on the strong tradition. I am extremely blessed and grateful to have this program entrusted to me.”
As the Gorillas top assistant the past 14 years, Davied served as the team’s recruiting coordinator and was highly involved in all aspects of the administration of the women’s basketball program.
During her tenure on the Pitt State staff (2004-18), the Gorillas have compiled a 283-160 overall record (.639), capturing an MIAA regular season title in 2017 and making five trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) including a pair of Elite Eight appearances (2012, 2016).
“We are very excited about this new chapter in the history of the Gorilla women’s basketball program,” Johnson said. “We didn’t anticipate Coach Lord’s departure, but we’ve known for some time that we’ve had as talented an assistant coach on staff as anyone in the country in Amanda Davied. She has had other opportunities to leave her alma mater to pursue head coaching jobs. And, now that Lane has chosen to pursue a new opportunity, I can’t imagine anyone more qualified to lead the Gorillas moving forward than Amanda.”
A formal introduction of Coach Davied as the program’s seventh all-time head women’s basketball coach will take place in the coming days.
Davied began her coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Gorilla women’s basketball program in the 2003-04 season, after completing a decorated playing career for Pitt State the previous season. She was hired as a full-time assistant in July 2004 by former head coach Steve High and remained to serve as the top assistant on Lord’s staff when he took over the program in April 2007.
As a player, Davied earned All-MIAA honors three times. She garnered honorable mention All-MIAA recognition as a sophomore, second-team All-MIAA accolades as a junior and first-team All-MIAA honors her senior season.
The Farlington, Kan., native scored 1,299 points in 109 career games, finishing her career as the school’s ninth-leading all-time scorer. She also set Pitt State records for career assists (553) and career free throw percentage (.844, 313-for-371).
Davied also excelled in the classroom, earning third-team CoSIDA Academic All-District honors her senior season. She also was a three-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and a three-year MIAA Scholar-Athlete selection.
Davied earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education from Pittsburg State in December 2003. She completed her master’s degree in physical education in December 2008.
http://pittstategorillas.com/news/2018/5/21/davied-elevated-to-head-womens-basketball-coach.aspx
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