Columbia women’s basketball head coach Megan Griffith ’07CC announced the hiring of assistant coach Falon Baker on Monday. Baker comes to the Big Apple after spending the last six seasons at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, which included four years as a player and two years as a graduate assistant coach.
Baker will be responsible for assisting with Columbia’s player development, focusing on guards, as well as scouting, team strategy, recruiting operations and analytics.
“We are thrilled to welcome Falon to our program,” said Griffith, who enters her fifth season leading the Lions. “She has a deep passion and enthusiasm for the game and will be a great role model for our young women. Her work ethic and attention to detail will be strong complements to our staff. She is eager to get to work and join our family.”
Among her many duties as a graduate assistant on the Governors’ coaching staff, Baker assisted with in-game analysis, practice planning, individual skill work, scouting, recruiting and fundraising. APSU went a combined 33-27 in Baker’s two years on staff, which included an 18-12 campaign in 2019-20 to mark the program’s most wins in 16 seasons.
A four-year guard for the Austin Peay women’s basketball program (2014-18), Baker finished her collegiate career ranked ninth in school history in both 3-pointers made (135) and 3-point percentage (.346). She scored 739 points for the Governors in just three seasons – she missed her freshman year due to injury – and also tallied 186 assists.
Baker graduated summa cum laude from Austin Peay State University in May of 2018, double-majoring in psychology as well as health and human performance. She went on to earn her master’s degree in performance enhancement and coaching from Austin Peay in May of 2020.
