Ben Weiner Director of Athletics Chair David Harris named Tulane alum Ashley Langford (’09) head coach of the Tulane Women’s Basketball program on Tuesday.
Langford, who becomes the Green Wave’s seventh head coach and the first African American to lead the program, will be introduced at a press conference on Tuesday, April 9 at 1 p.m. inside the Jill H. and Avram A. Glazer Family Club, on the second floor of Yulman Stadium (2900 Ben Weiner Drive). Doors open at 12:30 p.m. and this event is open to the public. There will be free parking available in the Claiborne Lot and an ADA shuttle will be running from 12:30 p.m. until the end of the event.
“As a former member of the Green Wave’s women’s basketball program, Ashley understands the importance of success on and off the court,” said Tulane President Michael A. Fitts. “Her commitment to both athletics and academics were central to her selection as our new head coach. We couldn’t be more delighted to welcome her back to campus.”
Before her coaching career began, Langford was a standout point guard for the Green Wave from 2005-09. She remains Tulane’s career leader in assists (722), assists per game (6.0) and minutes per game (34.4) and ranks in the top 10 in ten of the program’s career statistical categories.
“I want to thank President Fitts and David Harris for offering me the opportunity to come home,” Langford said. “Tulane has always held a special place in my heart and I’m excited to give back to the University that helped shape me. My experience at Tulane ignited a passion for basketball that has carried me to this moment.
“Taking over for Coach (Lisa) Stockton, MY coach, is surreal. It brings me full circle. To all the Tulanians, I plan to make you proud. Now, let’s get to work.”
Langford was Conference USA’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a senior in addition to being a three-time All-Conference selection. She was also a member of C-USA’s All-Freshman Team in 2006, earning Freshman All-America honors by the Women’s Basketball News Service. She scored 1,047 points during her collegiate career and was inducted into the school’s athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
“We are very excited that Ashley has returned to Tulane University to lead our women’s basketball program,” said Harris. “She was at the top of a very talented list of coaches that we were interested in talking to from the very beginning. Her familiarity with what it takes to be successful here, and the success she has enjoyed as a student-athlete, assistant coach and head coach, is confirmation that she is the right choice. I look forward to working with her for many years to come as we seek to build a championship caliber program. Please join us in welcoming Ashley back to Uptown!”
Langford returns to Uptown from Stony Brook University where she led the Seawolves to an impressive 69-24 record over three seasons, including a 36-6 home mark. Her winning percentage (.741) was the highest in the program’s history. During the 2023-24 season, Stony Brook went 28-5 and advanced to the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament after capturing the Coastal Athletic Association regular season title with a 16-2 record. At season’s end, Langford was bestowed the conference’s Coach of the Year honor, receiving that acclaim alongside Gigi Gonzalez, who was named the league’s Player of the year. The duo became the first Seawolves to collect the league’s major awards.
Earlier this season, Langford became the fastest coach in program history to reach 50 wins and was one of 10 coaches in the nation to be selected for the mid-season watch list for the 2024 Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award.
Last month, Langford was also selected for the annual Advancement of Black in Sports (ABIS) Basketball Coaches Watch List for the third time in her career. ABIS showcases the standout Black men’s and women’s head, associate and assistant coaches across the NCAA. This year’s roster includes 29 head coaches and 49 promising associate and assistant coaches hailing from mid-level and major NCAA basketball programs.
Last summer, she was also invited to the inaugural Women’s Coaching Development Seminar hosted by the WNBA, NBA and G League.
This season’s postseason appearance was Stony Brook’s second in the last three seasons as Langford also guided the program to an at-large berth in the WNIT during her first season on campus, following a 23-6 season with 14-4 mark in league play. Those 23 victories were the most by a first-year head coach in program history.
Under coach Langford, the Seawolves maintained a 3.14 GPA or better over her (three) seasons and the team earned WBCA Academic Top 25 Special Mention following the 2021-22 season.
Over the course of her coaching career, she has coached two WNBA Draft picks, 11 players playing professionally overseas, one Olympian, and four players competing for the Puerto Rican National Team. She has also recruited and coached 22 All-Conference selections, two Players of the Year, two Rookies of the Year, one two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Before Stony Brook, Langford spent four seasons at James Madison. Prior to the 2020-21 season at JMU, Langford was elevated from assistant coach to associate head coach. While at JMU, Langford helped lead a team that produced a 91-31 overall and 58-11 conference record as well as three CAA regular season titles.
She also has served as an assistant coach at Old Dominion, Navy, Bucknell, and Denver.
Langford earned a bachelor’s degree in management and marketing from Tulane in 2009 and an MBA from Auburn in 2011.
