Maryland head women’s basketball coach Brenda Frese announced the hiring of assistant coaches Bett Shelby and Bryce McKey Wednesday. Shelby comes to College Park from Virginia Tech, while McKey’s most recent stop was Xavier.
In her two seasons at Virginia Tech, Shelby helped the Hokies bring in a top 20 recruiting class and win two ACC Tournament games for the first time in school history. She oversaw all recruiting operations and assisted with on-court preparation, scouting and guard training.
McKey has been an assistant at Xavier for the last four seasons after multiple successful years as a high school coach in Ohio. With the Musketeers, McKey oversaw recruiting operations, on-court preparations, scouting and worked with post training.
“Both Bett and Bryce made it very clear to me that Maryland is a destination job for them,” Frese said. “This is somewhere they’ve both had their eye on and they both jumped at the chance to work here.
They’re both energetic, young, full of ideas and entering the prime of their careers as coaches. That’s really exciting to add to our program.”
“The biggest thing for me is finding people that fit our program and the players on our roster. We’ve built our success around certain core values and those are critical standards to maintain. Those were very much in mind when we made these hires.”
“I am humbled, thrilled, and honored to be a part of Coach Frese’s program at Maryland,” Shelby said. “Coach Frese is the most dynamic head coach in the country. I am very appreciative and being part of her staff is something I have always dreamed about. This is truly the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“When I think of Maryland, I think of greatness. Maryland is a world-class institution with superior academics and championship athletic programs. The University of Maryland combined with the unbelievable basketball program that Coach Frese has built makes Maryland the total package. I look forward to contributing to the program’s success and winning championships. Coaching is all about relationships, and I look forward to building those with the current players and the future ones. Being a Terp is a privilege, and I am ecstatic to be a part of this elite group. I cannot wait to get started.”
Shelby came to Virginia Tech after serving as an assistant coach at Seton Hall for two seasons where she coordinated aspects of recruiting, scouted opponents and coached the guards. In 2012, Shelby helped sign a class ranked 33rd nationally by All Star Girls Report.
During the 2012-13 season, Shelby helped coach the Pirates to the most school wins since the 2008-09 season as well as the most Big East victories since the 2006-07 season.
“Bett Shelby is someone I’ve known for a few years now,” Frese said. “We’ve crossed paths in a lot of gyms and I’ve watched how hard she works. If you look at any program she’s been a part of, her presence has elevated the team. People that she’s worked with sing her praises as a relentless competitor, which is exactly what we want at Maryland. I’m excited to help her continue to grow here and watch her become a great addition.”
Prior to Seton Hall, Shelby was an assistant at Southern Illinois, Tennessee Tech and Stetson. At SIU, she helped sign the No. 1 mid-major recruiting class in the country according to ESPN Hoopgurlz. She also helped both Tennessee Tech and Stetson sign the top recruiting classes in their respective conferences. She got her start as the director of basketball operations at East Carolina.
A native of Charlotte, N.C., Shelby played collegiately at UNC Wilmington for her first two years, then at Greensboro College. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sports and Exercise Studies with a concentration in coaching in 2005.
McKey came to Xavier prior to the 2011-12 season after serving as the associate head coach at Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, for three seasons (2008-11). He helped lead the team to three consecutive Division II Ohio State Championships from 2009-11, the first three basketball state championships in school history.
“We first got to know Bryce McKey when he was a high school coach in Ohio. His teams were winners and played solid basketball,” Frese said.
“I’ve been watching his development as a coach. Now he’s got a few years of college experience from working at Xavier as an assistant. This is the next step for him and I think he’s ready for the challenge. I know there are a lot of people that are really excited for him. He knows our Ohio players well and they endorse him. That’s critical for us, because we always want the best for our players.”
“It’s incredibly humbling and exciting to have the privilege of joining Coach Frese and her staff at the University of Maryland,” McKey said. “I have always had a great deal of respect for the Maryland basketball program and can’t wait to be a part of such an excellent tradition. It’s an honor to have this opportunity and I’m eager to get on campus to begin working with the team.”
“I’d also like to thank head coach Brian Neal and the Xavier community for the last four years. I look forward to watching the program continue to grow under Coach Neal’s leadership.”
McKey also served as head coach of Sports City U AAU where he worked with current Terrapins Malina Howard and Chloe Pavlech. The team was nationally ranked as a top 10 Travel Team by ESPN Hoopgurlz in both his seasons at the helm. His squad compiled an overall record of 48-3.
McKey served as the coordinator and assistant camp director for the Ohio Girls Basketball Report, the top-ranked single-state scouting service in the country. With OGBR, McKey was responsible for the coordination and operation of OGBR Skills Camp, the Top 64 Fall Showcase and the Classic in the Country High School Tournament.
McKey graduated from Malone University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in education.
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