University of New Mexico head women’s basketball coach Mike Bradbury has announced the promotion of Valerie King to associate head coach, and the hiring of Keith Freeman to the position of associate head coach, effective immediately.
King enters her new role after being an assistant coach with the Lobos for the past six seasons, and has been instrumental to UNM’s sustained success.
In her time at UNM, King has overseen the Lobos to a 120-65 record. In three of those campaigns, the Lobos have eclipsed the 20-win mark and in four of the last five seasons have made the postseason. The consecutive 20-plus win seasons in 2017-18 and 2918-19 with King on staff were the first for the program since the 2007-08 – 2008-09 seasons.
In the last two seasons, the Lobos have had 14 conference selections and have produced some of the most prolific offenses not only in the conference but in the country.
During the 2021-22 season, the program established several program records under King’s guidance.
While overseeing the guard development and offense, UNM set the program record in made three-pointers (346), a program-best 171 made three-pointers in conference season, as well as a program-record 596 assists on the season and 292 in conference games. In addition, the Lobos made a program-high 523 field goals in conference and scored the most points in conference in program history with 1,413 points. On Jan. 6 at Utah State, the Lobos set the program record and the MW record in made three-pointers in a game with 21, and three games later made 19 three-pointers for the second most in a game in program history. The Lobos also went on a nine-game win streak during the season, the second longest in program history.
Nationally, New Mexico ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA in made three-pointers (third), made three-pointers per game (fifth, 9.6 per game) and in assists (10th). In total, UNM ranked in the top 30 in nine categories, including scoring offense (14th, 76.7 points per game), assists per game (16th, 16.6 per game), assist/turnover ratio (18th, 1.21), field-goal percentage (19th, 45.1 percent) and three-point field-goal percentage (30th, 35.1 percent).
Freeman joins the Lobos after spending two seasons at Mississippi State, but has over 30 years of coaching experience.
With the Lobos, Freeman will oversee the development of the post players and defense.
Prior to his time with the Bulldogs, Freeman was at Old Dominion (2018-20), where the Monarchs made their first postseason appearance since 2015 and recorded back-to-back seasons with 20-plus wins. In 2019-20, ODU went 24-6, finishing second in the C-USA.
The new UNM coach has ties to Coach Bradbury, as well as King, dating back to Wright State where Freeman spent six seasons (2012-18), four of which were with Bradbury as head coach and King as assistant coach.
Beyond his time on the bench as an assistant or associate head coach, Freeman held the role of head coach for 24 seasons, compiling a 415-294 record. Freeman served as head coach at Valparaiso from 1994-2012, and became the all-time winningest coach in program history with 286 victories. Under his guidance, the Crusaders reached the NCAA Tournament twice and won two Mid-Continental Conference championships and two Mid-Continental Tournament championships.
In addition, Freeman was named Mid-Continental Conference Coach of the Year three times, coached 33 players to all-conference honors and after coaching Valparaiso to a 26-7 record in 2001-02 was named a finalist for the National Coach of the Year.
https://golobos.com/news/2022/06/24/unm-wbb-announces-associate-head-coaches/
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