Shanele Stires, who served as Associate Head Coach for the women’s basketball team at the University of San Francisco the last four years, has been named the new Head Coach at Cal State East Bay by Interim Director of Athletics Dr. Don Sawyer. Stires’ appointment follows the resignation of Molly Goodenbour last week.
“I am excited to introduce Shanele Stires as the head women’s basketball coach at California State University East Bay,” stated Sawyer. “Coach Stires’ experience, background and commitment to student- athletes’ success well position her to lead and continue the program’s strong momentum over the last several years.”
In her role as the Associate Head Coach, Stires was USF’s recruiting coordinator as well as the team’s primary defensive coach. She was instrumental in the Dons’ recent success as the West Coast Conference champions in 2015-16 and NCAA Tournament qualifiers for the first time in 19 years.
“I feel very honored to be selected to lead the Cal State East Bay women’s basketball program, and I would like to thank Vice President for Administration and Finance and CFO Debbie Chaw, Interim Director of Athletics Dr. Don Sawyer, the department search committee and the University leadership for entrusting me with the program,” said Stires. “This is a great University that attracts great student-athletes who have worked hard to establish a successful program and achieve the first conference championship and appearance in the NCAA Tournament last year. I look forward to working with the returning and new players to build upon this momentum in the years ahead.”
Prior to joining the staff at USF, Stires coached at University of Nebraska-Omaha (2011-12), Stetson University (2010-11), San Diego State University (2008-10), USF (2006-08), and Ohio University-Athens (2003-06). During this period, she helped lead her teams to three conference championships and three NCAA tournament appearances. Stires’ coaching background and history has been to advance the competitive success of the programs she has joined.
Stires was a collegiate basketball star at Kansas State from 1992-95, where she scored 1,344 career points, grabbed 701 career rebounds and earned a Kodak All-America honorable mention, First-Team All-Big Eight honors and runner-up in Conference Player of the Year voting as a senior in 1995. She left the school ranked fifth all-time in career rebounds and sixth all-time in scoring.
Following her collegiate experience, Stires moved on to a professional basketball career playing for both the American Basketball League (ABL) and WNBA. Playing for the Columbus Quest from 1996-99, she helped the franchise win two American Basketball League championships. Following the dissolution of the ABL, Stires joined the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, where she played 49 games in the 2000 and 2001 seasons. During the WNBA offseason, she played professionally in Greece, Portugal and Sweden.
Stires received her Master’s Degree in Collegiate Athletics from University of San Francisco (2016), and holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from Kansas State (1995).
http://eastbaypioneers.com/news/2016/10/6/shanele-stires-named-head-womens-basketball-coach.aspx
Photo Courtesy Cal State East Bay Athletics
Tagged with: CCAA DII
