Leading her program to three conference tournament appearances in four seasons, including the program’s first, University of the Ozarks has hired Shauna Watson as its new head women’s basketball coach, it was released Monday (August 2) by Athletics Director Jimmy Clark.
Watson, a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, guided NCAA III Earlham College (Ind.) to the conference tournament three times during her tenure as head coach. Watson took over a program that had won a combined six conference games the prior two years, and in her first season, led the Quakers to its first-ever appearance in the post-season. Prior to Earlham, Watson spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Indiana Tech University aiding the NAIA program to a pair of 20-win seasons and a national tournament appearance.
“I am thrilled to announce the hiring of Shauna Watson as our head women’s basketball coach,” said Clark. “From her success as a student-athlete to her success as a head coach, Shauna is a proven leader and winner. She is passionate about the NCAA III experience and understands the impact it has. She is a high-level recruiter who completely changed the culture within Earlham’s program. We are thankful to have Coach Watson be a part of our staff and campus community.”
Watson starred at NCAA III Hanover College (Ind.) leading the Panthers to a pair of NCAA III tournament appearances and conference championships. As a three-year starting point guard, she ranks second all-time in career assists at Hanover. She made the conference All-Tournament Team in 2015.
“There are a lot of things about University of the Ozarks that I appreciate,” said Watson. “I value the Christian standards the university upholds. The people on campus are really friendly and outgoing. And, the academics are outstanding here.”
Watson will emphasize the NCAA III philosophy within her program.
“Student-athletes attend NCAA III institutions because they are really passionate about their academics while having the opportunity to play collegiate basketball,” she said. “Those are the type of student-athletes you have to recruit. Basketball is four years of your life, but your degree is for a lifetime. I had a great experience playing at a NCAA III institution and that is why I wanted to coach in it.”
On the court, Watson plans to implement pressing defenses and an up-tempo style.
“I like to press and push the ball in transition,” she said “I like to play up-tempo. I am very defense oriented. You can’t always control if you make shots, but you can control how hard you play defensively.”
Watson also plans to build a strong sense of unity and comradery within her program.
“If you are able to build a relationship away from basketball, I think that can translate to the floor,” she said. “The better teams are the ones that get along.”
Watson received her bachelor’s degree in communication from Hanover in 2015 and her master’s degree in organizational behavior from Indiana Tech in 2016.
https://www.uofoathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2020-21/releases/20210802q8et0c
