Following a nationwide search, University of La Verne Director of Athletics Julie Kline has announced the hiring of Julie Shaw to the position of head women’s basketball coach.
A Southern California native, Shaw arrives to La Verne from Gonzaga University, where she completed two seasons as an assistant coach. In both seasons, the Bulldogs won the West Coast Conference regular season title and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. In 2012-13, Gonzaga captured its ninth consecutive WCC crown and finished with a 27-6 overall record. The Bulldogs reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in 2011-12.
Prior to Gonzaga, Shaw served as an assistant at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where she was an assistant coach for six years. At Cal Poly SLO, she worked mainly with the post players and served as the travel coordinator, assisted in the organization of the program’s community outreach endeavors and acted as a link between the Mustang players and the academic services department. Cal Poly SLO went 97-82 during Shaw’s six years, including 58-34 in the Big West.
"Julie Shaw is the right person for the University of La Verne and our women’s basketball program," Kline said. "She is an outstanding communicator, authentic leader and a coach who brings tremendous experience with her from two outstanding basketball programs in Cal Poly SLO and Gonzaga. She is clearly is the whole package, especially when it comes to understanding the type of overall experience we want our student athletes to have while being a part of the Leopard Athletic program."
Shaw previously served as a graduate assistant coach with the University of Redlands during the 2004-05 campaign. Prior to her time at Redlands, she was as an assistant coach at Vista del Lago High School in Moreno Valley.
"I’m extremely excited to be a Leopard," Shaw said. "I can’t wait to start working with the players. I’ve been a part of some tremendously successful programs at Gonzaga and Cal Poly and can’t wait to be a part of the future success at La Verne. It’s also great to get back to my roots of Southern California. I’m looking forward to being a part of the Leopard family."
An accomplished student-athlete, Shaw was a four-year letterwinner at UC Riverside after graduating from J.W. North High School. She departed UC Riverside ranked second all-time in appearances (110) and free throw attempts (366), third in rebounds (792), fourth in scoring (1,303) and sixth in field goals (469). During her tenure at UC Riverside (1998-2002), Shaw was a 2001-02 All-Big West Conference honorable mention selection and a member of the 2002 Big West All-Tournament Team. Shaw played professionally in Portugal the season following her graduation.
Academically, Shaw was recognized as a Big West Scholar-Athlete as a senior. Shaw also earned the Highlander program’s Lindy Award for commitment to community service, served as president of the UC Riverside Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and attended the NCAA Leadership Conference.
Shaw recently earned her Doctorate in educational leadership and administration from UC Santa Barbara. She completed a psychology degree from UC Riverside and earned her master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from Cal Poly SLO in June 2007.
Shaw will officially begin her duties at La Verne on July 16.
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