The Texas A&M International University Department of Athletics announced the hiring of an Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach on Wednesday. Making the announcement was Head Coach Jeff Caha.
While trying to create the future, sometimes it’s best to look to the past to find what you need. In the case of Coach Jeff Caha hiring a new assistant, he did just that looking to a former player to come in and help build the Dustdevils into a championship contender.
Miss Tori Tucker, a native of Portales, NM and most recently an assistant coach at Southwestern College in Winfield, KS is the new assistant coach for the Dustdevils and Caha could not be more excited.
“I was fortunate to be able to coach Tori for two years and in that time, Tori and I built an extremely solid relationship. Tori always talked about wanting to be a coach. As a player, she always wanted to learn and was willing to put in the work to max out her abilities. I always thought that if I became a head coach, Tori was someone who I would love to have come coach with me due to her work ethic but more because of her character. Tori was an excellent player but an even better teammate. She wasn’t afraid to lead and was able to do that by example and with her voice, which I believe are great qualities to have in order to excel as a coach.”
Tucker played the final two years of her collegiate career at NCAA Division II Eastern New Mexico University where Caha was the Associate Head Coach for the Zias. Tucker averaged 12.9 points and six rebounds per game, while shooting 41.1 percent from the floor, 37.3 percent from three-point range and 90.1 percent from the free throw line. Tucker was a two-time Offensive Player of the Week in the Lone Star Conference, helped guide the Zias to a berth in the Lone Star Conference Championship tournament, and was named 2nd Team All Lone Star Conference as a senior.
Prior to playing at ENMU, Tucker played two seasons for Coach Earl Diddle in the ultra-competitive Western Junior College Athletic Conference (WJCAC) at Howard Junior College in Big Spring, Texas.
“In the two years I played for Coach Caha, I was able to learn a ton and was taught to think outside the box when it came to different aspects of our program. I also was able to witness him work hard off the floor for us as players as well and he earned my respect because of that. As a coach these past two seasons, I was always able to call and bounce ideas off him or ask for advice and he was always willing to take the time to help and that was huge for me. When we started talking about me possibly joining what he is trying to build, I was all in and very eager to become a part of TAMIU and the Women’s Basketball program,” says Tucker.
“To have a former player want to join up and coach with you is the ultimate compliment as a coach. It shows that a relationship was built and trust was formed. As a player, Tori was very versatile and that is going to help her grow as a coach. Her ability to demonstrate and teach is going to be huge for this program and group of young women going forward along with an in depth knowledge of what I am about and how I go about every day life. Tori can look at these players and communicate that she has sat in their chair and overall that will help pull them over to this side of the fence. I am very proud of Tori and her career so far, and it is with great enthusiasm that I’m able to announce her becoming a part of this program.”
Tucker graduated from Eastern New Mexico University with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Health & Physical Education.
Photo Courtesy TAMIU Athletics
http://www.godustdevils.com/news/2017/4/11/tori-tucker-named-assistant-womens-basketball-coach.aspx
Tagged with: Jeff Caha TAMIU Tori Tucker
