The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Monday that Lane Lord, a five-time conference and three-time NCAA Regional Coach of the Year who spent the last 11 years as the head coach at Pittsburg State, is the new head coach of the UTRGV women’s basketball team.
Lord will be introduced to the media on May 30.
“We are beyond excited to welcome Lane and his wife Stacy to the Rio Grande Valley,” UTRGV Director of Athletics Chris Kingsaid. “We set out and hired one of the most successful head coaches in college basketball over the past decade to lead our women’s basketball program. His competitive success, vision, and values make him an exact fit for the next chapter of our women’s basketball program and our goals of winning WAC championships and participating in NCAA March Madness.”
Lord has compiled a 231-102 (.694) record during his tenure at Pitt State, including five trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament in the last seven years and the program’s first two Elite Eight appearances. During that time, Pitt State averaged 24.4 wins per season while going 171-50 (.774). Pitt State won 20 or more games seven times in Lord’s 11 years.
For his career, Lord has a 449-184 (.709) head coaching record in 23 seasons, including 14 seasons at the collegiate level, during which time he is 308-122 (.716).
Lord earned Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Coach of the Year honors in 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017), NCAA Regional Coach of the Year recognition in 2009, 2012 and 2017), and Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Kansas Four Year Women’s College Coach of the Year honors in 2018.
Highlights of Lord’s tenure include the 2016-17 season, when Pitt State went 16-3 mark in MIAA play for the program’s first MIAA regular season title since 1996. During that season, Pitt State climbed as high as No. 5 in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Top 25 poll.
In 2011-12, Lord led Pitt State to the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 1998 and an Elite Eight appearance after going a program record 27-6 (.818).
“My family and I are excited to be a part of the UTRGV nation,” Lord said. “The growth of UTRGV has been monstrous and I am ready to be a part of it. Chris King and his staff have taken this department to the next level and I am ready to take the women’s basketball program to the next level as well. We couldn’t be more excited for this opportunity and we can’t wait to get started.”
Lord came to Pitt State from Barton Community College (BCC), where he led the women’s basketball program to a 77-20 (.794) record from 2004-07.
In 2006-07, Lord guided his team to a 27-3 overall record and a share of the Jayhawk Conference West Championship. His squad won 24 of its final 25 games and finished the season on a 12-game winning streak. BCC compiled 15 wins against teams that were either ranked or receiving votes in the NJCAA Top 25 poll.
In 2005-06, BCC was ranked as high as No. 8 in the NJCAA national poll.
Lord began his coaching career as the head girls’ basketball coach at Wichita Heights High School from 1995-to-2004, during which time he compiled a 141-62 (.695) record.
Lord amassed an 89-8 (.918) record and a claimed a pair of Kansas Class 6A state titles during his final four years at the post, earning Kansas Class 6A Coach of Year in both 2002 and 2003. In 2003, he was named the Kansas Girls Coach of the Year for all classes by the National Federation of High School Coaches.
Originally from Waco, Lord earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education and special education from Tabor College in 1993. He earned a master’s degree in school leadership from Friends University in 2003.
Lord is married to the former Stacy Shobe. The couple have a 19-year old daughter, Logan.
“Searching for a head coach can be a long and difficult process, but we were able to accomplish our goals in four weeks,” King said. “That would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our women’s basketball sport administrator, Vince Volpe, and our senior woman administrator, Farrah Manthei. I want to personally thank both of them for their hard work and leadership during this endeavor.”
Photo Courtesy UTRGV Athletics
http://goutrgv.com/news/2018/5/21/utrgv-athletics-tabs-lane-lord-to-lead-womens-basketball.aspx
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