Coaches & Staff. HEAD COACH Sherri Coale ASSISTANT COACHES Jan Ross 54 Stacy Hansmeyer 55 Chad Thrailkill 56

Transcription

1 48

2 Coaches & Staff HEAD COACH Sherri Coale ASSISTANT COACHES Jan Ross 54 Stacy Hansmeyer 55 Chad Thrailkill 56 SUPPORT STAFF Tim Overman 57 Bill Pink 58 Tara DeGiusti 59 Wendee Lentz 60 Debbie Long 61 Dr. Donald McGinnis 61 Paula Smalling 61 Dr. Steve Smith 61 Wes Edwards 62 Fred Castro 62 Adam Call 62 Matt Durbin 62 Emily Spurgeon 62 Angela Walker 62 Sooner Support Staff 63 49

3 Photos by Shannon Ho Photography 50 Sherri Coale enters her ninth season with just as much determination, energy and will power as the first day she took the head coaching job at the University of Oklahoma. Coale s work ethic doesn t allow her to relax or be content with the accomplishments she has already achieved. There are countless numbers of coaches who would be very comfortable after eight seasons on the job and after participating in six straight postseason tournaments, including an NCAA Final Four. They would feel very comfortable after rebuilding a program to the point of three Big 12 regular season titles, two Big 12 Tournament crowns and an average of 26 wins a season over the last five years. Not Coale. When Coale arrived on campus in April 1996, and was given the job of rebuilding the OU program, she knew the task would be challenging because of the lack of attention in earlier years. She also knew she would have the opportunity to mold the program from the ground up and build a rock-solid foundation based on responsibility and accountability. That she has done. When she first arrived, Coale told all who would listen that she would accomplish her goal of rebuilding the OU program. Maybe OU fans should have realized how bright the future was going to be when, after just two years on the job, Coale took a team to the WNIT ( ). That team was always challenged, as the tallest player on the court was 5-10, but the team played hard and gave a strong effort almost every time out on the floor. That has continued to be the case for Coale s teams and why the overall results are positive. Over the past five years, Coale and her teams have produced an impressive overall record (.762 winning percentage) and a Big 12 mark (.750 winning percentage). The Sooners have appeared on the front cover of the USA Today sports section, been showcased on ESPN and featured in Sports Illustrated.

4 When you consider that Coale s first team (1997) won just five games all season and the 2002 club won that many games in the NCAA Tournament, it s quite clear how far OU has come with Coale at the helm. NCAA Final Four Season Coale s previous years were just stepping stones to national prominence, as she guided Oklahoma to its first NCAA Final Four and national championship game during the season. The Sooners defeated Duke, 86-71, in the NCAA semifinals and lost to top-ranked and undefeated Connecticut, 82-70, in the title match. By the conclusion of the greatest run in OU women s basketball history, the Sooners had produced its best record in school and Big 12 Conference history (32-4); won its third consecutive Big 12 regular season title; ended the season with its highest ranking ever (No. 2 in the Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches polls); and captured its first NCAA Regional (West) and Big 12 Tournament titles. That season, Coale also had three players selected in the first round of the WNBA draft: Stacey Dales (3rd/Washington); LaNeishea Caufield (14th/Utah); and Rosalind Ross (16th/Los Angeles). Growing Attendance With these outstanding accomplishments and media exposure, Coale has sparked excitement across the state and nation. Oklahoma has ranked among the nation s top 20 in women s basketball home attendance for the last four years, including 12 th in 2002 and OU was also the only school to announce sold-out crowds before its firstand second-round games of the 2001 and 2002 NCAA Tournaments. The largest crowd to ever witness a women s sporting event in the state of Oklahoma gathered at Lloyd Noble Center as 12,080 fans attended the OU-Tennessee game on Dec. 21, The Sooners first surpassed the 10,000 attendance mark on Dec. 29, 1999, against top-ranked Connecticut (10,713 fans), followed by 11,245 fans who attended the 2002 NCAA second-round game against Villanova. As the victories came, so did Sooner fans. More than a million fans, 1,033,036 to be exact, have watched an OU women s basketball game since Coale s arrival. Coale produced her first winning season in 1999 as OU played in front of 1,558 fans per game. Her 2002 Final Four team drew an impressive 6,606 fans per game, forcing OU to rewrite its record books as her team established top-15 attendance figures for the Lloyd Noble Center. But Coale s plan isn t just taking place on the hardwood floor of Lloyd Noble Center. She has worked hard to show the public that the athletic and academic pursuits of OU players should be challenged to the fullest. All the while, she was making sure her players understood that the methods and rules of her program would make them better athletes and better students who would be able to adapt to the outside world once school was completed. Academic Success Coale, who was an Academic All-American and graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma Christian, is a firm believer in succeeding in the classroom as well as on the court. Under Coale s guidance, her teams have continuously produced some of the highest grade point averages within the Athletics Department. Four teams (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003) have been named to the Top 25 WBCA Academic Team Honor Roll, while 22 players have earned Academic All-Big 12 honors 47 times. COALE S COACHING RECORD COLLEGIATE Oklahoma /---Overall---/ /---Conference---/ Year W L Pct. W L Pct. Finish WNIT Second Round st Big 12 / NCAA Sweet st Big 12 / NCAA Sweet NCAA Finals NCAA first round NCAA second round 8 years HIGH SCHOOL Norman /---Overall---/ Year W L Pct. Finish State Tournament State Champion State Tournament State Champion 7 years

5 Photos by Shannon Ho Photography The Coale Family Sherri, Dane, Chandler (8) and Colton (12) 52 One of Coale s proudest moments was when former Sooner standout Stacey Dales became OU s first player to earn Academic and Athletic All-America honors in the same season ( ). Dales also was voted the 2002 Verizon Academic Student-Athlete of the Year for all NCAA Division I sports. Following Dales Academic All-America accomplishments were Theresa Schuknecht in 2003 and Caton Hill in Sooner Standouts Dales also became Coale s first Olympian and the school s first two-time Kodak first team All-America selection. She played on the 2000 Canadian National Basketball team that participated in the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Dales also repeated her Big 12 Player of the Year and All-Big 12 first team honors in 2001 and In addition to this Olympic player, Coale has coached two players to Big 12 Player of the Year honors three times, eight players to all-conference honors 20 times and three players to All-America status. She has also developed five players into WNBA draft selections, Dales, Caufield, Ross, Maria Villarroel (2004) and Phylesha Whaley (2000). Dales, Caufield and Hill were selected to the 2002 NCAA West Region All-Tournament team, followed by Dales and Ross earning NCAA Final Four All-Tournament honors. Caufield also repeated her All-Big 12 second team honors en route to earning honorable mention Kodak accolades. Hill and Ross appeared on the All-Big 12 third team, while Dales and Jackson were voted to the Big 12 All-Tournament team. Caufield was voted the Defensive Player of the Year by the Women s Basketball News Service and selected as a Defensive All-American by the Women s Basketball Journal in Jackson has appeared on the All-Big 12 second team for the past two seasons, while redshirt sophomore Chelsi Welch earned second team honors in Welch also was named co-big 12 Freshman of the Year and earned Freshman All-American honorable mention accolades by womencollegehoops.com that same season. USA Basketball Coale and her Sooners have also been honored by USA Basketball. Coale served as an assistant coach on the 2001 USA Basketball Women s Junior World Championship Team that won a bronze medal in Brno, Czech Republic, in July Welch and Hill represented OU and USA Basketball during the summers of 2003 and 2001, respectively. Welch, a native of Plainview, Texas, was one of 12 Big 12 All-Stars who represented USA Basketball during the 2003 World University games. Hill was Coale s first player to make a USA Basketball squad. The former Ada, Okla., standout helped the United States to a gold medal at the 2001 World University Games in Beijing, China. Serving Others Getting her teams involved within the Sooner family and the community has always been a priority for Coale. She believes it s important for her student-athletes to give back to the community that supports them.

6 Each player under Coale s supervision has participated in the Sooner Big Sis Program, a program that enables players to volunteer their time as mentors and teacher s aides to elementary schools in the Norman community. In addition, each season the team gives back to the community by volunteering its time to a nonprofit organization. Last year, the team got involved with the Children Miracle Network, after helping out the CCFI ( ), as well as the United Way s Meals on Wheels program ( ) and the Norman Women s Resource Center and Battered Women s Shelter ( ). For the past eight years, Oklahoma s student-athletes have assisted in the hosting of the Norman area Special Olympics. Before OU After graduating from Oklahoma Christian, Coale received her first coaching assignment at Edmond Memorial High School, serving a two-year term as an assistant coach. The next stop was as the head coach of the Norman High School girls basketball team from The transformation that Coale has achieved at OU is similar to when she took over at Norman High. She took a declining program and after a performance in 1990, her debut season, the Lady Tigers never had a losing record under her tutelage. By the time she left for OU, Coale had directed NHS to two Class 6A state championships and a career record. Her final two Norman teams went Coale was honored as the region, All-State and Big All-City High School Coach of the Year in Through the success of her high school teams, Coale had several players earn NCAA Division I basketball scholarships including Stacy Hansmeyer to Connecticut ( ), Sarah Dimson to Stanford ( ) and Sunny Hardeman ( ) and Shannon Selmon ( ) to Oklahoma. After being out of the high school ranks for six years, Hansmeyer and Coale were inducted into Norman High School Hall of Fame together in February, For Coale s life accomplishments, the community of Healdton, Okla., declared August 26, 2001, as Sherri Coale Day. She met her husband, Dane Coale, while at Oklahoma Christian University. She married the former OC baseball player on June 20, The couple has two young children, son Colton, 12, and daughter, Chandler, 8. She and her brother, Jack, are the children of Beverly Stash and Joe Buben. Jack and his wife, Laura, have four-year old twins, Jackson and Jaycie. The Vision Coale has shown she is a woman with a passion for basketball and a woman with the determination and drive to make OU the best. She also wants her players to be the best in both basketball and life. She continues that pursuit this year as she looks forward to the challenge of the season. THE COALE FILE PERSONAL Name: Sherri Coale Birth Date: January 19, 1965 Hometown: Healdton, Oklahoma Children: son Colton (12) (DOB: March 27, 1992) daughter Chandler (8) (DOB: May 20, 1996) Husband: Dane Coale High School: Healdton High School (Okla.) College: Oklahoma Christian College (B.S. in education, 1987), Oklahoma (master s in education, 1993) Graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma Christian and was an Academic All-American PLAYING EXPERIENCE Oklahoma Christian College Team captain of Okahoma Christian s three-time Sooner Athletic Conference Championship team... Academic All-American COACHING EXPERIENCE 1996-Present Head Coach, University of Oklahoma Head Coach, Norman High School Assistant Coach, Edmond Memorial High School COLLEGIATE COACHING HIGHLIGHTS Won her first collegiate game by beating Oral Roberts, 62-50, in the Bertha Teague Classic on Nov. 22, 1996, in Stillwater, Okla. Picked up her first Big 12 win in the league opener against Texas A&M, 71-69, on Jan. 4, 1997, in Norman Produced her first winning season with an overall record of Coale advanced her first team to postseason action as OU participated in the 1999 WNIT, going Received an at-large berth to her first NCAA Tournament. OU won its first NCAA game under Coale by beating BYU, 86-81, and shocked the tournament field by upsetting defending national champion, Purdue, on its home court on March 20, OU advanced to its first Sweet 16 under the current NCAA format. The Sooners recorded a then-school best 25-8 record. Oklahoma finished in a three-way tie for first place in the Big 12 regular season race, a then program best. Coale was runner up for the AP National Coach of the Year honors but was named the ESPN.com The Dish, Big 12 and WBCA District V Coach of the Year Led the program to a then-school record 28 wins and a final national ranking of No. 7 OU won its first outright Big 12 Conference regular season title and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year. Coale was named the Big 12, WBCA District V, Women s Basketball Journal, ESPN The Magazine and Sports Illustrated Coach of the Year, while being a finalist for the Naismith, WBCA and AP Coach of the Year Coale took her first team to an NCAA Final Four where OU finished second to Connecticut. For the first time in program history, OU was awarded a No. 1 seed in NCAA Tournament action and concluded the year with its highest ranking of No. 2. OU won its first NCAA Regional and Big 12 Tournament titles while appearing in its third straight NCAA Sweet 16. Oklahoma repeated its Big 12 regular season title. The Sooners won a school and Big 12 record 32 games (32-4). Coale was honored by Kansas City Sports Commission for Outstanding Achievement for Amateur Athletics and was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year by the Dallas All-Sports Association Coale became OU s all-time winningest coach when the Sooners defeated Nebraska, 70-51, on Jan. 7, Became the first team in Big 12 history to win the conference tournament title by playing four games in five days. En route to the title, OU upset three higher ranked opponents, including No. 2 Texas, 66-47, in the championship game. 53

7 Photos by Shannon Ho Photography 54 Entering her ninth season as assistant basketball coach is Jan Ross. Ross has played an instrumental part in rebuilding the Oklahoma program. She has helped head coach Sherri Coale turn Oklahoma women s basketball program into a nationally recognized name. Since Ross arrival, the Sooners have won three Big 12 Conference regular season titles, two Big 12 Tournament crowns, produced four 20-plus win seasons and advanced to five NCAA Tournaments. Ross also helped OU to the 2002 National Championship game after winning the NCAA West Regional and Big 12 Tournament titles. Ross has been extremely active in all phases of Oklahoma s emergence onto the national spotlight. Ross area of emphasis includes coaching OU s post players, recruiting and scouting opponents. Not only is her expertise with post players essential but Ross is a mastermind when it comes down to the Xs and Os of the game. She is also one of the top recruiters in the Big 12 Conference and nationally. Ross recruiting efforts have ensured the Sooners that they will remain one of the top women s basketball programs in the country. In addition to the Sooners team accomplishments with Ross on the sideline, OU post players have flourished individually. She has helped Phylesha Whaley and Caton Hill develop into two of the top post players to wear an Oklahoma uniform. Both players concluded their careers ranked among the Big 12 s and OU s best in rebounding. Off the court, she monitors the academic progress of each student-athlete. The Sooners have produced two of their top team GPAs within the last two years and have had three studentathletes earn Academic All-America first team honors the past three seasons. Oklahoma has produced 45 Academic All-Big 12 first team selections in eight seasons. With the Sooners recent success, Ross has experienced first hand the growing interest in girls basketball within the state and surrounding areas as noted by the rapid increase in OU s Sooner Sessions Camps. OU hosted more than 1,600 campers which included 80 teams that took part in the Sooner Session Team Camp after OU appeared in the national championship game. As a player at Oklahoma Christian, she collected numerous playing and academic honors including NAIA honorable mention All-America, All-Distist IV and All-Sooner Athletic Conference selection as a senior. She also was an NAIA Scholar Athlete and was elected to Who s Who. An All-State athlete at Putnan City West, Ross ranks 11th on Oklahoma Christian s career scoring list with 1,348 points. She holds the school record for career steals (300) and completed her career with a.537 field goal percentage and 494 assists. After ending her collegiate career with OCC, Ross joined the program as an assistant coach for five years and served as assistant athletic director for two years. This Oklahoman was inducted into her alma mater s Athletic Hall of Fame in February, Ross also gained coaching experience at Broken Arrow ( ) and Del City High Schools ( ) as the head coach. The Chickasha, Okla., native received her bachelor s degree in mathematics with a minor in physical education from Oklahoma Christian College (1986) and her master s degree in sports administration from the University of Oklahoma (1990).

8 Photos by Shannon Ho Photography Stacy Hansmeyer enters her fourth season as an assistant coach for the Oklahoma women s basketball program. Hansmeyer embarked on her first collegiate coaching career in her hometown of Norman and alongside her former high school coach and current OU head coach Sherri Coale in Hansmeyer has now seen both sides of success, having been a part of Connecticut s 2000 NCAA title as a senior and Oklahoma s 2002 NCAA Final Four appearance as a coach. With three years behind her, Hansmeyer has stepped up and taken a more active role in recruiting, opponent scouting and on the court coaching for the Sooners. She also continues her role in OU s pre- and postseason strength and conditioning workouts along with organizing film exchange, assisting with academic monitoring and supervising team managers. This former UConn and Norman High School standout brought energy, excitement, experience and attitude to the Sooner program, four valuable and necessary components that helped OU to the 2002 Big 12 regular season and tournament titles. Oklahoma extended its season by winning the NCAA West Regional crown, allowing OU to advance to the school s first NCAA Final Four, where the Sooners lost to her alma mater, Connecticut, in the national championship game. Prior to coming back to Oklahoma, Hansmeyer spent the season as a student assistant for UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma. She helped the Huskies advance to the NCAA Final Four for a second straight year and produce an overall record of As a four-year letterwinner ( ) for Coach Auriemma, the Huskies with Hansmeyer produced an overall record of (.930 winning percentage). UConn appeared in the NCAA Tournament each year, advanced to the Elite Eight twice ( , ) and Final Four ( ) and Sweet 16 ( ) once with Hansmeyer on the roster. The program also won four Big East regular season and tournament titles. As a player, she averaged 5.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. She also finished her career ranked ninth in career field goal percentage (54.5%) and tied for eighth for most career games played (134). The power forward played in all 17 NCAA Tournament games during her career. In the summer of 1999, she led the Big East/Nike All-Star team with 14.2 points and 7.8 rebounds. Prior to that, she was named to the Preseason WNIT All-Tournament team. As a former player under Coale at Norman High, Hansmeyer earned USA Today honorable mention All-America and Parade magazine third team All-America accolades as a senior ( ). She led Norman High to the state 6A title with a 27-1 record, contributing 17.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game her final prep season. Following her senior season, Hansmeyer gained international playing experience and the respect of USA Basketball when she earned a spot on the 1996 Junior National team. After being out of the high school ranks for six years, Hansmeyer and Coale were inducted into Norman High School Hall of Fame together in February, Hansmeyer graduated from Connecticut in May, 2001, with a bachelor s of science degree in communications. Hansmeyer, 26, is single. 55

9 56 56 After serving as director of basketball operations for the past two years, Chad Thrailkill moves into a new role with the Oklahoma women s basketball program. The former high school coach is set to embark on his first season as an assistant for the Sooners and head coach Sherri Coale. Thrailkill is extremely familiar with Coale s style of play as he served as an assistant to her at Norman High. The two produced a three-year record of 76-7 (.916 winning percentage), coached two teams to the state playoffs (1994, 1996) and produced one state championship title ( ). Thrailkill s duties with the Sooners will include in-thegym coaching as well as directing OU s walk-on program. The Norman native will also assist with the recruiting efforts as well as opponent scouting and will handle all facility scheduling. Prior to joining the Sooners in July, 2002, Thrailkill served as head coach for the Norman North High School boys basketball program. Thrailkill was named Mid-State Conference Coach of the Year after guiding the boys team to the 2002 regional title. In 2001, he coached NNHS to the school s first state playoff appearance. Thrailkill also served a four-year stint as head girls basketball coach at Westmoore High School from , where he coached current Sooner Erin Higgins for two years. His 2000 squad finished second in the state with an overall record of 25-3, while the 1999 team won the state crown with a 25-4 mark. For his coaching performance, he was named the region, Mid-State Conference and Big All-City Coach of the Year. He was also invited to serve as an assistant coach for the Jim Thorpe All-Star Games that summer. As an athlete, Thrailkill accepted a basketball scholarship to Lenoir-Rhyne (Hickory, N.C.). After one season, he transferred to Southern Nazarene (Bethany) where he was a three-year letterwinner. He also earned a bachelor of science degree in physical education from SNU in He and his wife, April, have a six-year old daughter, Shelby, and two sons, Brayden, 3, and newborn Hudson. Photos by Shannon Ho Photography

10 Photos by Shannon Ho Photography Entering his second season with the Oklahoma women s basketball program as the strength and conditioning coach is Tim Overman. Every head coach will tell you that strength and conditioning plays a large role in the success of the team. In his short, but productive, three years with the University of Oklahoma Overman has been a part of five conference titles and 10 NCAA Championship appearances. Overman s goals are to improve on-the-court performance and help each athlete become the best basketball player she can be. He s also dedicated to the overall wellness of each student-athlete as he stresses the importance of a balanced diet. That kind of committment earned him a spot on head strength coordinator Jerry Schmidt s staff that trains OU s national powerhouse football program. In 2002, Overman was directly responsible for implementing strength training, speed, agility and conditioning programs for OU s baseball, wrestling, men s gymnastics and women s soccer teams. Three of the four programs Overman coached that season advanced to postseason action including the national championship gymnastics team and the NCAA third-place wrestling team. Last season, he added women s basektball to his résumé as well as continued his coaching of baseball and wrestling, two programs he has worked with since his arrival. Prior to OU, Overman was a volunteer assistant strength coach for the University of Iowa football program in 2001, where he gained a variety of experience. He served an internship at Athlete s Performance in Tempe, Ariz., in 2000 which allowed him to work directly with professional athletes. Overman was heavily involved in improving athletes sports specific needs such as flexibility, speed training, weight training, nutrition and physical recovery techniques. As a undergraduate at Creighton University, Overman got the opportunity to develop workout, testing, rehabilitation and maintance programs for the Bluejay athletes. He also served as a student trainer for CU. The Mt. Vernon, Iowa, native is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA-CSCS) and personal trainer. Overman belongs to the National Strength and Conditioning and Strength & Conditioning Coaches Associations. Overman, 28, is single

11 58 58 Entering his first season as director of basketball operation for the University of Oklahoma women s basketball program is Bill Pink. Pink joins the OU staff after earning his Ph.D. in education from Oklahoma in May, He brings a tremendous amount of athletic and administrative experience to the program. He was an athletic director ( ), assistant to the President ( ) and head men s basketball coach ( ) at Cascade College in Portland, Ore., over a five-year span. Sooner coach Sherri Coale hired Pink to manage the team s finances, be the program s coordinator for scheduling official visits by prospective student-athletes and video coordinator. He will also oversee and improve the marketing plans for OU women s basketball. The Abilene, Texas, native will also take on the duties of improving OU s Fast Break Club, Guest Coach, Coaches Clinic and Sooner Big Sis programs. Prior to his current position with the Sooners, he served a six-year tenure as an assistant professor in the College of Education at Oklahoma Christian University, where he earned his bachelor s degree in education in As an undergrad at OC, Pink was honored as an NAIA Academic All-American and was a two-time Academic All-District pick. He has been extremely involved in the Oklahoma education system for several years. He served as a teacher at Kenneth Cooper Middle School ( ) while earning his master s degree from Central Oklahoma in Pink also taught elementary school in Putnam City School district for two years ( ). Before moving to Oklahoma in the mid-90s, the Abilene (Texas) Christian High School graduate became the first African- American in Nebraska s junior college ranks to be named head men s basketball coach. For a two-year span ( ), he was the head coach and an instructor for York College, where he was honored as teacher of the year first runner-up in 1992 and second runner-up in As a two-year student-athlete at York College, Pink earned his associate degree and All-Nebraska Junior College basketball first team honors in He was also named team captain and voted team MVP his final season. Pink and his wife, Lori, have two children: son, Lance Baldwin (9), and daughter, Lydia Pink (2). Photos by Shannon Ho Photography

12 As her relationship with the Oklahoma women s basketball program grows, so have her responsibilities. Tara DeGiusti enters her fifth season with the Sooners with the additional responsibility of being the team s travel coordinator. She also serves as administrative assistant to head coach Sherri Coale where she plans and coordinates all of Coale s daily engagements. The Oklahoma native started her relationship with OU as a team manager in She spent three seasons learning the inner workings of the Sooner program before being promoted to full-time status in She became Coale s assistant as well as coordinator of the team s community service projects, yearly alumni functions and was responsible for gameday ball girls. DeGiusti also took on the duties as the main contact person for OU s Coaches vs. Cancer program. Within the last year, DeGiusti became the women s basketball point person for the National Girls and Women in Sports Banquet, Sooner Stilettos and the liaison for the media relations department. The National Girls and Women in Sports Banquet, along with the Sooner Stilettos organization, were established in 2004 with DeGiusti s assistance. Something that s not new to DeGiusti is her involvement with the Sooner Sports Radio Network. She begins her fourth season as color analyst alongside Brian Brinkley, the voice of Sooner women s basketball. This experience has extended her résumé to overseeing Inside Sooner Women s Basketball with Sherri Coale. DeGiusti s bachelor s degree in journalism and public relations from Oklahoma (2000) has allowed her to help develop the women s basketball program in numerous areas. She completed her master s degree in human relations at OU in She is the daughter of Tony and Pat DeGiusti. DeGiusti has a younger sister, Tania, and an older brother, Oghi. Outside of her career, she is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes on OU s campus and the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program locally Photos by Shannon Ho Photography

13 Photos by Shannon Ho Photography Entering her eighth year with the University of Oklahoma Sports Medicine department is Wendee Lentz. Lentz, who s one of the most well-respected trainers on campus, is in the midst of earning her Ph.D. She completed her general examinations in May 2001 and is ABD in adult and higher education at Oklahoma. In addition to working on her Ph.D., Lentz is a full-time athletic trainer for the women s basketball program. She also oversees coverage for the women s softball and men s and women s tennis teams. Her résumé includes serving seven years as the sports medicine coordinator for the prestigious Women s College World Series ( ) as well as for the 2004 Big 12 Men s and Women s Tennis Tournaments and the 1998 and 1999 Big 12 Softball Tournaments. Lentz has a strong desire to reach out and educate others. She has targeted OU s Athletic Training Program in hopes of improving the education and curriculum opportunities of future students. Not only has she served as a role model and educator but she s was instrumental in creating instructional material for the Student Trainer Education Program (S.T.E.P.) at OU. After serving as an instructor for STEP I and II for four years ( ), Lentz s next goal was to educate young adults on sports medicine and advanced care and prevention of athletic injuries. The Girard, Kan., native has served as an instructor for at least one course a semester since Prior to joining the Sooner sports medicine staff, Lentz was the head women s athletic trainer for her alma mater Pittsburg (Kansas) State University from She obtained her bachelor s of science degree in biology from Pittsburg State in May, 1993, followed by her master s in health and physical education from Oklahoma State in May Lentz s memberships includes the National Athletic Trainers Association, the Oklahoma Athletic Trainers Association and the Oklahoma Governor s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports following her appointment by Governor Brad Henry. Even with Lentz s heavy work load, she continues to find time to give back to her profession as a volunteer for Special Olympics competitions for the last nine years and the Endeavor Games for the physically challenged for the past two summers. The National Arthritis Foundation and American Heart Association also have been the recipients of Lentz s services. For all that she has done for others and in the world of sports medicine, Lentz was inducted into Girard High School Athletic Hall of Fame in September, 2004.

14 OU Support Staff DEBBIE LONG Associate Media Relations Director Kentucky, 1992 Burkesville, Kentucky Seventh Season DR. DONALD MCGINNIS Team Orthopedic Surgeon Oklahoma, 1990 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Eighth Season PAULA SMALLING Office Manager Oklahoma, 1969 Norman, Oklahoma 14th Season STEVE SMITH Team Physician Central Oklahoma, 1989 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Sixth Season Debbie Long enters her seventh season as a member of the Oklahoma Media Relations Staff and women s basketball contact. After serving as assistant director for two years, Long was promoted to associate media relations director in June, She has increased OU s national, regional and local exposure for the Sooners, including feature stories in Sports Illustrated and USA Today, as well as live coverage during two ESPN Selection Shows. She also established a yearly radio kickoff campaign for head coach Sherri Coale. In addition to handling all media relations efforts for the nationally ranked Sooners, Long served as co-coordinator for the 2004 NCAA Midwest Regional. She also assisted in hosting four consecutive NCAA subregionals in Norman. Long s recent basketball publications have earned top honors by CoSIDA. Her last three media guides have finished in the top three in District VI, while her 2001 book was judged Best in the Nation followed by her 2004 guide finishing Third Best in the Nation. Long s 1999 volleyball guide placed Sixth Best in the Nation. Prior to joining the Sooners, she spent four years with the University of Tulsa where she assisted in all phases of media relations. Long also served on the basketball statistics staff at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Ga. Long, a native of Burkesville, Ky., earned her bachelor s degree in communications from the University of Kentucky in Entering his eighth season as the University of Oklahoma w o m e n s b a s k e t b a l l t e a m orthopedic surgeon is Dr. Don McGinnis. He also provides primary coverage for OU s football, baseball and softball teams. Dr. McGinnis is a 1990 graduate of OU s College of Medicine and currently is an orthopedic surgeon at the McBride Clinic in Oklahoma City. In addition to his clinical practice, he is a clinical instructor and the Director of the Division of Sports Medicine at the OU Health Sciences Center. He serves as an orthopedic surgeon and coordinator of orthopedic coverage for OU Athletics. He also serves as a team physician for the United State s S n o w b o a r d i n g Te a m, t h e Oklahoma City Blazers hockey team, and the Oklahoma City Redhawks baseball team. Dr. McGinnis and his wife, Stacy, have four sons: Austin (11), Tyler (9), Connor (7) and Garrett (5). Paula Smalling is in her 14 th year with the Oklahoma women s basketball program. She began as a part-time employee and has participated in and witnessed the growth and development of the program into one which is known nationally. In 2001 she received the Sooner Service Award for recognition of her hard work and dedication. As office manager, Smalling is an instrumental part of the Sooner s program. She is responsible for numerous duties from fielding phone calls and handling correspondence for the coaching staff to various departmental records. The Norman, Okla., native met and married her husband Connel while both were attending OU. The Smallings have two grown daughters, Keri Fullbright and Jennifer Waggoner, and are the proud grandparents of Abbie, Kade, and Madison Waggoner and Hannah Fullbright. They are active members of McFarlin United Methodist Church in Norman. Entering his sixth season as the primary care physician for the Oklahoma women s basketball program is Dr. Steve Smith. Dr. Smith is also the primary care physician for OU s men s and women s tennis, gymnastics, cross country and track and field teams, plus women s soccer, softball and volleyball programs. Dr. Smith was appointed as the primary care physician for Oklahoma s Athletics Department in August, He began working at Goddard Health Center as an assistant clinical professor from OU s College of Medicine in August, After earning his M.D. degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in 1993, he completed a three-year residency at In His Image Family Practice in Tulsa and was board certified in family medicine in He then returned to OU and completed a fellowship in sports medicine in 1997 from the Primary Care Sports Medicine program at the OU Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. He received a bachelor s of science degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in Dr. Smith and his wife, Cindy, have a seven-year old daughter, Makenzi and a one-year old son, Braden. 61

15 OU Support Staff WES EDWARDS Equipment Manager Third Season Wes Edwards enters his fourth season as a member of the Oklahoma Athletics Department. Edwards oversees all ordering, issuing, inventory and maintenace of athletic equipment for the OU women s and men s basketball programs. He also works directly with men s and women s tennis as well as supervises the basketball student managers. The 27-year-old started his relationship with the athletics department in 1997 as a student manager, a role he carried through the academic year. In 2001, he was hired as assistant equipment manager. A certified member of the Athletic Equipment Managers Association, Edwards assisted in bowl gift and award purchasing, issuance and team equipment travel for the 2001 FedEx Orange Bowl, 2002 SBC Cotton Bowl and 2003 Rose Bowl. The Edmond, Okla., native eaned his bachelor s degree in health and sports science from OU in Edwards married the former Angela Hatley in June The couple has a newborn son, Chase (March 9, 2004). FRED CASTRO Volunteer Coach First Season Fred Castro enters his first season with the women s basketball program as a volunteer coach. Castro spent the last two years as a team manager and served as a practice player during OU s run to the NCAA Final Four ( ). Castro will assist in on-court coaching as well as oversee video editing of practices. The Denton High School (Texas) graduate was a former letterwinner in basketball and soccer. Castro graduated from the University of Oklahoma in May 2004 with a degree in Aviation. He is the son of Alfonso and Miriam Castro. ADAM CALL Team Manager First Season Adam Call begins his first season with the Oklahoma women s basketball program as a team manager. Call will assist in the daily duties including upkeep of the team s uniforms and equipment for both practices and games. The Oklahoma native graduated from Norman North High School in 2004 where he was a letterwinner in basketball and track. He is the son of Mike and Patricia Call and plans to major in international studies. Call would like to pursue a coaching career after graduation. 62 MATT DURBIN Team Manager Second Season Matt Durbin is in his second season as a team manager for Sherri Coale s women s basketball program. Durbin will be responsibile for filming all games and practices as well as helping with daily duties. He brings experience to the team as he served as a manager for the Mustang High School girls basketball team for three years. He is the son of Charles and Phyllis Durbin and is majoring in health exercise sciences at OU. Durbin s desired job would be to own and coach the Miami Dolphins or the Boston Celtics. EMILY SPURGEON Team Manager Third Season Emily Spurgeon begins her third season as a team manager for the OU women s basketball program. Spurgeon is majoring in English literature and hopes to enter the coaching profession following graduation. Along with the rest of the managers, she will also assist in daily duties as well as running the clock during each practice. A native of Garland, Texas, she graduated from Naaman Forest High School, where she lettered in basketball. She is the daughter of Carrie Spurgeon. ANGELA WALKER Team Manager Fourth Season Angela Walker is the veteran among this year s team managers. Walker enters her fourth season as the team s head manager. She is responsible for overseeing daily managerial duties including upkeep of the team s uniforms and equipment as well as specific statistics during pratices and games. Walker, a native of Oklahoma City, is majoring in elementary education with an expected graduation date of December, The Westmoore High graduate played basketball as a freshman and sophomore and was a team manger her final two seasons. Walker is the daughter of Philip and Mitzi Walker.

16 OU Support Staff Matt Abbott Lloyd Noble Center Danny Davis Facilities Coordinator C.B. Elder Academic Advisor Tim George Director of Promotions Billy Ray Johnson Director of Ticket Operations Ron Harris Lloyd Noble Center Henry Loyd Lloyd Noble Center Brenda Mann Lloyd Noble Center 63 Scott Mathews Graphic Arts Nikki McCann Team Manager Matt Roberts Director of Marketing Melanie Roberts Director of Compliance Erin Schmidt Marketing & Promotions Terrie Taylor Information Systems Joe Ward Information Systems McK Williams Women s Basketball Tickets Manager