Coastal Carolina Women s Basketball

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1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents/Quickfacts Season Outlook Coaching Staff Head Coach Alan LeForce Assistant Mark Kost...9 Assistant Shameka Montgomery Assistant Frank Moorehead Support Staff Meet the Chanticleers Kendra Reynolds Devin Rivers Amanda Stull Elizabeth Weaver Lauren Grochowski Sydnei Moss Jessica Noll Katie White Taylor Epley Courtney Grambley Olivia Irick Katie Ahaus and Danielle Hennessey.. 36 Community Service Chanticleers by Class Opponents In Review Statistics Game-by-Game Box Scores Coastal Carolina University Big South Conference Record Book Year-by-Year All-Time Records All-Time Roster Media Coastal Carolina Women s Basketball WHAT IS A CHANTICLEER? The Chanticleer (SHON-ti-cleer) gives Coastal Carolina University one of the most unique nicknames in all of sports. Chanticleer comes from Chaucer s Canterbury Tales and came to Coastal when the University was a member of the University of South Carolina system. A Chanticleer is a rooster who rules the barnyard with cunningness and wit. His competitiveness never wanes as he battles to the end, using his brains to come out on top every time. Writing, Design & Layout: Deandra Danch Editorial Assistance: John A. Martin, Kent Reichert, Teresa Garbee, Linsady Chavez, Devin Howard, Tanner Massey, Megan Gregory and Kim Warner Photography: Bil Edmonds and Judel Johns of the Coastal Carolina University Photography Department, Allen Pavlick, BigSouth Photos.com Some photos courtesy of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and Chris Leon/ D.C. United Printing: Multi-Ad Printing-Peoria Ill. Cover Design: Coastal Carolina University Communication Quick facts General Institution:... Coastal Carolina University Location:...Conway, S.C. Founded: Enrollment:...8,100 Nickname:...Chanticleers Pronunciation of Nickname:... shon-ti-clears Colors:... Teal (PMS 322), Bronze (875) and Black Stadium:...Kimbel Arena Capacity:...1,039 Affiliation:...NCAA Division I Conference:... Big South President:... Dr. David DeCenzo Alma Mater/Year:...Maryland, 1979 Athletics Director:... Warren D. Moose Koegel Alma Mater/Year:... Penn State, 1971 Athletic Department Phone:...(843) Ticket Office Phone:...(843) 347-TIXX COACHING STAFF Head Coach:... Alan LeForce Alma Mater/Year:...Cumberland College, 75 Record at Coastal Carolina (Years): (12) Big South Record at Coastal Carolina All-Time Record: Office Phone:...(843) Best Time of Day to Reach Coach...Through Media Relations Assistant Coach:...Mark Kost (Notre Dame 95)...Shameka Montgomery (UNC Wilmington 03)... Frank Moorhead (Clarion 78) Athletic Trainer...Jennifer Spindler Asst. Strength Coach:...Sonya Woods TEAM INFORMATION Overall Record: Big South Record (Finish): (5th) Big South Tournament... Lost first round to Winthrop Starters Returning/Lost:... 4/1 Lettermen Returning/Lost:...11/1 Newcomers... 1 HISTORY First Year: Years of Basketball:... 35th Season Overall all-time record: All-Time Big South Record: ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS Asst. AD for Media Relations/Co-WBB Contact...John Martin Office Phone:...(843) Address:... jamartin@coastal.edu Assoc. Media Relations Director:...Kent Reichert Office Phone:...(843) address:... kreicher@coastal.edu Media Relations Asst./ Co-WBB Contact... Deandra Danch Office Phone:...(843) address:... ddanch@coastal.edu Media Relations Assistant:... Teresa Garbee Office Phone Address...tgarbee@coastal.edu SID Fax:...(843) Press Row Phone...(843) Mailing Address:... P.O. Box Conway, SC Overnight Address: Chanticleer Drive... Conway, SC Web Site... 1

2 Experience and Talent Drives the Chanticleers to be a Force in the Season Coastal Carolina Women s Basketball Experience and talent will push the Coastal Carolina University women s basketball team into the season. The Chanticleers return four starters and 11 letterwinners this season, all of which have played an average of 251 minutes last season. The Chanticleers experienced leadership will drive the season as four seniors lead the squad and utilize their experienced gained with last season s senior-less squad. I think we re going to play well together, Head Coach Alan LeForce said. I don t think it s going to matter who scores the points; it s going to matter that we want to be successful. GUARDS Leading the Chanticleers in the backcourt will be senior Amanda Stull. Stull has been a three-year starter and has only missed one game due to the flu in her four years. Stull plays an unselfish game on the court, racking up 83 assists and averaging 9.9 points per game last season. LeForce is looking for Stull to be a consistent scoring threat for the Chanticleers. Amanda has a wealth of talent, Leforce said. She s been shooting the ball really well this fall, and I think we can look to her to shoot shots a game. Despite being a freshman, Olivia Irick made an impact last season, averaging 3.8 points per game and SENIOR AMANDA STULL 48 rebounds for the 5-7 guard. This 2 JUNIOR SYDNEI MOSS year, she will be looked to be a versatile around the backcourt. She can play any of the perimeter spots, and we re counting on her to do a good job to help us in those areas, LeForce said. She can shoot and score. She s better defensively, and I think she will be better as a sophomore. The only newcomer to the team, transfer-junior Katie Ahaus, from Vincennes Junior College, in Ind., is expected to take over the point guard position. She possesses good leadership abilities, LeForce said. She s vocal, hardworking, leads by example, and very unselfish. I can see her making an impact as far as being a leader. Last year s Second Team All-Big South honoree Sydnei Moss will return to the guard/forward position. She led the Chanticleers in most offensive categories including points with 362 and rebounds with 209. The junior registered double-figure scoring in 20 out of 25 games, and tallied three double-doubles last season. Moss will be an impact player once again this year. She s a good, strong player, LeForce stated. She can play on the floor and around the basket. She jumps well and rebounds well. I think we will be counting a lot on her this year. FORWARDS Holding down the frontcourt will be three-year veteran Devin Rivers. Rivers was plagued with injuries her junior year, but managed to score 6.0 points per game and grabbed 50 offensive rebounds. The quiet leader has always played great defense, tallying 31 steals last year. With the hard work in the offseason, Rivers could be another offensive threat for the Chanticleers. Her preseason skills have been the best since she s been here, LeForce said. She has improved vastly with the basketball and she can be a person to score double figures for us. Fellow senior post player Kendra Reynolds started mid-season last year due to NCAA transfer rules, but sparked the Chanticleers in conference play. Reynolds productivity and vocal leadership will contribute to the team this year.

3 We are counting on her to not only produce, but we re counting on her to be a very, very good leader for us, LeForce emphasized. Also returning to the front court will be juniors Jessica Noll and Katie White. Both contributed significant playing time last year. Noll finished the season with143 points. White finished the season with 47 blocks, ranking second in the Big South. SENIOR DEVIN RIVERS Courtney Grambley and Taylor Epley are also returning to the post for their sophomore campaigns. Each made contributions filling in for injured players, and both girls contribute strength in the front court. Courtney is strong and she shoots the ball well, has very good range, and sees the floor well, LeForce said. Taylor is strong. She improved her skills offensively and is more in control and that comes with maturity. COACHING The players all add experience, but nothing like the experience in the coaching staff. LeForce is entering his 13th year as the coach of the Chanticleers and has over 50 years of coaching experience. LeForce has earned many honors and accolades, but last year had his 400th win as a coach when the Chanticleers beat Erskine, on Nov. 14, He has an overall record of record as the head coach for Coastal. The remainder of the coaching staff also provides experience, as the three have combined for 20 years of collegiate coaching experience with the Chanticleers. Mark Kost is entering his seventh year, Shameka Montgomery is in her fifth, and Frank Moorhead is beginning his eighth year with the Chanticleers SCHEDULE Coastal Carolina will face another challenging slate to the season. The Chanticleers will open the season Friday, Nov. 13 against Southern Virginia in a doubleheader with the men s basketball game to follow. Following a trip to Campbell Nov. 16, the Chants head to Chapel Hill to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels, a 2009 NCAA Tournament team, on Nov. 18. Our schedule is very good as we play some good squads, LeForce said. The non-conference schedule will stretch us and give us some ideas. The non-conference teams are similar to our conference teams. Also, highlighting the non-conference schedule will be a Thanksgiving trip to Anchorage, Ala. for the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout. Coastal Carolina opens tournament play against the three-time defending champion and host Alaska Anchorage on Nov. 24. On Wednesday, Nov. 25, the Chanticleers will conclude the tournament playing either Cincinnati or Western Carolina, another 2009 NCAA Tournament squad. I m excited about it, LeForce stated. None of our players or coaches has ever been to Alaska. It s going to be a challenge opening the tournament against Alaska who is always good, and possibly playing Western Carolina, who went to the NCAA. It s something to look forward to. The Chants will begin their Big South Conference schedule on the road at UNC Asheville on Jan. 2, with their home league opener taking place Jan. 9 versus in-state rival Charleston Southern. The Chants will play Big South Conference champion Liberty at home on Jan. 25 and Feb. 20 in Lynchburg, Va. Liberty is still the team we are all chasing, Le- Force explained. The league this year is much more balanced than it has in the past, so it is going to be very competitive. The Big South Conference Basketball Championship will take place on March at High Point, N.C., in the Millis Center. SENIOR KENDRA REYNOLDS 3

4 No. Name Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown/High School (Previous) 3 Katie Ahaus G Jr. 5-7 Indianapolis, Ind./Southport (Vincennes) 11 Lauren Grochowski F R-Jr Naperville, Ill./Central 12 Amanda Stull G Sr. 5-9 Rushville, Ind./Rushville Consolidated 15 Olivia Irick G So. 5-7 Columbia, S.C./W.J. Keenan 21 Sydnei Moss G/F Jr North Augusta, S.C./North Augusta 22 Devin Rivers F/C Sr. 6-0 Miami, Fla./Felix Varela 23 Danielle Hennessey G Fr Myrtle Beach, S.C./Carolina Forest 24 Katie White C Jr. 6-3 St. Charles, Ill./East 30 Courtney Grambley F R-So. 6-0 Morrow, Ohio/Little Miami 32 Jessica Noll F Jr. 6-0 Myrtle Beach, S.C./St. James 40 Kendra Reynolds F Sr. 6-1 South Bend, Ind./Riley/Olney Central 42 Taylor Epley F So. 6-0 Newburgh, Ind./Castle 44 Elizabeth Weaver F Sr Unicoi, Tenn./Unicoi County Head Coach: Alan LeForce (Cumberland 57) Assistant Coach: Mark Kost Assistant Coach: Shameka Montgomery Assistant Coach: Frank Moorehead Katie Ahaus: A-hous Lauren Grochowski: Grow-HOW-skee How do you say? Sydnei Moss: Sid-nee olivia Irick: I-rick 4

5 COASTAL CAROLINA COACHING STAFF 5

6 Alan LeForce HEAD COACH Cumberland 57 Alan LeForce enters his 13th season as head women s basketball coach at Coastal Carolina University and has made his mark as one of the most respected, experienced and successful coaches in the Big South Conference. From a secondplace Big South finish in his inaugural year at Coastal Carolina to a magical run in the BSC tournament in to a team that pulled off another tournament upset in , the Big South Coach of the Year has been a driving force in developing a program that is ready to take the next step. LeForce made college basketball history in when he won his 100th game at Coastal Carolina Nov. 30, 2004 against UNC Wilmington. LeForce is the only head coach to accumulate 100 wins as a Division I men s and women s head coach and has 100+ wins at the public high school level, the private high school level and in the men s NAIA level. After being honored this year by Cumberland, LeForce is now a member of four Halls of Fame. He already is a part of the College of Charleston, East Tennessee State and Williamsburg High School Halls of Fame. LeForce has over 50 years of coaching experience and has an The LeForce File Born: Feb. 27, 1935 Wife: Shirley Two children: Jeff and Michelle Five Grandchildren: Allie, Abigail, Austin, Andrew, Kathryn Hometown: Williamsburg, Ky. College: Cumberland College, 1957 Awards : District Coach of the Year (National Basketball Coaches Association) : Tennessee State Coach of the Year (Tennessee Sportswriter Association) : Big South Women s Coach of the Year Several High School Coaching Honors Athletics Hall of Fame College of Charleston East Tennessee State University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg (Ky.) High School overall record of as a collegiate head coach, including a record at the helm of the Chanticleers. Last season, LeForce accumulated another milestone when he earned his career 400 win against over Erskine, He helped the Chanticleers to a 6-1 start and an 8-8 conference record. LeForce led the Chanticleers above the.500 mark with a overall record. LeForce guided the Chanticleers to the best start in program history in , winning seven games straight. The previous year, he led his squad to an overall record and 9-5 record in the Big South, good for a tie for fourth place with UNC Asheville. The 18 regular-season wins was the most by Coastal Carolina women s basketball since becoming a Division I program. LeForce coached Alisha Dill, who was named the Big South Player of the Year while ranking sixth in the nation by averaging 22.5 points per game. Dill became the Second Big South Player of the Year coached by LeForce, joining Brooke Weisbrod ( ). He has also coached three players selected to the Big South All-Freshman Team. Coastal Carolina s defense was once again its strong point, as the Chanticleers finished 21st in the country, giving up 56.1 points per game. Coastal Carolina was one of the most improved teams in the nation in , going with a third-place finish in the Big South Conference. That 8 1/2 game turnaround was 17th best in the country. Coastal Carolina defeated Birmingham-Southern in the quarterfinal of the Big South Tournament before falling in a nailbiter to High Point in the semifinals. The Chants had two Second Team All-Big South members (Kim Turner and Alisha Dill) and had three players (Turner, Dill and Amber Rose) average over 11 points a game. Coastal Carolina once again excelled on defense, leading the league in turnover margin and steals while holding its opponents to 57 points per game. In , LeForce guided Coastal Carolina to a record and a sixth-seed in the Big South Conference Tournament. The Chanticleers went into High Point and the Big South Quarterfinals as the underdog, but pulled out a upset over the third-seeded Panthers, giving Le- Force seven wins in BSC Tournament play. LeForce coached Nikki Reddick, who was named to the All-Big South Conference First Team for the third straight season and ended her career as Coastal Carolina s all-time leading scorer. The Chanticleers also went 8-5 at Kimbel Arena and were among the league leaders in scoring offense and three-point field-goal percentage. LeForce led the Chants to a overall record and a 6-8 record in the Big South in , advancing to the semifinals of the Big South Tournament before falling to top-seed Liberty. The Chants had a 7-5 record at Kimbel Arena, including a thrilling triple-overtime win over Radford. 6

7 The season could have been one of the most memorable in LeForce s career. With only nine healthy players to finish the regular season, the Chants tied for sixth place in the conference and earned the seventh seed for the Big South Tournament. However, Coastal Carolina got hot in the tournament, upsetting second-seeded Elon, 66-64, in the quarterfinals and sixth-seeded Winthrop, 58-56, in the semifinals before falling to top-seeded Liberty in the championship game. During the season, with only three players with previous Division I experience, LeForce led his young squad to a record. Coastal Carolina finished second in the Big South and boasted the school s first ever Big South Player of the Year in Brooke Weisbrod. The squad continued the program s improvement with a overall record and a second-place finish in the Big South. The 20 victories again topped the list for most wins since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 1986 and was the first time a Coastal Carolina team reached the 20-win plateau since the team garnered 21 wins. LeForce earned Big South Coach of the Year honors in as he led Coastal to a second-place finish and an record. Coastal Carolina also came within one game of making the NCAA Tournament before losing to Liberty in the tournament s championship game. The foundation of a strong Chants program began in LeForce s first season. Even though the team posted a 9-18 record, Coastal Carolina placed third in the Big South Conference after being picked to finish last in the conference preseason poll. LeForce s first recruiting class included the Big South Rookie of the Year in Weisbrod. LeForce has won on every level in his 50 years of coaching. From 1990 to 1996, he served as head men s basketball coach at East Tennessee State University. In that six-year span, the Buccaneers posted a overall record and his.574 winning percentage is the highest in the school s history for coaches with at least four years at ETSU. He led the Bucs to two Southern Conference regular-season co-championships, two Southern Conference Tournament titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances. In his first season as head coach, he directed the Bucs to a 28-5 record and a spot among the nation s top-20, rising as high as #10 in the Associated Press poll. In the 1992 NCAA Tournament, ETSU knocked off the University of Arizona in the first round before falling to LeForce s Year-By-Year Record at Coastal Carolina Year Overall Pct. Big South Pct Total eventual national runner-up University of Michigan in the second round. The victory over the Wildcats was the biggest upset of the first round of that year s NCAA Tournament and marked the first time a school from the Southern Conference had advanced past the first round of the tournament in a decade. LeForce was named the 1991 District Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). During his tenure at ETSU, LeForce coached seven All-Southern Conference players including Greg Dennis and Keith Mister Jennings, who also was named to the SoCon s 75th Anniversary Second Team. Before serving as head coach at ETSU, LeForce was an assistant coach with the Bucs for four seasons. Following the 1996 season, he resigned as ETSU s coach to accept an assistant director of athletics position at the school. This past winter, LeForce was inducted into the East Tennessee State Athletics Hall of Fame. LeForce began his coaching career in 1958 at his alma mater, Williamsburg High School in Williamsburg, Ky. He coached there from 1958 to 1961 and from 1963 to 1967, taking the year off to serve as an assistant coach at Cumberland (Ky.) College, his college alma mater. From 1968 to 1971, LeForce served as an assistant coach at Furman University. He became head coach at the College of Charleston in During his nine-year stint in Charleston, the Cougars ranked among the top teams in NAIA competiton. He compiled a record and posted five straight winning seasons. His 1975 Cougar squad won a then-school record 21 games. He also was the school s director of athletics for seven years. It was at this point in his career that LeForce came to Myrtle Beach and accepted the head coaching and athletics director positions at Coastal Academy. In five years, he led the boy s basketball team to two South Carolina Independent School State Championships and an impressive record. In 1985, he moved to Mt. Pleasant, S.C., and coached the boy s program at East Cooper High School for one season before accepting his assistant s job at ETSU. LeForce is married to the former Shirley Smith of Williamsburg, Ky. The LeForce s have two children, Jeff and Michelle. Jeff and his wife, Joy, have four children: two daughters, Allie and Abigail, and two sons, Austin and Andrew. Michelle and her husband David have a daughter, Kathryn. 7

8 How would you describe your team s personality this year? I think our personality is good. Our personality is helpful. They want to help each other, they want to be good. I just think, for lack of a better word, I ll just say a healthy personality for basketball. What attributes does each assistant coach bring to your staff? Mark has been with me six years. I ve been coaching several years, and I ve had some very good assistant coaches. He ranks right up there at the top with them. He s a very good recruiter, hard worker, organized, and he understands the game. In my opinion, he s ready to be a head basketball coach. He has all the qualities to be very good, to be excellent. Shameka is a young lady who was a very fine basketball player in college. She gets along really well with our team. She s sort of like their big sister. She does things that are very vital to our program. They ll come and talk to her about certain situations that perhaps they wouldn t discuss with a male coach. She s also an excellent teacher in the post area. Frank is a veteran. Frank coached in high school for 25 years. He s been with us for several years. Frank has a lot of knowledge, a lot of savvy and understanding of the game. He s just good to have around because he has a lot of good ideas and he brings a lot of good things to the table. How would you describe your style of coaching? My style of coaching I would say, my style of coaching is too intense at times. I expect a lot out of our players and, you know, I ve been around to possess a little knowledge. I have a love for the game; otherwise, I wouldn t stay in it. What is the most valuable lesson you ve learned from coaching? Relationships. If you don t have a relationship with your players, chances are you aren t going to be very successful. So, relationships have been the most valuable thing for me. What do you like most about coaching? Competition, I just love the game of basketball, I just love to compete. Coaching women has been really good for me; it s been a challenge and I ve really enjoyed it. I really began to understand women better, and I think my understanding of women will help us be a better basketball team. But working with players, that s the thing I really enjoy Coastal Carolina Women s Basketball What do you think Coastal Carolina has to offer a student-athlete that no other school can? Well, first of all, I think our staff is very good. I think we have the things that are important to parents safety, being around good people, education, having a love for the players, having an open-door policy where they can come in and talk any time they want to talk. Parents can call us on the phone and talk to us any time they want to talk to us. Our school, our instructors, our professors have been very good when we have trips. They ve been very good with our student-athletes, giving them assignments. So we have students playing basketball rather than basketball players playing students. And our faculty has really been good. I ve never been around a faculty that is as good as this one. LeForce s Record vs. Opponents at Coastal Alabama State Anderson Appalachian State Birmingham-Southern Butler Brevard Campbell Charleston Southern Chattanooga Cincinnati Clemson Coker College of Charleston Converse East Carolina East Tennessee State Eastern Kentucky Elon Erskine Furman Gardner-Webb Georgia Southern Hampton High Point Howard IPFW Jacksonville How has the Big South has improved as a whole in women s basketball over the years. Our league has improved 100 percent. Players that were playing in the league when I came into the league, starting my 13th year, would have a hard time playing now. You know, we re just getting better players, more skilled players that are stronger and quicker. They start playing at six years old now, and it used to be they didn t play until they were a freshman or sophomore in high school. So basketball has improved, the high school game has improved and young people have improved that has made our league tougher and tougher. Shoot yeah, our league has improved immensely. Jacksonville State James Madison Liberty Louisville Louisiana-Lafayette Mars Hill Marshall Maryland-Baltimore County Morris Navy Newberry North Carolina Presbyterian UNC Asheville UNC Greensboro UNC Wilmington North Greenville Radford Savannah State Stetson South Carolina South Carolina State Southern Virginia Wake Forest Western Carolina Winthrop Wofford

9 Mark Kost ASSISTANT COACH Notre Dame 95 Seventh Year Mark Kost is in his seventh season as an assistant coach on the women s basketball staff. His duties include all aspects of coaching and serving as the recruiting coordinator. In his job as recruiting coordinator, Kost has helped the Chanticleers garner two excellent recruiting classes. Four players have earned Big South All-Freshman Team honors in the past two years. The freshman class accounted for 22.3 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, while All-Freshman Team and All-Big South Second Team selection, Sydnei Moss finished third on the team in scoring. Kost came to the women s staff after serving on the Chanticleers men s basketball coaching staff during the season. Kost arrived at Coastal Carolina after spending two seasons as a varsity assistant coach at St. Joseph s High School in South Bend, Ind. At St. Joseph s, Kost was involved with many aspects of the program, including oncourt coaching, player development and scouting. While residing in South Bend, Kost also worked with the University of Notre Dame football and men s basketball offices as an office contractor. As a contractor, he helped implement the use of the Internet in recruiting with both programs. His connection to Coastal Carolina developed there, as he worked with former Chanticleer men s assistant coach Lewis Preston. Kost has also worked as a camp clinician at Notre Dame and the University of Michigan. Kost is a 1995 graduate of Notre Dame with a B.A. in business administration. Mark and his wife, the former Samantha Young of Pineville, Ky., reside in Conway, S.C. Q&A with Coach Kost Off of the court how would you describe your team this year? Closeknit and fun On the court how would you best describe the team this year? Tough, cohesive and intelligent Describe Coach LeForce coaching and outside of coaching. Outside of coaching Hilarious and fun-loving Coaching Intense and focused What do you like most about coaching? Helping young people achieve their goals while they are studentathletes and seeing them be successful after they leave our program. What is your opinion of women s basketball in the Big South this year? There were a lot of inexperienced teams last year that will improve greatly. It should be very competitive and full of surprises. What does Coastal Carolina have to offer a student-athlete? Coastal Carolina is a place where a student-athlete can get a first-class education, compete at the highest level athletically, live in an incredible climate and, most importantly, be surrounded by wonderful people that care about our students. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from coaching? Appreciate the young people that we are surrounded by each day our job is to support them in any way that we can. How do you best describe your coaching style? Demanding, disciplined and caring 9

10 Shameka Montgomery ASSISTANT COACH UNC Wlimington 03 Fifth Year Shameka Montgomery begins her fifth season as an assistant coach with the Coastal Carolina women s basketball program. Montgomery came to Coastal Carolina after playing overseas for two seasons. She played in Sweden in the season and was in Portugal for the campaign. Montgomery went to college at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where she scored 1,139 points and grabbed 724 rebounds in her four-year career. She was a Second Team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection in and made the CAA All-Tournament team in She graduated from UNC Wilmington with a Bachelor s of Science degree in physical education with an exercise science concentration in No stranger to the area, Montgomery went to North Myrtle Beach High School in Little River, S.C., where she was the conference Player of the Year in 1999 and was a nominee for the Miss South Carolina Basketball. Q&A with Coach Montgomery Off of the court how would you describe your team this year? They are goofy and like a family. On the court how would you best describe the team this year? They work well together. Describe Coach LeForce coaching and outside of coaching When Coach LeForce is coaching, he means business. He wants things done the correct way with no excuses. He is so funny off of the court. He is so protective and tries to make sure that everyone is ok. He is a great person to talk to. What do you like most about coaching? I love the teaching aspect of it. It feels so good to see some one execute something that you have taught them. I also love the bond that you have with being a part of a team. What is your opinion of women s basketball in the Big South this year? I think that all of the teams are getting better. You can t take any team for granted because on any day anyone can win. What does Coastal Carolina have to offer a student-athlete? I think that we offer students-athletes a caring environment and the beach. We have southern charm and we care about each other. Most of the student-athletes come support each other bringing teams closer. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from coaching? I have learned to be more patient. How do you best describe your coaching style? I am encouraging and light-hearted. 10

11 Frank Moorhead ASSISTANT COACH Clarion 78 Eighth Year Frank Moorhead begins his eighth season as an assistant on the Coastal Carolina University women s basketball staff. Before joining the Coastal Carolina staff, Moorhead spent 20 years in the Myrtle Beach area, coaching boys and girls high school basketball. Moorhead came to Coastal after serving the season as assistant varsity boys basketball coach at North Myrtle Beach High School. Prior to his stint at North Myrtle Beach, Moorhead was the head boys coach at Carolina Forest High School, where he led the team to a 14-5 record for the season. Moorhead began his coaching career at North Myrtle Beach High School, starting as the head girls basketball coach in In 17 years as the head coach of the Lady Chiefs, he compiled a record of as well as being named conference Coach of the Year eight times and The Sun News Coach of the Year seven times. His teams were conference champions 10 times and also made the state playoffs in 13 of 17 years. His 1988 team won the state championship and, in 1990, North Myrtle Beach finished second in the state. Moorhead is married to June Moorhead, principal at Myrtle Beach Primary School. Q&A with Coach Moorhead Off of the court how would you describe your team this year? Our team is unique on and off the court. They are a group of young women who are intensely connected to each other through their participation in basketball. They are supportive of each others goals and at the same time work together toward one goal improving as a team. Describe Coach LeForce coaching and outside of coaching. Coach Leforce has been my role model for over twenty years. One word that best describes him is intense he is passionate about basketball and remains a student of the game over forty years after beginning his memorable career. He is not just a coach, he is a teacher and a mentor to players, coaches and to everyone he meets. What do you like most about coaching? I most like the opportunity to interact with young people and to assist them as they strive to attain success both on and off the court. I have formed relationships with my players that will last a lifetime. I follow their lives and share in their successes and I know that in some small way I was a part of all they accomplished. What is your opinion of women s basketball in the Big South this year? The Big South this year is no different than any other. Although Liberty is always the team to beat, any and every team has the potential to end up on top. Why not Coastal? What does Coastal Carolina have to offer a student-athlete? Coastal is an outstanding university that offers student-athletes a unique educational and social environment like no other in the country... It offers a wide variety of majors, knowledgeable instructors, career advancement and academic support services that meet the demands of student-athletes. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from coaching? I think the most valuable lesson I ve learned from basketball is that I coach young people not basketball. Basketball is much bigger than winning and losing games. If you develop and motivate the athletes, success will follow. How do you best describe your coaching style? I believe that I have evolved into a player s coach over my 30 year career by that, I mean that I strive to form encouraging relationships with the athletes, attempt to gain their trust by being honest and straight forward and address challenges in a constructive manner. 11

12 SUPPORT STAFF Jennifer Spindler ATHLETIC TRAINER Fifth Year Jennifer Spindler is in her fifth year as an Assistant Athletic Trainer at Coastal Carolina University. Spindler arrived in the fall of 2005 after spending the previous two years as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at East Carolina University, where she earned her master s degree in sport management in May In her time there, she was responsible for the volleyball, men s and women s swimming, men s and women s track and field and men s and women s cross country teams. She also was responsible for various administrative roles, including student hour logs, budget/inventory database development and NCAA ISS injury tracking system. A member of the National Athletic Trainers Association, Spindler got her start as a student at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., working as an athletic training student for two years. While at Grand Valley, she worked with football, men s basketball, men s and women s tennis and in the rehabilitation room. She graduated with her bachelor s degree in movement science in December Among her other work, she was an assistant manager for the Gatorade Summer Camp at ECU, as well as being an approved clinical instructor and graduate teaching assistant in ECU s Athletic Training Education Program. Sonya Woods Assistant Strength Coach Second Year Sonya Woods is in her second year as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Coastal Carolina University, working primarily with the women s basketball, volleyball, women s tennis and women s golf programs. Woods arrived at Coastal Carolina after serving as a sports performance specialist at Athletic Republic of Charlotte for six months. Prior to that, she was the assistant strength and conditioning coach at Winthrop University for three years, working directly with 10 of the Eagles athletic programs and assisting with the remaining teams. She also worked for Winthrop as a graduate assistant with the women s basketball program, working not only with the workout programs but also handling film exchange, student managers, practice schedules and other functions. Certified by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, Woods earned two degrees in her time at Winthrop, receiving her Bachelor of Science in sport management in December 2001 and following it up with her Master of Science in physical education in May Lori Whitaker STUDENT ASSISTANT Lori Whitaker is entering her first year as a student assistant for the Chanticleers. She played for the Chanticleers for three years as a guard. As a sophomore, Whitaker saw action in a total of 34 games as a Chanticleer and totaled 113 points,.424 field goal percentage and 34 rebounds. A native of Bloomington, Ind., she is the daughter of Bruce and Cindy Whitaker and is majoring in sport management. STUDENT MANAGERS Sharod Wright Allie Wallis 12