Ohio University named former University of Tennessee standout Semeka Randall as it new women's basketball coach Friday.
"It is my dream job to coach in the state of Ohio," Randall said. "If you look at my previous coaching experiences, you'll see that I've always positioned myself around this state because it's a great place for women's basketball. Ohio is a great school. I like that it urges student-athletes to excel in the classroom and on the court. It's just a great place and I'm looking forward to becoming part of the Ohio basketball family and the Athens community!"
This caps a coaching career for Randall that began in 2002-03 as an assistant at Cleveland State. She then moved on to Michigan State where she was an assistant from 2004-07 then last season at West Virginia.
Randall was a Parade All-American at Trinity High School in Cleveland.
"We hit a winning half-court shot at the buzzer in hiring Semeka Randall," said Ohio athletic director Jim Schaus. "I am very excited about her leading our program and is a perfect fit for what we were looking for. She is energetic and tenacious to succeed. She will be wonderful with our players and our fans and has a big smile. I look forward to this new and exciting chapter for Bobcat women's basketball under her leadership. She is glad to be back home."
The 2000 UT graduate started all four seasons for Pat Summit and was part of two national championship teams.
"Semeka has enjoyed success at all levels - as a player at Tennessee, in the WNBA, and as a valued assistant at schools in the Big Ten and the Big East," said Summitt. "I know she is going to take the same energy, passion and drive that she exhibited as a player and transfer it into her new role as the head coach at Ohio."
Former Ohio coach Sylvia Crawley was recently named coach at Boston College.
Randall is the third former UT player in the last month to go from assistant coach to head coach. Niya Butts was named coach at Arizona and Nikki Caldwell was hired by UCLA.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 14
volboy81#211803 writes:
pretty soon ALL D1 coaches will be UT grads!!
TurboFan writes:
How old is Semeka now? How old was Pat when she started? Be interesting to see where she is in 35-40 years.
98reax writes:
"... All I know now is that this is a great day."
AWESOME, Boo! I second the motion. Go Former Lady Vols! The best in the nation.
Semeka Chantay Randall will be 30 next February.
knoxnewsuser writes:
I think she is 29 or 30.
LadyVolsEighTimes writes:
Pat was 22, she said the first year she had players older than she was.
She grew up a big UK fan, and early on they offered her a job. They would match her salary of $3000 a year, but would not help her with moving expenses.
I've heard Pat say that atthe time if they had payed for the move, she would have went.
LadyVolsEighTimes writes:
Posted by volboy81 on May 9, 2008 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
pretty soon ALL D1 coaches will be UT grads!!
***************************************************
I heard CPS say a few years back that at that point in time there were 56 COaches or Assistant, that had played for her at UT. add the Olympic teams and it might be more
bd330794#206783 writes:
As a huge Tennessee fan and Ohio Alum. Congrats...
BigOrangeVol writes:
Boo is 29 and won't be 30 until Febuary.
I couldn't be happier for her. She is one tough nut and should make an excellent head coach!
BillVol writes:
The govols Xtra page is the slowest-loading page of any I visit on the internet! Please get rid of some of the phooey on this page!
knoxtenor writes:
volboy81: "pretty soon ALL D1 coaches will be UT grads!!"
Well, except for Geno... but I'm sure he wishes he had!
tenn32rebel writes:
Congrats to Semeka!!! Now we know why she wasn't in the mix for Nikki's slot. She was already working OU!!!
I'm sure Geno has more than one player (Jen R.) or assistant who is coaching elsewhere but I don't know them! Does anybody know the numbers and places?? Thanks! Go Lady Vols!
MillisaAnn writes:
Congrats to Semeka!!! Go Lady Vols!!!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Goodness knows I am no fan of Geno, but he really hasn't had enough time on the job for many of his former players to climb up to head coach jobs. I'm sure there a good many former UConn players in assistant jobs around the country. No doubt some of them will be head coaches some day. Still, there is no doubt in my mind that Pat has more coaching proteges out there than darn near anyone. Her influence on women's basketball will be felt for generations to come.
skyhawk836 writes:
Great opportunity.
Also, UT connection at Ohio.
Former UT running back Jay Graham recently left UTM as the RB coach and accepted a job with Frank Solich at Ohio.
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