The Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball team represents
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech, La. Tech, or simply Tech) is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research acti ...
in
Ruston, Louisiana. The team currently competes in
Conference USA. The current head coach of the Lady Techsters is
Brooke Stoehr
Brooke Lassiter Stoehr (born October 19, 1980) is an American college basketball coach and former player.
Career
She is the current head coach of the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball team of Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech ...
. Louisiana Tech has won three National Championships and has competed in 13 Final Fours, 23 Sweet Sixteens, and 27 NCAA tournaments. The Lady Techsters basketball program boasts three
Wade Trophy
The Wade Trophy is an award presented annually to the best upperclass women's basketball player in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I competition. It is named after three–time national champion Delta State University coac ...
winners, five Olympic medalists, eight members of the
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. It is the only facility of its kind dedicated to all levels of women's ba ...
, 16 All-Americans, and 21
WNBA players. The Lady Techsters have an all-time record of 1181–378 with a .758 winning percentage, the fourth-best all-time winning percentage of any NCAA Division I program. The Lady Techsters have made 27 appearances in the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, which is the ninth most NCAA appearances in the nation.
History
Sonja Hogg Era (1974–1982)
In 1974, Louisiana Tech President F. Jay Taylor established the university's first women's athletic program, a women's basketball team. He hired a 28-year-old P.E. teacher at
Ruston High School
Ruston High School is a four-year public high school located in the Lincoln Parish School District of Ruston, Louisiana, United States. The school has an enrollment of approximately 1300 students with 85 faculty members; the mascot is the Bea ...
,
Sonja Hogg, as the program's first head coach. Following 13- and 19-win seasons in 1974 and 1975, she failed to win less than 20 games in a season for the rest of her time at Louisiana Tech. The late 70s and early 80s saw much success, with Hogg leading the Lady Techsters to 4 straight Final Four appearances from 1978 to 1981, including 2 national championships in 1980 and 1981.
Hogg-Barmore Era (1982–1985)
Leon Barmore
William Leon Barmore (born June 3, 1944) is a college women's basketball coach best known for his 35-year association with the Louisiana Tech University Lady Techsters. After five years as an assistant coach, he served as head coach from 1982 to ...
joined the Lady Techster staff in 1977 as an assistant, quickly moving up the ranks. After becoming Associate Head Coach in 1980, he was named co-head coach in 1982. With this duo leading, Tech saw continued dominance, including 3 straight trips to the NCAA tournament, 2 Final Four appearances, and 1 appearance in the final match. Following the 1985 season, Hogg left to coach at
Deer Park High School, leaving Barmore solely in charge of the program.
Leon Barmore Era (1985–2002)
Following Sonja Hogg’s departure, Leon Barmore once again continued the dominance of previous years. During 16 years as the sole head coach, Barmore coached the Techsters to the NCAA tournament every season, 7 Final Four appearances, 4 more trips to the final round, and 1 additional national title during the 1987–1988 season. He also successfully navigated the Techsters through conference moves to the
American South,
Sun Belt, and
WAC; winning 13 regular-season conference titles. Retiring after the 2001 season, Barmore had earned a coaching record of 576 wins and 87 losses, good for a win percentage of .869 and the 2nd best in basketball history. He has been inducted into both the
Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Kurt Budke Era (2002–2005)
After Barmore’s retirement,
Kurt Budke
Kurt John Budke (June 3, 1961 – November 17, 2011) was an American college basketball coach. Budke was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. His final coaching job was as the head coach for the Oklahoma State Cowgirls baske ...
was named as head coach of the Lady Techsters. Budke had served as an associate head coach under Barmore since 2000 and had previously coached successfully in the NJCAA. In his 3 years as head coach, the Techsters earned 3 regular season conference titles, 2 conference tournament titles, 3 NCAA tournament appearances, and 2 Sweet Sixteen appearances. Following the 2004–2005 season, Budke was hired by
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
to fill the same position. He left Ruston with an 80–16 record.
Chris Long Era (2005–2009)
Chris Long
Christopher Howard Long (born March 28, 1985) is a former American football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. The son of Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long and older brother of NFL guard Kyle Lon ...
, another assistant who had been on staff under Barmore, was named as the 4th Lady Techsters head coach in 2005. While he started his tenure continuing the dominance of previous coaches, including 2 regular season conference titles and 1 NCAA tournament appearance, he was fired halfway into the 2008–2009 season after a 12–11 start. This followed a 16–15 season in 2007–2008 where Tech failed to play in the postseason for the second season in a row. He left the Techsters with a 71–44 record.
Teresa Weatherspoon Era (2009–2014)
After Chris Long was fired midway into the 2008–2009 season,
Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon (born December 8, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). She played for the New York L ...
was named Interim head coach, later becoming the 5th head coach of the Lady Techsters. Previously, she had played under Sonja Hogg and Leon Barmore from 1984–1988 and had been an associate head coach at Louisiana Tech since 2008. As head coach, she led the Techsters to 2 regular season conference titles, 1 conference tournament title in 2009–2010, and 2 NCAA tournament appearances. Following Louisiana Tech’s move from the WAC to
Conference USA in 2013, Weatherspoon was fired after a 12–20 season where the Lady Techsters finished last in the conference.
Tyler Summitt Era (2014–2016)
Tyler Summitt was hired in 2014 following Teresa Weatherspoon’s firing. Previously he served as an assistant coach at
Marquette from 2012–2014. Summitt gathered a 30–31 record during his tenure in Ruston. His time as head coach was marked by scandal, however, as news broke that he was involved in an extramarital affair with Brooke Pumroy, a player who had transferred from Marquette along with Summitt. After this affair was leaked, Summitt resigned on April 7, 2016.
Brooke Stoehr Era (2016–Present)
Brooke Stoehr
Brooke Lassiter Stoehr (born October 19, 1980) is an American college basketball coach and former player.
Career
She is the current head coach of the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball team of Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech ...
was hired to be the next head coach of the Lady Techsters following Tyler Summitt’s resignation in April 2016. Previously, she coached for 4 seasons at
Northwestern State
Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) is a public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the Univer ...
. Before that, she played at Tech for 4 seasons from 1998–2002 under Leon Barmore. Currently, in her seventh season as head coach, she has led the Techsters to 3 WNIT bids, and 1 division regular season conference title.
Conference affiliations
*1974–1987: Independent
*1987–1991:
American South Conference
The American South Conference was an NCAA Division I athletic conference that existed from 1987–88 to 1990–91. The charter members were Arkansas State University, Lamar University, Louisiana Tech University, the University of New Orleans, the ...
*1991–2001:
Sun Belt Conference
*2001–2013:
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Texas.
Due to mos ...
*2013–present:
Conference USA
Seasons
Postseason results
AIAW Division I
The Lady Techsters made three appearances in the
AIAW women's basketball tournament
The AIAW women's basketball tournament was a national tournament for women's collegiate basketball teams in the United States, held annually from 1972 to 1982. The winners of the AIAW tournaments from 1972 to 1981 are recognized as the national c ...
, with a combined record of 9–3.
NCAA Division I
Rivalries
Fresno State Bulldogs
LSU Lady Tigers
Tennessee Lady Vols
WKU Lady Toppers
Home venues
Thomas Assembly Center
The Thomas Assembly Center (TAC) has been home to the Lady Techsters basketball team since the 8,000-seat facility opened in November 1982. Constructed at a cost of $17.5 million, the TAC is a cylindrical arena with a concrete finish and bronze glass at the entrance level. In 2007 a new state-of-the-art maple wood floor was installed in the TAC and named "
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone (born July 24, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Mailman", he is considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history. Malone sp ...
Court."
In the Lady Techsters' first game at the TAC, Louisiana Tech lost to
USC, led by
Cheryl Miller
Cheryl D. Miller (born January 3, 1964) is an American former basketball player. She was formerly a sideline reporter for NBA games on TNT Sports and also works for NBA TV as a reporter and analyst, having worked previously as a sportscaster f ...
and
Cynthia Cooper, 64–58 in front of 8,700 fans on December 4, 1982. However, the Lady Techsters picked up their first win at the TAC in their next game by defeating
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
83–56 on December 9, 1982.
On January 22, 1985, Louisiana Tech set an attendance record of 8,975 at the TAC in a women's/men's doubleheader in which the Lady Techsters defeated
Northeast Louisiana 79–77 in overtime. The Lady Techsters have hosted 15 crowds of more than 7,000 and eight capacity crowds of more than 8,000. The Lady Techsters regularly rank in the Top 40 in NCAA women's basketball average attendance, including a program record average of 5,330 in 1983–84.
The Lady Techsters have been almost unbeatable at the TAC. As of the 2022-23 season, the Lady Techsters boast a 507-97 record at the TAC, a 83.9% winning percentage. The Lady Techsters have recorded thirteen undefeated seasons at the TAC, and is a perfect 36–0 all-time in
NCAA tournament games there. The Lady Techsters won 161 consecutive games against unranked opponents at home from 1992 to 2004, and the Lady Techsters won 114 consecutive regular season home conference games between 1992 and 2007; and have posted home winning streaks of 49, 52 and 62 games, all of which rank in the Top 15 in Division I history.
Memorial Gymnasium
In 1952, Memorial Gymnasium, now Scotty Robertson Memorial Gymnasium, was constructed on the
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech, La. Tech, or simply Tech) is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research acti ...
campus in
Ruston to serve as the home of the
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball program, nicknamed the Dunkin' Dogs, represents intercollegiate men's basketball at Louisiana Tech University. The program competes in Conference USA in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Ass ...
. After the inception of the Lady Techsters basketball team in 1974, Memorial Gymnasium was home to Lady Techster basketball through the 1981–82 season. In the first game in program history, the Lady Techsters lost to
Southeastern Louisiana 55–59 in Memorial Gym on January 7, 1975. However, in their next game, the Lady Techsters rebounded to defeat
LSU
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
97–83 to christen Memorial Gym with the first victory in Louisiana Tech women's basketball history on January 24, 1975.
During the 1979–80 season, more than 5,000 fans routinely packed inside Memorial Gym to watch the Lady Techsters play, and Louisiana Tech's attendance peaked at 6,220 for
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
and 6,314 for
Stephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas,Hatch (1999), p. 43. he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization ...
. After that season, the Louisiana State Fire Marshall ordered Louisiana Tech to not allow more than 5,200 spectators into Memorial Gym again. If Louisiana Tech did not comply, the fire marshal vowed to personally count the crowd and not let more than 4,800 enter Memorial Gym again. As a result, Louisiana Tech President F. Jay Taylor initiated the construction of the 8,000 capacity
Thomas Assembly Center
The Samuel M. Thomas Assembly Center is an 8,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Ruston, Louisiana. The arena, named for its benefactor and businessman Samuel M. Thomas, is home to the Division I NCAA Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs (men) and La ...
.
In the Lady Techsters' final game played in Memorial Gym, Louisiana Tech defeated
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
82–60 on March 20, 1982, in the Midwest regional final of the first NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. Throughout the eight seasons the Lady Techsters played in Memorial Gymnasium, Louisiana Tech amassed 84 wins and only 6 losses at home. The Lady Techsters' 93.3% winning percentage at Memorial Gym ranks third best all-time only trailing
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
at
Thompson–Boling Arena
Thompson–Boling Arena is a multi-purpose arena on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. The arena opened in 1987. It is home to the Tennessee Volunteers (men) and Lady Vols (women) basketball teams. Since 2008, it h ...
(94.2%) and
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
at
Gampel Pavilion
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion is a 10,167-seat multi-purpose arena in Storrs, Connecticut, United States, on the campus of the University of Connecticut (UConn). The arena opened on January 21, 1990, and is the largest on-campus arena in New England. ...
(93.7%).
Traditions
Lady Techsters
When
Sonja Hogg was hired in 1974 as the first women's basketball coach, she refused to call her team the Lady Bulldogs after the Louisiana Tech men's nickname. She asserted that
bulldog
The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.[Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...]
article stated, "A Lady Techster is likely to be a good student and a devout Christian, probably favors needlepoint over
Madonna tapes on airplanes and fears a drug test about as much as she does an airport metal detector." The same article stated that Hogg's insistence that her players act like ladies gave the team an "almost antebellum image" that was well-suited to a conservative town like Ruston.
Columbia Blue
In 1896, Col. A.T. Prescott, president of what was then
Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, announced the selection of
red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
and
blue
Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...
as the institution's colors. Red was chosen to represent
courage, and blue was selected to embody
loyalty. In the 1960s, Columbia blue was introduced to Louisiana Tech in various applications. In 1974,
Sonja Hogg, along with the head of the university's art department, Raymond Nichols, presented various shades of blue to the athletics council, and Hogg's preference of Columbia blue was adopted as the primary color of the Lady Techsters. Prior to 2003, the university's teams, departments, and organizations used various shades of blue ranging from light blue to dark blue. Yet in 2003, Louisiana Tech standardized its shade of blue by adopting reflex blue as the official hue. However, due to Louisiana Tech's rich tradition in women's basketball, the Lady Techsters basketball team was granted the only exemption to not adopt reflex blue and was allowed to continue to use the traditional Columbia blue. While other teams have since used Columbia blue in limited capacity, the shade is still mostly synonymous with the women's basketball team.
Jersey Sleeves
In 1974,
Sonja Hogg designed the Lady Techster jerseys with modest sleeves to avoid her players showing
sports bra
A sports bra is a bra that provides support to the breasts during physical exercise. Sturdier than typical bras, they minimize breast movement and alleviate discomfort. Many women wear sports bras to reduce pain and physical discomfort caused ...
straps (or before their invention, regular bra straps) or
underarms
The axilla (also, armpit, underarm or oxter) is the area on the human body directly under the shoulder joint. It includes the axillary space, an anatomical space within the shoulder girdle between the arm and the thoracic cage, bounded superiorl ...
. As Lady Techster basketball rose to national prominence, the jersey sleeves became recognized as part of the Lady Techster brand. Sleeves remained a staple of the Lady Techsters jerseys throughout
Leon Barmore
William Leon Barmore (born June 3, 1944) is a college women's basketball coach best known for his 35-year association with the Louisiana Tech University Lady Techsters. After five years as an assistant coach, he served as head coach from 1982 to ...
's tenure as head coach. After Barmore retired in 2002, new head coach
Kurt Budke
Kurt John Budke (June 3, 1961 – November 17, 2011) was an American college basketball coach. Budke was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. His final coaching job was as the head coach for the Oklahoma State Cowgirls baske ...
introduced the first Lady Techsters sleeveless jerseys at the behest of the players.
Hoop Troop
Hoop Troop is the official basketball
pep band
A pep band is an ensemble of instrumentalists who play at events, usually athletic, with the purpose of entertaining and creating enthusiasm in a crowd. Often members of a pep band are a subset of people from a larger ensemble such as a marchi ...
at Louisiana Tech University. The ''Hoop Troop'' performs at most women's basketball home games and travels to select road basketball games. The band also usually travels to all post-season games played by the Lady Techsters, and is known nationally as one of the best basketball bands in college basketball. In the 2005 post-season, the ''Hoop Troop'' was featured in a ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
's College Edition'' article, "65 Things We Want to See During March Madness" in which states, "30) The Louisiana Tech pep band, a.k.a. the Hoop Troop, the funniest band in the land."
The ''Hoop Troop'' was the only basketball band to be listed.
Players
Honors
Wade Trophy
Three Lady Techsters have been awarded the
Wade Trophy
The Wade Trophy is an award presented annually to the best upperclass women's basketball player in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I competition. It is named after three–time national champion Delta State University coac ...
, the award presented annually to the best women's basketball player in the NCAA.
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
is the only program to have more than three players awarded the Wade Trophy.
*
Pam Kelly
Pamela Kelly-Flowers, a native of Columbia, Louisiana is a former American women's basketball player at Louisiana Tech University. She won two national championships for the Lady Techsters. She was named to the All-American team in 1980, 1981, an ...
, 1982
*
Janice Lawrence Braxton
Janice Faye Lawrence Braxton (born June 7, 1962) is an American professional women's basketball player. She was born in Lucedale, Mississippi. Braxton was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
College
Braxton played colleg ...
, 1984
*
Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon (born December 8, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). She played for the New York L ...
, 1988
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
*
Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon (born December 8, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). She played for the New York L ...
, inducted in 2019
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
*
Pam Kelly
Pamela Kelly-Flowers, a native of Columbia, Louisiana is a former American women's basketball player at Louisiana Tech University. She won two national championships for the Lady Techsters. She was named to the All-American team in 1980, 1981, an ...
, 2007
*
Janice Lawrence Braxton
Janice Faye Lawrence Braxton (born June 7, 1962) is an American professional women's basketball player. She was born in Lucedale, Mississippi. Braxton was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
College
Braxton played colleg ...
, 2006
*
Kim Mulkey
Kimberly Duane Mulkey (born May 17, 1962) is an American college basketball player and coach. She is the head coach for Louisiana State University's women's basketball team. A Pan-American gold medalist in 1983 and Olympic gold medalist in 1984, ...
, 2000
*
Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon (born December 8, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). She played for the New York L ...
, 2010
*
Mickie DeMoss
Mickie Faye DeMoss (born October 3, 1955) is a former American college basketball coach and player. She was the women's head coach at the University of Florida and the University of Kentucky. She was also an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech Univ ...
, 2018
All-Americans
Eleven Lady Techsters have been awarded 16 Kodak First Team All-America honors.
*
Pam Kelly
Pamela Kelly-Flowers, a native of Columbia, Louisiana is a former American women's basketball player at Louisiana Tech University. She won two national championships for the Lady Techsters. She was named to the All-American team in 1980, 1981, an ...
, 1980-1981-1982
*Angela Turner, 1982
*
Janice Lawrence Braxton
Janice Faye Lawrence Braxton (born June 7, 1962) is an American professional women's basketball player. She was born in Lucedale, Mississippi. Braxton was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
College
Braxton played colleg ...
, 1983–1984
*Pam Gant, 1985
*
Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon (born December 8, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). She played for the New York L ...
, 1987–1988
*Nora Lewis, 1989
*
Venus Lacy
Venus Lacy (some sources give her name as Venus Lacey, born February 9, 1967) is an American former star basketball player, at the high school, college, Olympic and professional levels. A wide-bodied, muscular center, at her best Lacy was an in ...
, 1990
*
Vickie Johnson
Vickie Johnson (born April 15, 1972) is an American former basketball player and head coach of the Dallas Wings. Johnson is the former head coach of the San Antonio Stars. Upon the sale and relocation of the Stars, Johnson was hired by head coach ...
, 1995–1996
*
Debra Williams, 1996
*Amanda Wilson, 1999
*
Tamicha Jackson
Tamicha Renia Jackson (born April 22, 1978) is an American former women's basketball player. She earned a gold medal with the US Junior World Championship team (1996–97). She was named Kodak All-American for the Lady Techsters in 2000. Tamicha ...
, 2000
Conference player of the year
Fourteen Lady Techsters have garnered 19 conference player of the year honors.
*
Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon (born December 8, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). She played for the New York L ...
, 1988
*
Venus Lacy
Venus Lacy (some sources give her name as Venus Lacey, born February 9, 1967) is an American former star basketball player, at the high school, college, Olympic and professional levels. A wide-bodied, muscular center, at her best Lacy was an in ...
, 1989–1990
*Shantel Hardison, 1992
*Pam Thomas, 1994
*
Vickie Johnson
Vickie Johnson (born April 15, 1972) is an American former basketball player and head coach of the Dallas Wings. Johnson is the former head coach of the San Antonio Stars. Upon the sale and relocation of the Stars, Johnson was hired by head coach ...
, 1995–1996
*
Alisa Burras
Alisa Marzatte Burras (born June 23, 1975) is a former professional women's basketball player.
She was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and played for Westark Community College in Fort Smith, Arkansas from 1994 to 1996 and helped lead the ...
, 1997
*Amanda Wilson, 1998–1999
*
Betty Lennox
Betty Bernice Lennox (born December 4, 1976) is an American retired professional basketball player. She played for the Minnesota Lynx, Miami Sol, Cleveland Rockers, Seattle Storm, Atlanta Dream, Los Angeles Sparks and Tulsa Shock in the Women's ...
, 2000
*
Cheryl Ford
Cheryl Ford (born June 6, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player. As a member of the Detroit Shock, she won the WNBA championship three times.
Personal life
Cheryl Ford is the daughter of Bonita Ford and former NBA player ...
, 2002–2003
*Amisha Carter, 2004
*Tasha Williams, 2005
*Shan Moore, 2007
*
Shanavia Dowdell, 2009–2010
*Adrienne Johnson, 2011
Olympic medalists
Lady Techsters have won five
Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
medals.
Lady Techsters in the WNBA
Twenty-one former Lady Techsters have been drafted or played in the
WNBA. Numerous Lady Techsters have played professional basketball overseas.
Coaches
Head coaching records
Honors
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
*
Leon Barmore
William Leon Barmore (born June 3, 1944) is a college women's basketball coach best known for his 35-year association with the Louisiana Tech University Lady Techsters. After five years as an assistant coach, he served as head coach from 1982 to ...
, inducted in 2003
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
*
Leon Barmore
William Leon Barmore (born June 3, 1944) is a college women's basketball coach best known for his 35-year association with the Louisiana Tech University Lady Techsters. After five years as an assistant coach, he served as head coach from 1982 to ...
, inducted in 2003
*
Sonja Hogg, inducted in 2009
*
Kurt Budke
Kurt John Budke (June 3, 1961 – November 17, 2011) was an American college basketball coach. Budke was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. His final coaching job was as the head coach for the Oklahoma State Cowgirls baske ...
, inducted in 2014
Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year
*
Leon Barmore
William Leon Barmore (born June 3, 1944) is a college women's basketball coach best known for his 35-year association with the Louisiana Tech University Lady Techsters. After five years as an assistant coach, he served as head coach from 1982 to ...
: 1988
USBWA Women's National Coach of the Year
*
Leon Barmore
William Leon Barmore (born June 3, 1944) is a college women's basketball coach best known for his 35-year association with the Louisiana Tech University Lady Techsters. After five years as an assistant coach, he served as head coach from 1982 to ...
: 1996
Maggie Dixon Award
*
Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon (born December 8, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). She played for the New York L ...
: 2010
Conference coach of the year
*
Leon Barmore
William Leon Barmore (born June 3, 1944) is a college women's basketball coach best known for his 35-year association with the Louisiana Tech University Lady Techsters. After five years as an assistant coach, he served as head coach from 1982 to ...
: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
*
Kurt Budke
Kurt John Budke (June 3, 1961 – November 17, 2011) was an American college basketball coach. Budke was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. His final coaching job was as the head coach for the Oklahoma State Cowgirls baske ...
: 2003, 2004
*
Chris Long
Christopher Howard Long (born March 28, 1985) is a former American football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. The son of Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long and older brother of NFL guard Kyle Lon ...
: 2006
Leon Barmore coaching tree
Nine former assistant coaches under head coach
Leon Barmore
William Leon Barmore (born June 3, 1944) is a college women's basketball coach best known for his 35-year association with the Louisiana Tech University Lady Techsters. After five years as an assistant coach, he served as head coach from 1982 to ...
have become head women's basketball coaches.
*
Gary Blair
Gary Claude Blair (born August 10, 1945) is a retired women's basketball head coach. He coached for 37 years closing with Texas A&M Aggies women's basketball, who he coached from 2003 until his retirement in 2022. In his 37 years as a collegiate ...
:
Stephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas,Hatch (1999), p. 43. he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization ...
,
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
,
Texas A&M
Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
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Kurt Budke
Kurt John Budke (June 3, 1961 – November 17, 2011) was an American college basketball coach. Budke was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. His final coaching job was as the head coach for the Oklahoma State Cowgirls baske ...
: Louisiana Tech,
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
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Kristy Curry:
Purdue,
Texas Tech
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
,
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
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Nell Fortner
Nell Fortner (born March 3, 1959) is the current women's college basketball coach at Georgia Tech. She is most well known for leading the 2000 Olympics team to a gold medal. She has received numerous awards including the 1997 National Coach of th ...
:
Purdue,
Team USA
The United States national team or Team USA may refer to any of a number of sports team representing the United States in international competitions.
Olympic teams
Additionally, these teams may compete in other international competitions such as ...
,
Indiana Fever,
Auburn
*Stacy Johnson-Klein:
Fresno State
California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California. It is one of 23 campuses in the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers bachelo ...
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Chris Long
Christopher Howard Long (born March 28, 1985) is a former American football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. The son of Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long and older brother of NFL guard Kyle Lon ...
: Louisiana Tech
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Kim Mulkey
Kimberly Duane Mulkey (born May 17, 1962) is an American college basketball player and coach. She is the head coach for Louisiana State University's women's basketball team. A Pan-American gold medalist in 1983 and Olympic gold medalist in 1984, ...
:
Baylor,
LSU
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
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Christie Sides:
Indiana Fever
*
Jennifer White:
St. Edward's
Lady Techsters in coaching
Nine former Lady Techsters have become head women's basketball coaches.
*Amy Brown:
Tennessee Tech
Tennessee Technological University, commonly referred to as Tennessee Tech, is a public research university in Cookeville, Tennessee, United States. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute, and before that as University of Dixie ...
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Mickie DeMoss
Mickie Faye DeMoss (born October 3, 1955) is a former American college basketball coach and player. She was the women's head coach at the University of Florida and the University of Kentucky. She was also an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech Univ ...
:
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
,
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
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Vickie Johnson
Vickie Johnson (born April 15, 1972) is an American former basketball player and head coach of the Dallas Wings. Johnson is the former head coach of the San Antonio Stars. Upon the sale and relocation of the Stars, Johnson was hired by head coach ...
:
San Antonio Stars,
Dallas Wings
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Angela Lawson
Angela Lawson (born January 19, 1966) is the senior associate director of athletics at the University of the Incarnate Word. She played college basketball at Louisiana Tech University where she was a three-year starter for Leon Barmore and the L ...
:
Incarnate Word
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Kim Mulkey
Kimberly Duane Mulkey (born May 17, 1962) is an American college basketball player and coach. She is the head coach for Louisiana State University's women's basketball team. A Pan-American gold medalist in 1983 and Olympic gold medalist in 1984, ...
:
Baylor,
LSU
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
*
Christie Sides:
Indiana Fever
*
Brooke Lassiter Stoehr:
Northwestern State
Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) is a public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the Univer ...
, Louisiana Tech (current)
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Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon (born December 8, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). She played for the New York L ...
: Louisiana Tech
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Jennifer White:
St. Edward's
See also
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NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament bids by school This is a list of NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament bids by school, at the conclusion of the 2022 conference tournaments. Schools whose names are italicized are no longer in Division I and can no longer be included in the tournament. The ...
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NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, currently featuring 68 women's college basketball teams from the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic ...
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1981 AIAW National Division I Basketball Championship
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1982 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
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1988 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
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AIAW women's basketball tournament
The AIAW women's basketball tournament was a national tournament for women's collegiate basketball teams in the United States, held annually from 1972 to 1982. The winners of the AIAW tournaments from 1972 to 1981 are recognized as the national c ...
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WAC women's basketball tournament
The WAC women's basketball tournament is the conference championship tournament in basketball for the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The WAC has held a postseason tournament to crown a women's basketball champion every year since 1991. At fir ...
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Sun Belt women's basketball tournament
The Sun Belt Conference women's basketball tournament has been played every year since the 1982-83 academic year. The winner of the tournament is guaranteed an automatic berth into the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament.
In 2007, the S ...
References
External links
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{{Navboxes
, titlestyle = {{CollegePrimaryStyle, Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters, color=black
, list =
{{1981 Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball navbox
{{1982 Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball navbox
{{1988 Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball navbox
{{Louisiana Tech University
{{Conference USA women's basketball navbox
Basketball teams established in 1974
1974 establishments in Louisiana