2008 Woodie Awards
Melissa McFerrin has big goals for her team this season. The University of Memphis women's basketball coach wants to make a number of changes, ranging from winning NCAA titles to rebuilding the team.
By: Dan Gurley
Issue date: 11/4/08 Section: Sports
The Lady Tigers basketball team has a new woman calling the shots.
Melissa McFerrin steps in as head coach of the Lady Tigers, a team desperately in need of a fresh beginning. As the fourth coach in the program's history, she's preparing to rewrite the record books of the struggling women's team.
"I am extremely excited and honored to be a Tiger," McFerrin said. "I know that The University of Memphis is about winning, and that is exactly the type of place that I want to be."
Her lofty goals aren't shortsighted.
"We will become the class of Conference-USA," she said. "We will have the vision, the plan, the ability and the desire to rise to the top of Conference-USA. We will build our program around sound team values and effort. The city of Memphis will be central to our plans."
Teaming with McFerrin is a first-year coaching staff, including Boston College grad Danielle O'Banion, Michigan's Tempie Brown and Emerson's Michael Wholey, two of whom McFerrin's worked with in the past.
And with three returning seniors - Jessica Jackson, Paris Leonard and Ashley Thornton - she won't be working with an empty cabinet.
Jackson was a force in the paint last season, averaging 6.4 points per game and blocking 32 shots on the year, ranking 98th nationally in blocked shots despite sitting out the first seven games of the season.
The 6-foot-3 Jackson had a pair of five-block games against Toledo at the FedExForum and then again against UAB. She also recorded a double-double against Toledo, pouring in 19 points and 12 rebounds in an overtime loss.
The Lady Tigers will likely look for strong low-post play from her as well as her dominating defense seen a year ago.
Senior Paris Leonard was the only Tiger to play in all 30 games last year ago, ranking second on the team in scoring with an average of 11.4 points per game. Lethal from downtown a year ago, she connected on 40 3-point shots, giving her 101 for her career and putting her in sixth place for all time.
Melissa McFerrin steps in as head coach of the Lady Tigers, a team desperately in need of a fresh beginning. As the fourth coach in the program's history, she's preparing to rewrite the record books of the struggling women's team.
"I am extremely excited and honored to be a Tiger," McFerrin said. "I know that The University of Memphis is about winning, and that is exactly the type of place that I want to be."
Her lofty goals aren't shortsighted.
"We will become the class of Conference-USA," she said. "We will have the vision, the plan, the ability and the desire to rise to the top of Conference-USA. We will build our program around sound team values and effort. The city of Memphis will be central to our plans."
Teaming with McFerrin is a first-year coaching staff, including Boston College grad Danielle O'Banion, Michigan's Tempie Brown and Emerson's Michael Wholey, two of whom McFerrin's worked with in the past.
And with three returning seniors - Jessica Jackson, Paris Leonard and Ashley Thornton - she won't be working with an empty cabinet.
Jackson was a force in the paint last season, averaging 6.4 points per game and blocking 32 shots on the year, ranking 98th nationally in blocked shots despite sitting out the first seven games of the season.
The 6-foot-3 Jackson had a pair of five-block games against Toledo at the FedExForum and then again against UAB. She also recorded a double-double against Toledo, pouring in 19 points and 12 rebounds in an overtime loss.
The Lady Tigers will likely look for strong low-post play from her as well as her dominating defense seen a year ago.
Senior Paris Leonard was the only Tiger to play in all 30 games last year ago, ranking second on the team in scoring with an average of 11.4 points per game. Lethal from downtown a year ago, she connected on 40 3-point shots, giving her 101 for her career and putting her in sixth place for all time.