Although it hasn’t made the NCAA tournament since 1998, Memphis’ women’s basketball team is building. Having had the privilege to attend a couple of workouts/scrimmages as a practice player, I can confidently say the staff in place is close to breaking through.
Former Lady Vol and two-time national champion Alex Simmons is at the helm for the Lady Tigers. To pair with Simmons is a coaching staff that is littered with talent and experience. Surely, playing under Naismith Hall of Fame head coach Pat Summitt for five years helped in Simmons’ development as both a player and a coach.
The coaching staff is the first key piece in building a successful program, and I’m confident the Tigers nailed it. The professionalism and intentionality in each day, drill, and word were evident from the moment I walked in. Here are the staff members that left an impression:
Meet the Lady Tigers Coaching Staff
- Josh Cooperwood – The former nine-year pro and Memphis native is the Lady Tigers assistant coach. From my point of view, he focused heavily on guard development and preached confidence in your shot. He also is the all time leading scorer at Tennessee State.
- Whitney Bays – Bays is a former all-conference selection in the Big 10 at Purdue. After that, she played professionally in Puerto Rico, where league voters named her MVP. Furthermore, she focuses on forward development and is the all time leading score in Purdue women’s basketball history.
- Nadiria Evans – Evans is the basketball operations manager and impressed me with intentionality, guard development, and drills. She is the all time leading scorer at UNC Asheville’s women’s program.
- Harlyn Wyatt – Wyatt is the team’s assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. She’s also a “film junkie” who watches recruits and makes scouting reports. Wyatt focuses on the development of the Lady Tiger’s post-players.
- Keke McKinney – McKinney is on the Lady Tigers staff as the director of player development but is a jack of all trades. According to the team website, she performs “personal and skills training within the program where she emphasizes academic success, nutrition and health, and basic basketball terminology.”
- Kevin Sullivan – According to the team website, “Sullivan joined the Tigers in July 2023 and oversees the equipment operations for the women’s basketball team.” Although some may see Sullivan as “just a manager”, he’s much more than that. Sullivan does everything, from hopping in drills, giving coaching tips, or getting gear for the team. Through all this, his every day commitment to winning is evident.
Everyone in the building for the Lady Tigers understands the ultimate goal: to win.
