Lenoir-Rhyne’s Todd Starkey Named WBCA National Coach Of The Year

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) has selected Todd Starkey of Lenoir-Rhyne University as the 2009 RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Coach of the Year. This year marks the 27th year that this accolade has been presented, which has been selected by the WBCA since 1983.

Starkey (68-48 as Bear mentor) is the second Lenoir-Rhyne coach in school history to receive national coach of the year honors. Former L-R Head Football Coach Clarence Stasavich was named the NAIA National Coach Of The Year in 1959.

"We are delighted to present the 2009 RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National NCAA Division II Coach of the Year to Todd Starkey," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "This coach has taken his team to new levels this season, and I speak on behalf of the WBCA when I say congratulations on a job well done."

In his fourth season at Lenoir-Rhyne, Starkey led his 2008-09 squad to a 27-5 record, improving on his 15-13 ledger from the previous season. This year's ledger is the second-highest win total in school history. The Bears also saw their highest ranking of No.16 in the USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll.

Starkey's team captured the South Atlantic Conference Regular Season title and Food Lion SAC Tournament Championship this season. Both the regular season and league tournament titles were the second-ever in school history. For his efforts, Starkey was named the 2008-09 South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year.

Lenoir-Rhyne earned the No. 1 seed in the 2009 NCAA Division II Southeast Region Women's Basketball Tournament, which it hosted, and picked up a 69-58 win over No.8 seed Anderson University in the quarterfinals of the tournament on Friday, March 14. With the victory, the Bears picked up their first-ever NCAA Division II playoff win. The Bears' run in the tournament ended on March 15, when No. 4 Francis Marion knocked off top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne, 93-74, in the regional semifinals.

Starkey worked as a men's basketball assistant coach at Lenoir-Rhyne for two seasons before taking over as head coach of the women's basketball team in 2005.

"Russell Athletic is proud to honor Todd Starkey as the winner of the WBCA's Division II Coach of the Year Award. Todd (Starkey) embodies the true values of a dedicated and successful coach," said Catherine Gammon, Sr. Director of Sponsorships, Russell Athletic.

Starkey is one of six RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Coaches of the Year selected, which also names winners for each of the other four WBCA collegiate divisions (NCAA Divisions I and III, NAIA and JC/CC) as well as High School.

The winner is selected through a two-level process. The first level is by region, in which coaches from each WBCA geographical region vote for their respective top coach. Starkey, having received the most votes in WBCA Region 3, advanced as a finalist to the national level of the selection process along with the other seven Regional Coaches of the Year in NCAA Division II.

The WBCA would also like to recognize the following regional Division II Coaches of the Year:

Region Name School
Region 1 Mark Swasey Franklin Pierce University
Region 2 Deirdre Kane West Chester Univ. of Pa.
Region 4 J.D. Gravina Quincy University
Region 5 Craig Roden University of West Georgia
Region 6 Lane Lord Pittsburg State University
Region 7 Pam Gohl Minnesota State, Mankato
Region 8 Tim Moser Univ. of Alaska, Anchorage

Starkey and the national winners from the other five divisions will be honored at the RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Coach of the Year Luncheon on Monday, April 6, 2009, at 1 p.m. CT Hyatt Regency St. Louis Grand Ballroom. The luncheon is part of the WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four® in St. Louis, Mo.

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About the WBCA
Founded in 1981, the WBCA promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls. For additional information about the WBCA, please visit wbca.org.