OU names Tennessee standout as new women's b-ball coach
May 9, 2008
Semeka Randall has been named the new head women's basketball coach at Ohio University, Ohio Director of Athletics Jim Schaus announced Friday. Randall, a native of Cleveland, is the ninth head coach in the program's history.
"It is my dream job to coach in the state of Ohio," Randall said in a news release. "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."
The former Tennessee All-American and four-year WNBA veteran, who will be inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame on May 17, comes to OU after spending a year as an assistant coach at West Virginia. Prior to that, Randall was an assistant coach at Michigan State from 2005-07. During her tenure at MSU, the Spartans played for the national championship in 2005, advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2006 and made it to the NCAA second round in 2007. Prior to her tenure at Michigan State, Randall served as an assistant coach at Cleveland State from 2002-03.
"We hit a winning half-court shot at the buzzer in hiring Semeka Randall," Schaus said in the release. "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.”
A standout guard for the Lady Vols from 1998-2001, Randall earned Kodak All-America First Team honors in 1999 and 2000. She was an integral part of Tennessee's 1998 NCAA Championship team that went 39-0, averaging 15.9 points a game while earning honorable mention All-America recognition.
"Semeka has a strong coaching background, including being with programs that have competed in the NCAA Tournament," Schaus continued. "She is from Ohio and has strong recruiting ties to the area. She has played at the highest level as a high school All-American in Cleveland, was a starting guard at Tennessee, and won the national championship. She also played four years in the WNBA and is a winner in everything she has done."
Randall scored 1,915 points during her career at Tennessee (13.7 ppg) and added 716 rebounds (5.1 rpg), 286 steals and 236 assists.
Prior to her playing career at Tennessee and in the professional ranks, Randall was Parade Magazine's Player of the Year and a first-team All-American in 1997 while starring at Trinity High School in Garfield Heights, Ohio. She was Ohio's Miss Basketball in 1996 and 1997.
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