Women's Basketball: Search Begins For New Owls Coach

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Women's Basketball: Search Begins For New Owls Coach

4/18/2005

HOUSTON -- The search has started to replace Cristy McKinney as the head coach of the Rice University women's basketball team.

Athletic director Bobby May will shortly announce the members of the search committee which will advise on the selection of the replacement for the winningest basketball coach in school history.

"Cristy elevated our program to be the best in the Western Athletic Conference, and for that accomplishment we will always be appreciative," said May. "She has represented Rice and our department in a first-class manner. We wish her well with her new challenge.

"Now that Cristy is leaving us at the championship level, it is our aim to identify the person who can maintain and enhance this program as we enter Conference USA. That process will start immediately."

After 12 seasons as the Lady Owls' head coach, McKinney resigned Monday to become head coach at Clemson University. She was 216-139 over that span, capped by Rice's regular-season and tournament championships in its final season in the Western Athletic Conference. The Lady Owls have won at least 20 games in six of the past eight seasons and advanced to post-season play on five occasions.

Rice was 24-9 this past season, setting a school record for victories. On the strength of a record 12-game winning streak, the Lady Owls advanced to the NCAA tournament for only the second time in school history. McKinney was named the WAC's coach of the year this season.

?I have thoroughly loved my time at Rice, and I have thoroughly grown during my time at Rice, as a person and as a coach," she said. "This is a new challenge and a new situation for me. I grew up in the Atlantic Coast Conference. I?ve always followed ACC basketball, and this is an opportunity to get back to those roots.

?Clemson has a good situation: they have great support, great facilities and they are very committed to their program. It?s a new challenge that I?m looking forward to.?

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