Former Woodside High School and Lenoir-Rhyne College standout
Lanica Williams was named the Head Women's Basketball Coach today
at The Apprentice School by Director of Athletics Bill Casto.
She comes to the Lady Builders after serving two years as an
assistant coach at her collegiate alma mater.
"It was an extensive search that had excellent candidates which
gave us a tough decision," said Casto. "Lanica is one of the
most impressive young women I have spoken to in quite awhile.
She has excellent organizational skills, solid recruiting
experience and is a hometown girl. We feel Lanica is
absolutely the right fit for our program at this time."
Williams was a three-year starter for the Bears after transferring
from Alabama A&M University. She was a key cog in
Lenoir-Rhyne's first South Atlantic Conference Tournament
Championship and NCAA Division II Tournament berth in 2002-03, when
she averaged 20 points per game in the SAC Tournament. Her
college coach at Lenoir-Rhyne was former Apprentice School coach
Karen Barefoot.
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Williams holds the Lenoir-Rhyne school record for
3-pointers in a game (7) and was a 3-year starter.
Photos courtesy of
Lenoir-Rhyne SID Office
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She was also named to the All-SAC first team and tied the
Lenoir-Rhyne single game record with seven three-pointers against
Newberry College on February 12, 2003.
An outstanding student, Williams was named to the South Atlantic
Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll and graduated in May of 2006
from Lenoir-Rhyne with a bachelor's degree in athletic training.
"I am extremely excited about becoming a head coach and to have it
in my hometown is all the more special," said Williams. "To
have the support of family, friends and the community will be
excellent."
Her roots to Newport News run deep as she was a key component to
Woodside High School's success (1997-2001). She started as a
freshman on the second girls basketball team at Woodside and was
part of a group that went from 8-10 as freshmen to back-to-back
20+-win seasons. Her junior season the team advanced to the
Virginia Group AAA Quarterfinals ending with that 24-3 mark.
She earned All-State honors as a senior when her team finished
21-6.
As
a Wolverine, her coach Mike Tallon saw a player who he knew at one
day was going to be a college coach. "She's going to be a
very good college coach," said Tallon. "I always considered
her a coach on the floor. She is very knowledgeable, has a
solid background and has an incredible passion for the game.
I feel the Apprentice School couldn't have made a better decision."
The Lady Builders will open the 2007-08 season on November 16
facing Morrisville State College in the opening round of the Great
Ships Tipoff Tournament.
