Mickie DeMoss
Encyclopedia
Mickie Faye DeMoss is an American college basketball
coach and former player. She is the former women's head coach at the University of Florida
and the University of Kentucky
, and is currently an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee
.
. After a standout high school career, she went to Louisiana Tech University
, where she started at point guard for her final three years. Immediately after her graduation with a physical education
degree in 1977, she began her coaching career as an assistant at Memphis State
(now Memphis). In 1979, she became the first full-time women's basketball coach in the history of the University of Florida
. After four seasons and a 45-68 record, she left to become an assistant at Auburn University
under Joe Ciampi. In both of her seasons at Auburn, they made the NCAA Tournament
. More importantly for the direction of her career, she established herself as a top-notch recruiter. In the four seasons (1985–1989) after she left Auburn, players she helped recruit gave the Lady Tigers a 119-13 record and went to two Final Fours.
to be her top assistant at the University of Tennessee
. During her 18 seasons in Knoxville, the Lady Vols went to 13 Final Four
s and won six NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
s. As at Auburn, she played a key role as a recruiter, this time as the official recruiting coordinator.
. The Wildcats
had fallen off considerably from their glory years of the early 1980s, when the then-LadyKats were regularly competing for Southeastern Conference
(SEC) honors. In the two years before DeMoss came to Lexington
, the Wildcats had won a total of 20 games. The Wildcats had averaged little over 1,000 in per-game attendance.
DeMoss's first priority upon arriving at Kentucky was recruiting; her first class there was widely considered to be one of the top 10 in the nation that year. Season ticket sales immediately went up to over 3,000, and the Wildcats led the nation in increased attendance that season, averaging nearly 5,200. Despite an 11-16 record in 2003-04, the team showed marked improvement, reducing their average margin of defeat in SEC play by nearly 9 points.
The following season the Wildcats went 18-16, compiling their first winning season since 1999–2000. They made a strong run in the 2005 Women's National Invitation Tournament
, losing to West Virginia
in the semifinals in double overtime.
DeMoss's breakthrough season with Kentucky proved to be the 2005-06 season. She entered her third season with one of the youngest teams in women's college basketball, with only one senior on the roster and nine freshmen and sophomores. The team ended up with the most conference wins in school history (nine), including a landmark 66-63 win over then top-ranked Tennessee at Rupp Arena
on January 26, 2006, and the program's highest conference finish (fourth) since the 1980s. In the wake of this win, the team entered the national rankings for the first time since 1993. The Wildcats also made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years, winning in the first round against Chattanooga
before losing in the next round to Michigan State
. After the season, DeMoss was named SEC Coach of the Year by both her fellow coaches and the Associated Press
. Her record at Kentucky at the end of the season was 51-42.
The Wildcats, returning all five starters, were ranked 15th in the 2006-07 AP
preseason poll, the first preseason ranking for Kentucky in the history of the AP women's poll.
On April 11, 2007, DeMoss held a press conference to announce her resignation, abruptly stating "After 30 years of coaching, I just want to step back and reassess what I want to do for the rest of my life.". Four months later, she returned to coaching by taking the assistant position at Texas.
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach and former player. She is the former women's head coach at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
and the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
, and is currently an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
.
Early years
DeMoss was born in Delhi, LouisianaDelhi, Louisiana
Delhi, originally called Deerfield, is a town in Richland Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,066.-History:...
. After a standout high school career, she went to Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
, where she started at point guard for her final three years. Immediately after her graduation with a physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
degree in 1977, she began her coaching career as an assistant at Memphis State
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
(now Memphis). In 1979, she became the first full-time women's basketball coach in the history of the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. After four seasons and a 45-68 record, she left to become an assistant at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
under Joe Ciampi. In both of her seasons at Auburn, they made the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
. More importantly for the direction of her career, she established herself as a top-notch recruiter. In the four seasons (1985–1989) after she left Auburn, players she helped recruit gave the Lady Tigers a 119-13 record and went to two Final Fours.
Tennessee
In 1985, DeMoss was hired by the legendary Pat SummittPat Summitt
Patricia "Pat" Head Summitt is an American women's college basketball coach. She is currently the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team. She is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history of either a men's or women's team in any division...
to be her top assistant at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
. During her 18 seasons in Knoxville, the Lady Vols went to 13 Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
s and won six NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
s. As at Auburn, she played a key role as a recruiter, this time as the official recruiting coordinator.
Kentucky
DeMoss returned to the head coaching ranks in 2003, taking on the job of head coach at the University of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
. The Wildcats
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
had fallen off considerably from their glory years of the early 1980s, when the then-LadyKats were regularly competing for Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) honors. In the two years before DeMoss came to Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, the Wildcats had won a total of 20 games. The Wildcats had averaged little over 1,000 in per-game attendance.
DeMoss's first priority upon arriving at Kentucky was recruiting; her first class there was widely considered to be one of the top 10 in the nation that year. Season ticket sales immediately went up to over 3,000, and the Wildcats led the nation in increased attendance that season, averaging nearly 5,200. Despite an 11-16 record in 2003-04, the team showed marked improvement, reducing their average margin of defeat in SEC play by nearly 9 points.
The following season the Wildcats went 18-16, compiling their first winning season since 1999–2000. They made a strong run in the 2005 Women's National Invitation Tournament
Women's National Invitation Tournament
The Women's National Invitation Tournament , formerly the National Women's Invitation Tournament, is a college basketball tournament with a preseason and postseason version played every year...
, losing to West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers
The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams of West Virginia University. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference. On July 1, 2012 the Mountaineers will switch conferences, moving from the Big East to the Big 12, becoming...
in the semifinals in double overtime.
DeMoss's breakthrough season with Kentucky proved to be the 2005-06 season. She entered her third season with one of the youngest teams in women's college basketball, with only one senior on the roster and nine freshmen and sophomores. The team ended up with the most conference wins in school history (nine), including a landmark 66-63 win over then top-ranked Tennessee at Rupp Arena
Rupp Arena
Rupp Arena is an arena located in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. Since its opening in 1976, it has been the centerpiece of Lexington Center, a convention and shopping facility owned by an arm of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, and serves as home court to the University of...
on January 26, 2006, and the program's highest conference finish (fourth) since the 1980s. In the wake of this win, the team entered the national rankings for the first time since 1993. The Wildcats also made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years, winning in the first round against Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
before losing in the next round to Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
. After the season, DeMoss was named SEC Coach of the Year by both her fellow coaches and the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. Her record at Kentucky at the end of the season was 51-42.
The Wildcats, returning all five starters, were ranked 15th in the 2006-07 AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
preseason poll, the first preseason ranking for Kentucky in the history of the AP women's poll.
On April 11, 2007, DeMoss held a press conference to announce her resignation, abruptly stating "After 30 years of coaching, I just want to step back and reassess what I want to do for the rest of my life.". Four months later, she returned to coaching by taking the assistant position at Texas.
Head coaching record
|}External links
- Official bio at UKAthletics.comKentucky WildcatsThe Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
- December 15, 2006 Lexington Herald-Leader article on DeMoss' home
- Lexington Herald-Leader article on her coaching resignation