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LaRita Wilcher joins the Louisiana Tech staff after an impressive stint at South Alabama where she helped the Lady Jaguars program take giant strides in the Sun Belt Conference.
Wilcher comes to Tech from South Alabama and joins an entirely new assistant coaching staff which includes associate head coach Teresa Weatherspoon and assistant coach Sara Carter.
"LaRita has done such an excellent job in helping us catch up on recruiting after we spent a couple of months behind due to the hiring freeze," Long said. "She is a go-getter and works very hard. I love that quality about LaRita. She is someone you want in the trenches with you.
"She is an excellent addition to this program and will work hard to see that we reach the top. We completely trust each other and she is a great fit for Louisiana Tech and my staff."
Long said Wilcher would serve in the vital role as the program's recruiting coordinator, which encompasses a number of responsibilities. She will also coach the Lady Techster post players and handle scouting reports.
"I am excited to be apart of the Lady Techster basketball family and to work for Coach Long, who is a great person, a great coach and a proven winner," Wilcher said. "This is a wonderful opportunity and a welcomed challenge in my coaching career.
"I look forward to being apart of a program with such a rich tradition of success in the game of women's basketball. I am truly honored to be a Lady Techster."
Wilcher served as an assistant coach at South Alabama since 2002 where she was instrumental in helping lead the Jaguars to four winning seasons, two Sun Belt Conference regular season titles and two postseason appearances.
In her first two seasons as an assistant coach at South Alabama, the Jaguars won the Sun Belt Conference West Division regular season title and advanced to the first round of the WNIT.
Wilcher was instrumental in recruiting and signing 2004 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year Whitney Woodard and 2005 SBC Newcomer of the Year JoAnna Williams.
"LaRita is a very loyal person that will fit in very well with our staff," Long said. "I've had the opportunity to get to know her over the last three years and have been very impressed with her from the first time we met."
During her six seasons at South Alabama, the Jaguars recorded a mark of 103-74. The six years prior to Wilcher's influence on the program, South Alabama registered an overall mark of 63-103.
Prior to her days in Mobile, Wilcher served for one season as an assistant coach at New Mexico State (2001-02), and three seasons at Lewis University (1998-2001).
Wilcher earned her bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Long Beach State in 1998 where she played one year for the 49ers after transferring from Lewis University where she played her first three seasons.
She comes to Ruston with her husband Eric and her one-year-old son, Eric James Wilcher.
