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Long Named Fourth Head Coach In Louisiana Tech History


 

  
Updated Apr 8, 2005 20:32:06


Long Named Fourth Head Coach In Louisiana Tech History

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RUSTON - After a 10-day search by the Louisiana Tech University administration, Chris Long was introduced as the fourth head coach in Lady Techster history Friday by university President Dr. Dan Reneau in a 2 p.m. press conference held in the Hall of Fame Room of the Thomas Assembly Center.

After a six-year stint as an assistant coach on the Louisiana Tech staff, including three years under both Leon Barmore and Kurt Budke, Long replaces Budke who accepted the head coaching position at Oklahoma State March 28.

"In my opinion Chris Long is a fine individual," Reneau said. "He is very popular with our fans and his own players and has great coaching talents. He is obviously the man for the job."

Reneau, along with Tech Athletic Director Jim Oakes and Senior Women's Administrator Mary Kay Hungate, led the search for the next Techster coach over the past two weeks.

According to Reneau, the search drew incredible national interest before being whittled down to two finalists, Long and Western Carolina head coach Kellie Jolly Harper.

Following Harper's two-day visit to the Tech campus which ended Thursday afternoon, Reneau and the Athletic Council made the decision to stay in house with the hire.

"I'm honored that Dr. Reneau and Jim Oakes have the confidence in me to get this job done," Long said. "And not only done, but done by Lady Techster standards. I want to thank members of the Athletics Council and as well as Mary Kay Hungate for their support."

Long takes over a Louisiana Tech program that, along with Tennessee, is considered the most storied in the history of the women's game. During the 31-year history of Lady Techster basketball, Tech has won 871 games - second most only to Tennessee.

Louisiana Tech and Tennessee are the only two programs to have participated in all 24 NCAA Tournament while the Lady Techster have advanced to 13 Final Fours, competed in eight national title games and won three national titles.

Oakes said he is very confident in Long's ability.

"Chris Long is a man of great character," said Tech Athletic Director Jim Oakes. "He is one of the rising young coaches in this business, and I am confident he can continue the tradition of the Lady Techster Basketball program."

Long inherits a team that returns four starters and eight letterwinners from this past season, a year that saw Tech post a 20-10 mark, share the Western Athletic Conference regular season title and fall in the first round of the NCAA Tournament 66-61 to Temple.

"I'm very excited about this opportunity," Long said. "I think that we have a good nucleus of players returning and I think through a lot of hard work and dedication by everyone involved that we can get this program back to the level where it belongs; where this administration and this community want it."

Barmore hired Long in April of 1999 following an impressive stint as the head coach at Vicksburg High School in Mississippi where he led the Missy Gators to a 46-19 mark and two straight North State Finals during his last two seasons. Barmore discovered Long while recruiting former Techster Trina Frierson.

"I've always been very high on Chris from the moment I recruited Frierson," Barmore said in an article published in late February. "I watched his teams play and I liked the way he ran things and ran his practices. He was my top candidate from the word go."

During his six years as an assistant coach at Tech, including the past three as Budke's No. 1 assistant, Long has helped Tech post a 167-29 mark while winning six straight conference regular season titles and five straight conference tournament titles.

Long has developed a reputation during those six years as a great on-the-floor coach. Many, including Barmore, feel like his best attribute might be his uncanny ability to dissect opponent's tendencies in scouting reports as Long's scouting reports have led Tech to wins over Purdue, Texas Tech (twice), Old Dominion, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Ohio State, Illinois and TCU during his time at Tech.

The 36-year-old is the second youngest head coach in the history of the Tech program and his six-year tenure as an assistant coach is also the second longest in the program's history.

Long's hiring is pending approval by the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System.


Louisiana Tech Lady Techster Year by Year Head Coaches

Season Head Coach Record Post-Season
1974-75 Sonja Hogg 13-9 AIAW State Tournament
1975-76 Sonja Hogg 19-10 AIAW State Tournament
1976-77 Sonja Hogg 22-9 AIAW Region 4 Tournament
1977-78 Sonja Hogg 20-8 AIAW Region 4 Tournament
1978-79 Sonja Hogg 34-4 AIAW National Runner-ups
1979-80 Sonja Hogg 40-5 AIAW Final Four
1980-81 Sonja Hogg 34-0 AIAW National Champions
1981-82 Sonja Hogg 35-1 NCAA National Champions
1982-83 Sonja Hogg 31-2 NCAA National Runner-ups
Leon Barmore
1983-84 Sonja Hogg 30-3 NCAA Final Four
Leon Barmore
1984-85 Sonja Hogg 29-4 NCAA Elite Eight
Leon Barmore
1985-86 Leon Barmore 27-5 NCAA Elite Eight
1986-87 Leon Barmore 30-3 NCAA National Runner-ups
1987-88 Leon Barmore 32-2 NCAA National Champions
1988-89 Leon Barmore 32-4 NCAA Final Four
1989-90 Leon Barmore 32-1 NCAA Final Four
1990-91 Leon Barmore 18-12 NCAA First Round
1991-92 Leon Barmore 20-10 NCAA First Round
1992-93 Leon Barmore 26-6 NCAA Elite Eight
1993-94 Leon Barmore 31-4 NCAA National Runner-ups
1994-95 Leon Barmore 28-5 NCAA Sweet 16
1995-96 Leon Barmore 31-2 NCAA Elite Eight
1996-97 Leon Barmore 31-4 NCAA Sweet 16
1997-98 Leon Barmore 31-4 NCAA National Runner-ups
1998-99 Leon Barmore 30-3 NCAA Final Four
1999-00 Leon Barmore 31-3 NCAA Elite Eight
2000-01 Leon Barmore 31-5 NCAA Elite Eight
2001-02 Leon Barmore 25-5 NCAA First Round
2002-03 Kurt Budke 31-3 NCAA Sweet 16
2003-04 Kurt Budke 29-3 NCAA Sweet 16
2004-05 Kurt Budke 20-10 NCAA First Round
2005-06 Chris Long ??-?? ??????





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