Head coach Shimmy Gray was introduced on April 19, 2005, as the sixth coach in the 30-year history of the Saint Louis University women's basketball program. Gray has been around successful programs all of her life and has plans to quickly rebuild the Billikens into a contender in the Atlantic 10 Conference, as well as nationally. Gray, a native of Flint, Mich., has been an assistant coach at the University of Arizona for the last two seasons. The Wildcats made the NCAA Tournament both seasons that she served in Tucson. In 2004-05, Gray helped Arizona to a 20-12 overall record and an 11-7 mark in the Pacific-10 Conference. The Wildcats defeated Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 1 LSU. In 2003-04, the Wildcats posted a 24-9 record, tied for the Pac-10 regular-season championship with a 14-4 slate and was runner up in the conference tournament. While with the Wildcats, Gray coached honorable mention All-Americans in center Shawntinice Polk and guard Dee Dee Wheeler, who was a second round WNBA draft choice in 2005. Prior to her stint at UofA, Gray was an assistant coach at the University of Washington for three years. She helped the Huskies to the postseason every season, including two NCAA Tournaments. In 2000-01, Washington finished 22-10 and tied for the Pac-10 regular-season title. In the NCAA Tournament, the Huskies reached the Elite Eight after defeating Old Dominion, Florida and Oklahoma and finished the year ranked No. 14 in the polls. The Huskies reached the WNIT in 2001-02 and registered 19 wins. Washington posted a 22-8 record in 2002-03, and Gray coached the Pac-10 Player of the Year in Giuliana Mendiola. During her UW tenure, Gray coached seven All-Pac-10 players and had 19 players earn Academic All-Conference honors. In 2003, Gray earned the Seattle Parks and Recreation Award for "Outstanding Dedication to the Youth of Seattle." Gray worked as a volunteer coach for the WNBA's Seattle Storm in 2003 and spent the 1999-2000 season as an assistant coach at Bellevue (Wash.) Community College. She played at the University of Michigan and served as team captain for the Wolverines as a senior. Gray was the 1994 Swish Club Award winner for leadership and dedication. She still ranks in the career top 10 in four catagories at UofM. Gray graduated from Michigan in 1994 with a degree in sociology with a minor in law and criminology. In 1998-99, Gray played one season of professional basketball for Olivais Futbol Clube, a first division club team in Coimbra, Portugal. She also played with Athletes in Action for two seasons on the Northwest travel team. Gray is a graduate of Carman-Ainsworth High School and was a 1989 All-State selection as a senior. An excellent public speaker, for the past three years Gray has been invited to speak at workshops sponsored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and conducted at the NCAA convention. She also writes a column for adolescent girl basketball players and their parents for the website "Hoop Gurlz." |
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