Press Release :: Women's Basketball Coaches Association

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) has selected Deena Applebury of the University of Mary Washington as the 2007 Russell Athletic/WBCA National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Coach of the Year. This year marks the 25^th year that this accolade has been presented, which has been selected by the WBCA since 1983. 

“We are honored to coin Deena Applebury as the Russell Athletic/WBCA National NCAA Division III Coach of the Year, as selected by her peers,” said WBCA CEO Beth Bass.  “Her contributions to women’s basketball are endless and we appreciate and support the efforts that she extends to the University of Mary Washington.”

The architect of the three greatest seasons in UMW women’s basketball history in just four years at the helm, Applebury has brought the Eagles to the forefront of NCAA Division III basketball.  This year, she has advanced to the Final Four with a 30-2 record, after winning the Capital Athletic Conference championship and defeating two of the top ranked teams in Division III hoops.

Applebury’s career record at UMW of 94-23 is punctuated by a 59-4 mark over the past two seasons.  Last season, she saw the Eagles to an opening 27-game win streak en route to the NCAA Sweet 16.  This impressive run earned Applebury accolades as CAC Coach of the Year and was the consensus Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.  She was also a Russell Athletic/WBCA Regional Coach of the Year last season. 

"Russell Athletic is proud to support the winners of the WBCA Coach of the Year Awards.  Just like these individuals, for those who have what it takes on the inside, Russell has what it takes on the outside,” said Chris Passarell, Senior Director of Marketing, Russell Athletic.

Applebury is one of six Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coaches of the Year selected by the Association, which also names winners for each of the other four WBCA collegiate divisions (NCAA Divisions I and II, NAIA and JC/CC) as well as High School. The collegiate winner is selected through a two-level process. The first level is by region, in which coaches from each WBCA geographical region vote for their respective top coach. Applebury, added as an at-large member because of her participation in the NCAA Division III Women's Final Four, advanced as a finalist to the national level of the selection process along with the eight Regional Coaches of the Year in NCAA Division III.

The WBCA would also like to recognize the following regional Division III Coaches of the Year:

In addition to the regional winners, the following NCAA Division III Women’s Final Four coaches were also included as at-large nominations:

Applebury and the national winners from the other five divisions will be honored at the Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coach of the Year Luncheon presented by AstraZeneca on Monday, April 2, 2007, at 12:00 p.m. (ET) in the Crowne Plaza’s Grand Ballroom. The luncheon is part of the 2007 WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four® in Cleveland, Ohio. 

About Russell Athletic

For more than 100 years, Russell Athletic has been designing and producing the most innovative, most comfortable apparel to help athletes at all levels perform their best.  From the youth practice fields, to premier collegiate teams, to the most respected professional arenas, whenever you see athletes and teams who demand the highest quality, exceptional durability, and extreme comfort, you’ll find Russell Athletic. 

Founded in 1981, the WBCA promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game in all of its aspects as a sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA, please visit WBCA.org.