Carolyn Riley Joins Women’s Basketball Coaching Staff

STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern women’s basketball coach Chris Vozab announced today that she has named Carolyn Riley an assistant coach.

Riley comes to Georgia Southern from Virginia Commonwealth, where she spent the last three seasons. During her time at VCU, she was a part of one of the most successful runs in program history, helping the Rams to three straight appearances in the WNIT, advancing to the round of 16 in 2010 and 2012.

The Warrenton, Va., native, who has been a part of 60 wins during that span, including four postseason victories, oversaw an academic unit that produced seven Athletic Director’s Honor Roll recipients and three Dean’s List performers in 2011-12.

“Carolyn brings a tremendous work ethic, unbridled enthusiasm, attention to detail, an energetic personality and superior organizational skills to our program,” said Vozab. “Carolyn’s successful operations experience has prepared her well for this opportunity, and I am thankful she is joining our Georgia Southern basketball family.”

Riley served as VCU’s director of operations the last two seasons, a role in which she coordinated team travel, equipment and film exchange while serving as the team’s academic liaison in addition to camp planning and programming, marketing and community service initiatives. Last spring, Riley served as the Rams’ interim head coach as VCU transitioned between coaching staffs. She was responsible for scheduling, incoming freshmen matriculation and current program evaluation in that role.

Prior to joining VCU, Riley played four years of collegiate basketball with stops at Marymount University and Eastern Mennonite University.  She averaged 9.7 points and 5.3 rebounds during her freshman season at Marymount in 2005-06.  Riley then transferred to EMU where she registered 15.7 points and 6.1 boards per game as a sophomore, and contributed a league-best 16.4 points and seven rebounds during her junior campaign.  She returned to Marymount as a senior and helped lead the Saints to the Division III NCAA Tournament for the second time in her career.

For her accomplishments on the court, Riley earned first-team All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference honors as a sophomore and second-team all-state accolades as a junior. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Marymount in 2009 before starting her coaching career as a graduate assistant on the Rams’ staff. She received her master’s degree from VCU in 2010.

Riley joins Justin Phoenix and Lisa Jackson along with Vozab on the Eagles’ coaching staff.

“I am thrilled to have completed our staff with such good people who will complement each other well and who all possess the energy and focus necessary to build our women's basketball program and to provide our student-athletes with a great and memorable experience,” said Vozab.

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Category: Women's Basketball

Published on Sunday, 31 December 1899 19:00