Chris Straker is entering his fourth season as an assistant coach for Georgia Southern for the upcoming 2022-23 season.
Straker joined the Georgia Southern women’s basketball staff shortly after Head Coach Anita Howard was tabbed to take the helm of the Eagles. With over 15 years of global coaching experience, Straker brings expertise as a Head Coach & Associate Head Coach at the professional, international and collegiate levels with a proven track record of success at every level of the game. In his role at Georgia Southern, Straker is primarily charged with the offensive side of the ball as well as being responsible for game and practice preparation, player development with an emphasis on guard play, scheduling, scouting, academics and use of video and technology.
In Straker’s third year the program continued to go from strength to strength, Straker’s offensive mind helped the Eagles achieve 79.3ppg best in program history, ranking top 5 in the nation and #1 in the Sun Belt Conference as well as helping GS accomplish its best win percentage since 2002-2003. Straker's continued player development work helped Terren Ward achieve the 6th woman of the year award in the conference as well as guard Mya Burns getting her first player of the week honors.
Straker made history in his second year with the Eagles becoming the first Kenyan born Head Coach to win an NCAA game, leading GS to a 87-56 victory over App St, the largest margin of victory in an SBC game since 2014. Under Straker’s supervision, the offense averaged 76ppg a program high in more than 20 years. Furthermore the Eagles ranked top 25 in the nation in several categories including pace of play, offensive rebounds, free throws made and points per game. Straker worked closely with Terren Ward assisting her in gaining the Freshman of the Year award.
Prior to Georgia Southern, Straker helped Howard lead Columbus State to the Peach Belt Championship game in the 2018-2019 season. Along the way to the championship game Straker’s experience and analytic mind assisted the Cougars in picking up wins against nationally and regionally ranked opponents including upsetting second-ranked Carson-Newman.
Under Howard’s leadership, Straker’s responsibilities included player development, guard play, scouting, offensive implementation, academics, community service and video coordination. As their position coach, Straker was able to assist guards Tatiana Wayne and LeeAysia Williamson in garnering All-Conference awards with Wayne also receiving All-Region accolades. Following Straker’s mentorship, guards Tatum Jarvis and Tatiana Wayne were able to secure professional contracts to play overseas in the UK and Egypt, respectively.
Before joining Coach Howard in Columbus, Straker spent five years with San Diego State University. In the 2012-2013 season, the Aztecs went a program record 28-7 and 15-1 in conference on the way to winning the Mountain West Conference Championship. While at San Diego State, Straker worked with two future WNBA guards in Courtney Clements and 2013 MW player of the year, Chelsea Hopkins. Over the course of Straker’s tenure in San Diego, the Aztecs had at least one all-MW honoree each season.
Straker made the leap to NCAA Division I basketball after leading Leeds Beckett University to a record breaking season. As Head Coach, Straker guided the program to it’s first British Universities National Championship losing only one game along the way. In addition, in the 2010-2011 season reached the WBBL national final four for the first time in its history. In addition to the great team success Straker helped many of the players from this team further skills to enjoy playing professionally at a higher level including Rehana Khalil, Jo Clayden, Tina Menz, and Rheanne Bailey.
Leeds was not Straker’s first Head Coaching stop however, before landing in Leeds Straker served as the Head Coach of the Manchester Mystics a WBBL team competing at the highest level of British Basketball. During his tenure at the Manchester club, Straker rose through the ranks from assistant coach to junior program Head Coach to associate head coach to Women’s Head Coach. Many of the players who Straker helped to develop coming through the ranks of the Mystics development program went on to play in the NCAA or play professionally in Europe including Georgia Jones (Oral Roberts), Charlotte Stoddart (Fordham), Leah McDerment (UMASS), Mollie Campbell (UAPB), Rosie Hynes (Florida Tech) and Gina Brierly (St. Leo’s). In this time Straker led the U18 and U14 teams to an overall record of 70-10 (.875) and the 2009 U18 National Championship.
