Shocker crowd at the Marcus Welcome Center as the first speaker
in the association’s 2014-15 WSU Distinguished Speaker Series.
Early risers on Wednesday, Oct. 29 were treated to an inside look at Wichita State women’s basketball, courtesy of head coach Jody Adams, who spoke at the Marcus Welcome Center as part of the 2014-15 Rise & Shine WSU Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series.
Adams, who is in her seventh season at Wichita State, has transformed the women’s basketball program.
WSU reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 2013, and again in 2014, while recording the program’s first-ever regular and post-season Missouri Valley Conference championships in both seasons.
Behind the strength of her team’s effort, she was named the MVC Coach of the Year in 2012-13 and 2013-14.
A native of Cleveland, Tenn., Adams is no stranger to hard work or the success it brings. She was the starting point guard on the Tennessee Lady Volunteers 1991 NCAA national championship team, and won four Southeastern Conference titles as a player from 1990-93. She was twice named to the SEC All-Academic Team, earning the Lady Vol Torch Award for academic excellence as well as the Lady Vol Coach’s Award after being honored as a preseason All-American in 1993. She was also named to the ESPY’s Team of the Decade for 1990-2000.
The competitiveness, determination to succeed and basketball savvy that Adams has marshalled to lead the Lady Shockers in setting the highest two-, three-, four- and five year win totals in program history were in evidence during the coach’s Rise & Shine comments. For one thing, she noted that “mediocrity” is nowhere to be found in her game plan for women’s basketball.
In addition to her commitment to lead the Shockers to new heights on the court, Adams is a passionate supporter of programs that build awareness and raise funds for cancer research. She annually participates in the Champions for a Cause motorcycle ride with Tennessee head coach Holly Warlick and LSU head coach Nikki Caldwell. Adams also encourages the Shockers she coaches to be involved in the local community, including participation in a mentoring program matching them with female community leaders in the Wichita area.
Among the crowd of Rise & Shine Shockers were Doug and Nancy Blackman, Darron Boatright, Cindy Carnahan ’73, Denis Dieker ’77/80, Connie Dietz ’68/71, Becky Ediger ’83, Bonnie Bing Honeyman ’70/76, Mike ’71 and Debbie ’94 Kennedy, Mike Lamb ’80, Dot McNicols, Rodney Miller, Wade Robinson, Patsy Selby ’74/80, and Eric Sexton ’87/92.
