Garry Brodhead Named UL Women's Basketball Coach
Garry Brodhead, a 1980 UL graduate who is a 16-year veteran of women’s basketball coaching, has been named the head women’s basketball coach of the Ragin’ Cajuns. UL Director of Athletics Scott Farmer made the announcement on Monday.
Brodhead’s hiring is pending approval by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.
Brodhead, who most recently served as associate head coach at McNeese State, becomes the 12th head coach in UL program history.
”On behalf of the university, I’d like to welcome Garry back to Lafayette,” Farmer said. “As we navigated through the search process and reviewed the qualities that we were looking for, Coach Brodhead kept rising to the top. His understanding of the game, history in coaching and passion for the University make him a tremendous fit for the position.”
“I am very excited about the oppurtunity to come back to my home town of Lafayette, and this great University of which I have special ties to,” Brodhead said. “I appreciate the opportunity that Scott Farmer and the University is giving me. I am very confident about what can happen here at UL and within the women's basketball program. My vision is to take this program, ‘one possession at a time’ to a tradition of excellence in women’s basketball.”
Brodhead is best known for his accomplishments during a 10-year tenure as the girl’s basketball coach at Teurlings Catholic High Shool in Lafayette, La., where he compiled a 297-78 record, winning one state title.
While at Teurlings, Brodhead won nine district titles, advancing the Lady Rebels to the semi-finals of the state tourney six times, finishing as the runner-up once and as the champion in 2002. His 2000-01 squad was ranked in the USA Top 25, and three of his teams earned number one rankings in the state.
Along the way, Brodhead has gained the respect of his coaching peers, being voted the district coach of the year in nine of his 10 seasons. He was also the parish coach of the year three times and the Acadiana Coach of the Year twice.
Brodhead has spent the last five seasons at McNeese State, helping guide the Cowgirls to a 52-15 record over the last two seasons, including a pair of Southland Conference titles and appearances in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship.
A native of Lafayette, Brodhead graduated from UL in 1980 with a degree in business administration. He was a pole vaulter on the Ragin’ Cajuns track team from 1976-80.
Brodhead later returned to the university to serve as the women’s basketball graduate assistant coach for the 1994-95 season.
In addition to his collegiate and high school coaching experience, Brodhead also spent time as an AAU coach, helping the Acadiana Stars to the national championship tournament, finishing eighth in 1997 and fifth in 2006.
Brodhead and his wife, Andrea, have three children (Blair, Ashley & Beau) and three grandchildren (Celie & Emmie Richard and Brannon Boyd).
Brodhead’s daughter, Ashley Brodhead Richard, is currently the head coach at St. Thomas More in Lafayette, La. She has led the team to back-to-back state titles, earning her the state coach of the year honors this past season.
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Originally Posted by Boomer
