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Women's Basketball

Theo Dean Named WBCA Thirty Under 30

ATLANTA – The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) has announced the Truman Women's Coach Theo Dean has been selected as a member of the WBCA Thirty Under 30 presented by Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment for the 2020-21 season.
 
Dean, who recently completed his second season as head coach for the Bulldogs, was one of only two head coaches among the 30 honorees. The other head coach named was Hana Haden from nearby Moberly Area Community College.
 
In his first two years, Dean is 37-13 (.740) and led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Division II Tournament with a 14-3 Great Lakes Valley Conference record and 17-5 overall mark this past year. 
 
The Bulldogs advanced to the GLVC Tournament championship game for the first time since 2014 and only second time in program history. Truman won their first NCAA regional game since 1999 when they downed Northwood (Mich.) to advance to the regional semifinals.
 
Dean is also a member of the GLVC Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
 
The WBCA Thirty Under 30 program was created to recognize 30 up-and-coming women's basketball coaches age 30 and under at all levels of the game. Each honoree has exemplified their involvement in community service, mentorship and impact on others, professional manner, and attitude and professional association involvement.
 
"The WBCA is pleased to recognize up-and-coming talent in our coaching family. The 30 coaches who have been named to receive the Thirty Under 30 Award are deserving of this recognition. The WBCA congratulates them for distinguishing themselves early in their careers," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. "These coaches have demonstrated eagerness, effectiveness, loyalty, love of the game, and a commitment to the student-athlete. We celebrate their effort on the basketball court as teachers and equally applaud the extensive role they play in impacting the lives of their student-athletes."
 
"Morgan Stanley is proud to support the WBCA Thirty Under 30 program for a second year in a row," said Kathleen Kunkler, senior vice president, Global Sports & Entertainment director, and financial advisor. "We congratulate the coaches for their leadership on and off the court and their demonstrated commitment to student-athletes."
 
Here are the 2021 WBCA Thirty Under 30 honorees:
 
Name Title Institution
Jaymee Acton Assistant Coach North Georgia
Jackie Alexander Assistant Coach Eastern Kentucky
Blanche Alverson Assistant Coach Georgia Tech
Nicole Ambrose Assistant Coach USC Upstate
Alexandra Bassetti
 		 Assistant Coach/ 
Recruiting Coordinator		 Manhattan College
 
Camden Boehner Assistant Coach Tusculum
Kelly Bruce Assistant Coach Penn State Behrend
Kenia Cole Assistant Coach Hampton
Kaitlyn Cresencia
 		 Assistant Coach/ 
Recruiting Coordinator		 Mercer
 
Cheyenne Curley Assistant Coach Towson
Theo Dean Head Coach Truman State
Kayla DeCriscio Assistant Coach Niagara
Symone Denham Assistant Coach New Mexico
Evan Dodd Assistant Coach Indianapolis
Sean Ehlbeck Assistant Coach UT Arlington
Maggie Gallagher Assistant Coach Marist
Imani Gordon Assistant Coach Notre Dame (Ohio)
Hana Haden Head Coach Moberly Area CC
Victoria Jankoska Assistant Coach Missouri State
Dytanya Johnson Assistant Coach Charleston
Abby Jump Assistant Coach Wright State
Jenna Kotas Assistant Coach Illinois-Springfield
John Leonzo Assistant Coach Cedarville
Paige Love Assistant Coach UNC Asheville
Nikki Newman Assistant Coach Radford
Jazmin Pitts Assistant Coach Nevada
Addy Roller Assistant Coach Drury
Lindsey Spann Interim Assistant Coach Maryland
Brittany White Assistant Coach Tuskegee
Ashley Williams Assistant Coach Indiana
 
This is the sixth year of the WBCA Thirty Under 30 program. To see a year-by-year list of past honorees, visit www.wbca.org/recognize/.
 
 
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