Colorado University Athletics
Watson To Take Assistant Coach Position At Bucknell
BOULDER ? University of Colorado assistant womenGÇÖs basketball coach LaTonya Watson has resigned her position to take on a similar role at Bucknell University, head coach Linda Lappe announced on Thursday.
Watson spent 12 seasons as a Colorado assistant, in two different stints. First, she was an assistant under Ceal Barry from 1996-2005. Six years later, Watson returned to Boulder, joining LappeGÇÖs staff in May 2011.
She returns to coach in the Patriot League, where she was as an assistant coach at American University from 2008-11. Watson also spent three seasons coaching and teaching in the prep ranks in Georgia following her first go-around as a Colorado assistant.
Both of her terms at Colorado were marked with athletic and academic successes. Under Lappe, WatsonGÇÖs primary roles consisted of working with the BuffaloesGÇÖ back court players and acting as the team liaison with the Herbst Academic Center.
In her three seasons on LappeGÇÖs staff, Colorado enjoyed a record of 65-36 (.644) with a pair of 20-win seasons. Colorado advanced the postseason in all three campaigns including the 2013 NCAA Tournament; the programGÇÖs first in nine years. ?The Buffaloes were nationally ranked for large chunks of the last two seasons, residing in the Associated Press Top 25 for 25 straight weeks from Dec. 17, 2012 to Jan. 13, 2014.
Watson helped to develop one of the most dynamic back courts in team history in 2012-13. ?She mentored current New York Liberty guard Chucky Jeffery to back-to-back All-Pac-12 first team honors and was later selected by the Minnesota Lynx in the second round of the 2013 WBNA Draft. Watson also helped develop Brittany Wilson, a member of the 2013 All-Pac-12 Defensive Team, into one of the premier defenders in the league.
In the classroom, she helped the Buffaloes achieve a 100 percent graduation rate of four-year players on LappeGÇÖs staff. This past fall, the Buffaloes sported a 3.015 term GPA, the teamGÇÖs highest in nine years
GÇ£From the time I returned to CU in May 2011, the program has grown leaps and bounds,GÇ¥ Watson said. GÇ£WeGÇÖve created a culture of high expectations to compete at a high level on the court and in the classroom.
Our players have bought into Coach LappeGÇÖs vision which has resulted in CU advancing to postseason play each year under her leadership.
GÇ£My parents instilled in me and my siblings to GÇÿleave things better than the way you found them.GÇÖ IGÇÖm very blessed and thankful to be able to say that I believe IGÇÖve done that during my second tenure at CU.GÇ¥
Watson cited a desire to be closer to family for taking her new position at Bucknell, where she will also be the recruiting coordinator.
GÇ£IGÇÖve known LaTonya for a long time and we feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to have brought her back to Boulder,GÇ¥ Lappe said. ?GÇ£I knew when we hired her that she was sacrificing to be here and that it would be for a short period of time. She helped bring back the Colorado way of doing things and now she needs to get back east to her family. On behalf of all the Colorado family we wish LaTonya and Bucknell the best.GÇ¥??????????
Watson's first stint with Colorado spanned nine successful seasons, sporting a record of 152-92 and five NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 2002 Elite Eight. She was the academic liaison on Barry's staff as well, monitoring and mentoring the academic needs of the program. Watson helped the team achieve a Top 25 ranking on the 1999 WBCA Team Honor Roll. During her coaching tenure 92 percent (22 of 24) of all players graduated.
GÇ£Having so many CU womenGÇÖs basketball alums return beaming with pride in the resurgence of our program, watching every senior who matriculated through our program graduate, returning to the NCAA Tournament in 2013, and our trip to Italy in August 2013 are some of the lasting memories that I will cherish,GÇ¥ Watson said.
GÇ£Words would not do any justice to how grateful I am for the unconditional love and support of the CU faithful. I place a high value on relationships. The staff, players, fans, and academic community will always be near and dear to my heart.GÇ¥
At American, Watson assisted the Eagles to a three-year record of 63-31 (.670), back-to-back Patriot League regular season titles (2010, '11), consecutive appearances in the league tournament championship game (2010, '11) and repeat appearances in the Postseason WNIT (2009, '10).
Prior to joining the American staff, Watson spent two years as a math instructor and head girls basketball coach at Chamblee (Ga.) Charter High School (2006-08) and one campaign as a math teacher and assistant varsity girls coach at Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, Ga. (2005-06).
Watson is a 1992 graduate of Eastern Michigan University where she majored in mathematics and minored in English and literature and played point guard for then-head coach Cheryl Getz from 1988-92. A 1992 All-Mid American Conference second team pick, Watson graduated ranking second in assists (446) and seventh in points (1,296) on the school's career lists. She was also a three-time Academic All-MAC selection, a member of the 1989 MAC All-Freshman team and earned honorable mention to the 1991 all-league squad.