Tiffany Coppage Tabbed Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for Alabama Women’s Basketball
5/29/2018 9:28:00 AM | Women's Basketball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Tiffany Coppage has been named to the Alabama women's basketball staff as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, head coach Kristy Curry announced on Tuesday.
"Tiffany brings an enthusiastic and passionate personality to the position of assistant coach/recruiting coordinator," said Curry. "Her experience as a national and international recruiter will broaden our recruiting scope. Tiffany has a thoughtful and high-energy approach to player development that we feel will have an immediate impact on our team. It was evident throughout the interview process that Tiffany was a perfect fit for our program."
Coppage joins the Crimson Tide after spending the last two seasons in the same position at Northwestern.
"Words cannot express how grateful I am to be joining the women's basketball family here at The University of Alabama," said Coppage. "Coach Curry and her staff have offered me such a warm Southern welcome, and I could not be more excited to learn and grow from their knowledge. The level of competitiveness and success that pumps through this institution is admirable in so many ways, and I am truly humbled at the opportunity to add to it."
In her first season in Evanston, Coppage helped guide the Wildcats to a 20-win season, which included a victory over then-No. 16 Florida and an upset win against Iowa in the opening round of the 2017 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament. Northwestern also advanced in its 2018 conference tournament, knocking off Wisconsin in the first round.
Individually, four Wildcats – Nia Coffey, Ashley Deary, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah and Lindsey Pulliam – earned conference honors under Coppage's guidance. Coffey was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team, and Ashley Deary won the league's Defensive Player of the Year award along with earning a spot on the All-Big Ten Second Team in 2017, while Kunaiyi-Akpanah secured herself a position on the second team and Pulliam was named honorable mention and all-freshman in 2018. Coffey, who was the only player in the nation to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, was also an honorable mention All-American and went on to become the fifth overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft.
In her role as recruiting coordinator, Coppage led the charge behind Northwestern signing the 18th best recruiting class in the nation and No. 1 in the Big Ten in 2017.
Prior to her tenure with the Wildcats, Coppage spent three seasons at Northern Iowa as assistant coach. During the 2015-16 season, Coppage helped the Panthers win 24 games, second-most in program history, and a Missouri Valley Conference regular season title. UNI also advanced to the third round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament that season.
Other stops for Coppage include Western Illinois (assistant coach/recruiting coordinator: 2011-13), Wichita State (graduate assistant: 2010-11) and the Missouri Valley Blazers AAU program (assistant coach: 2010).
A native of Kansas City, Mo., Coppage spent two years at Fort Scott Community College as a student-athlete before finishing her playing career at Missouri State. She started both seasons and was a two-year team captain for the Lady Bears.
Coppage earned her bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism with a minor in general business from Missouri State in 2009 and her master's degree in sports management from Wichita State in 2011.
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