Joni Crenshaw - Women's Basketball Coach

Joni Crenshaw

Title:
Women's Basketball Associate Head Coach

Joni Crenshaw, a four-year letterwinner for the Crimson Tide, enters her second season as associate head coach at her alma mater. Prior to returning to her alma mater, Crenshaw spent three seasons at Louisiana Tech, one of which as the associate head coach under Chris Long. She became only the fourth person to hold that title in the history of the Lady Techster program joining some of the best in the business in the likes of Leon Barmore, Kim Mulkey and Kurt Budke. Crenshaw[apos]s top responsibility in Ruston was serving as Louisiana Tech[apos]s recruiting coordinator where she handled both high school and junior colleges efforts. An emphasis was placed in her home state of Mississippi as well as Alabama where she grew strong roots as a student-athlete. Crenshaw[apos]s recruiting work paid dividends for the Lady Techsters as she was instrumental in signing high school standouts Shanavia Dowdell (2006 Miss Basketball in Alabama) and Tiawana Pringle (2006 Miss Basketball in Mississippi). In addition to recruiting, Crenshaw handled post player development, scouting reports, Tech summer basketball camps and speaking engagements on behalf of the Lady Techster program. On the sidelines, she helped lead Louisiana Tech to a pair of Western Athletic Conference regular season titles in her first two years and an appearance in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. Prior to joining the Lady Techsters, Crenshaw spent three years at Troy University where she served as the program[apos]s recruiting coordinator. In addition to that duty, she also handled development of the post players, served as academic coordinator and coordinated Troy State[apos]s summer camps. During those three years, Crenshaw recruited, and signed, two Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year honorees in Laura Lee Holman (2004) and Amy Lewis (2005). Holman was joined by another one of Crenshaw[apos]s signees, Audrey Muse, on the 2004 Atlantic Sun All-Freshmen team. The Meridian, Miss., native lettered four years at Alabama where, during her playing days as a center, scored 716 points, grabbed 555 rebounds and registered 103 blocked shots ranking her fourth in the program[apos]s history. She entered the starting lineup her final two years in the crimson and white while serving as team captain as a senior. Crenshaw was named to the Southeastern Conference[apos]s Good Works Team for two years and also received the Outstanding Community Service Award in 2001. She was named to the SEC[apos]s Academic Honor Roll all four years and received a post-graduate scholarship for community service from the SEC in 2001. That same year, Crenshaw was recognized as one of the 10 most influential African Americans on campus by the Mentor Fellowship Society. Crenshaw earned her bachelor[apos]s degree in education from Alabama in 2002 and is currently pursuing a master[apos]s degree in sport and fitness management. Prior to her collegiate career, Crenshaw prepped at Meridian High School where she was named the 1997 Gatorade Player of the Year and a USA Today All-American while leading the school to a mark of 67-7 over her final two years. She also won three state titles in track and field during her high school days and was selected as the school[apos]s Homecoming Queen in 1996.