Kim Hairston Joins Lady Bulldog Coaching Staff
May 11, 2007 | Women's Basketball
Athens, Ga. --- Kim Hairston has joined the Georgia Lady Bulldog Basketball staff as an assistant coach, head coach Andy Landers announced on Friday.
Hairston has a combined seven seasons of coaching experience at Cal-Berkeley, Richmond, James Madison and Howard. Four of those teams reached post-season play, including the last three advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
"We're excited to fill this position with Kim Hairston," Landers said. "She has a skill set that is perfectly suited for our needs as they relate to the day-to-day operations of a basketball program and the all-important area of recruiting. Kim is an extremely impressive up-and-coming young coach who we feel confident will aid us in our quest to win a national championship."
Hairston comes to Athens following two seasons as an assistant at Cal where the Bears earned back-to-back bids to the NCAA Tournament, their first since 1993.
"I am extremely excited to be coming to the University of Georgia and be a part of the tradition and academic excellence which it is known for," Hairston said. "This is truly a chance of a lifetime for me that will be full of new challenges. I want to thank Coach Andy Landers and the administration for this golden opportunity. It's an honor to be working for such a legend of the game."
Hairston helped Cal compile a combined 41-21 record in 2005-06 and 2006-07, the program's first winning seasons in 13 years. Prior to that, Hairston spent one year on the staff at Richmond, her alma mater, when the Spiders finished 23-8 and earned their first NCAA bid in 14 seasons.
Hairston also worked three seasons at James Madison and one at Howard. She was an assistant at James Madison for the 2000-01, 2002-03 and 2003-04 campaigns, including the Dukes' team which reached the semifinals of the 2001 WNIT. Sandwiched between, Hairston was an assistant coach at Howard in 2001-02 when the Bison finished first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) standings.
A native of Bassett, Va., Hairston began her collegiate playing career at Radford where she was the 1996 Big South Rookie of the Year while playing for the Highlanders' NCAA Tournament team. She then transferred to Richmond and as a senior in 2000 was co-captain and named to the Colonial Athletic Association All-Defensive team.
Hairston received her bachelor's degree in sport science from Richmond in 2000.
The Lady Bulldogs have long been among the nation's premier programs. Georgia has earned 24 NCAA Tournament bids, which ranks third nationally, and has advanced to five NCAA Final Fours. Last season, the Lady Bulldogs became the 15th Division I program to reach the 700-win plateau.
Landers, who will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame next month, recently completed his 28th season at Georgia. He has averaged 24.4 wins per season in Athens, the fourth-best mark of any Division I head coach with 20 or more seasons of tenure.
Georgia finished the 2006-07 season with a 27-7 record, as runner-up in the SEC standings and advanced to the "Sweet 16" round of the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs will return six players with significant starting experience this winter, including Tasha Humphrey, a three-time All-American, and Ashley Houts, the 2007 SEC Freshman of the Year.
Hairston has a combined seven seasons of coaching experience at Cal-Berkeley, Richmond, James Madison and Howard. Four of those teams reached post-season play, including the last three advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
"We're excited to fill this position with Kim Hairston," Landers said. "She has a skill set that is perfectly suited for our needs as they relate to the day-to-day operations of a basketball program and the all-important area of recruiting. Kim is an extremely impressive up-and-coming young coach who we feel confident will aid us in our quest to win a national championship."
Hairston comes to Athens following two seasons as an assistant at Cal where the Bears earned back-to-back bids to the NCAA Tournament, their first since 1993.
"I am extremely excited to be coming to the University of Georgia and be a part of the tradition and academic excellence which it is known for," Hairston said. "This is truly a chance of a lifetime for me that will be full of new challenges. I want to thank Coach Andy Landers and the administration for this golden opportunity. It's an honor to be working for such a legend of the game."
Hairston helped Cal compile a combined 41-21 record in 2005-06 and 2006-07, the program's first winning seasons in 13 years. Prior to that, Hairston spent one year on the staff at Richmond, her alma mater, when the Spiders finished 23-8 and earned their first NCAA bid in 14 seasons.
Hairston also worked three seasons at James Madison and one at Howard. She was an assistant at James Madison for the 2000-01, 2002-03 and 2003-04 campaigns, including the Dukes' team which reached the semifinals of the 2001 WNIT. Sandwiched between, Hairston was an assistant coach at Howard in 2001-02 when the Bison finished first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) standings.
A native of Bassett, Va., Hairston began her collegiate playing career at Radford where she was the 1996 Big South Rookie of the Year while playing for the Highlanders' NCAA Tournament team. She then transferred to Richmond and as a senior in 2000 was co-captain and named to the Colonial Athletic Association All-Defensive team.
Hairston received her bachelor's degree in sport science from Richmond in 2000.
The Lady Bulldogs have long been among the nation's premier programs. Georgia has earned 24 NCAA Tournament bids, which ranks third nationally, and has advanced to five NCAA Final Fours. Last season, the Lady Bulldogs became the 15th Division I program to reach the 700-win plateau.
Landers, who will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame next month, recently completed his 28th season at Georgia. He has averaged 24.4 wins per season in Athens, the fourth-best mark of any Division I head coach with 20 or more seasons of tenure.
Georgia finished the 2006-07 season with a 27-7 record, as runner-up in the SEC standings and advanced to the "Sweet 16" round of the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs will return six players with significant starting experience this winter, including Tasha Humphrey, a three-time All-American, and Ashley Houts, the 2007 SEC Freshman of the Year.
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