Former Alabama standout and assistant coach Stacey Franklin is the new women's basketball coach at Chattanooga State, and the former coach, Jay Price, is glad about it.
Price coached the Lady Tigers along with the men's team for the past nine years. He said Dr. Flora Tydings, the new school president, gave him the chance to coach one team or both and she would support his decision, and with three daughters growing up and taking part in a variety of activities, he decided to accept the chance to cut back.
"It's a relief in a lot of ways, but it's kind of bittersweet," Price said Monday as he continues to prepare for his 13th season heading the men's program. "I'll miss the girls, especially the ones who played for me last year, but now I have the opportunity to focus on one team and give my all to them."
He was part of the committee that interviewed applicants for the women's job from an online post. After a series of phone interviews, four were brought to campus for face-to-face meetings, and Franklin was one of two brought back for a final round.
A native of Smyrna, Ga., and two-time Cobb County player of the year, Franklin was a co-captain on the Alabama team that went 23-7 and went to the second round of the NCAA tournament in 1993, her senior year. She most recently was an assistant coach at Kennesaw State, but she previously worked at Tennessee Tech and Mississippi State in addition to her alma mater. Her 12 years at MSU included nine postseason appearances.
"Chattanooga State is a proven winner, both academically and athletically," the former scholar-athlete said in a school release. "The opportunity to be a part of the success and growth was very appealing to me."