Janna Eichelberger has been hired to coach basketball at GPS.When Janna Eichelberger was trying to decide whether to leave her position as director of men's basketball operations at Tennessee State University for the varsity head coaching position for basketball at Girls Preparatory School, she didn't have to go far for advice.
TSU's athletic director is Teresa Lawrence Phillips, who just might be the best athlete in GPS history.
"I hear she's the G.O.A.T there, the greatest of all time," said the 28-year-old Eichelberger, who succeeds Bruisers athletic director Jay Watts, who is giving up his varsity hoops duties at the school to focus on its lacrosse program.
When Phillips talked about her high school alma mater with Eichelberger, though, basketball never came up.
"She told me how much she loved the school," said Eichelberger, who grew up in West Columbia, South Carolina, before earning Summit League all-academic honors all four of her seasons at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. She was captain of the Jaguars for two seasons.
"She told me that GPS was a place I could inspire young women and help them reach their full potential."
It would be tough for the new Bruisers coach to have more fully fulfilled her potential to this point in her life. While holding down the TSU men's basketball operations for a fourth straight season, Eichelberger became one of just seven women nationwide to be a part of a Division I men's basketball staff. Before that, she was a part of TSU's women's staff for two seasons.
The head coach of the TSU men during Eichelberger's four seasons, Dana Ford, left after this past season for Missouri State, but not before making a big impact on Eichelberger's coaching philosophy.
"I'm offensive-minded," she said. "I like a fast pace. But Dana taught me so much about defense, as well as about playing to your personnel. You have to play a style that fits your roster. I know at GPS I'm going to have girls who want to learn. But I also feel like that, while I'm going to teach them, they're going to teach me, too."
Noted Phillips, GPS class of 1976, in the school's media release: "(Janna) spent six productive years at Tennessee State in preparation for her first head coaching opportunity. The girls of GPS will find in her a passionate teacher of the game, and GPS will find that she will be a great fit to the overall mission of developing young women."
Added Watts: "Janna is passionate about the game of basketball but also committed to the development of the whole player. Her leadership and drive will serve as a great example for our current players and give constructive direction for our entire program."
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.