By: KSU Sports Information
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KENNESAW, Ga. – University officials, and Director of Athletics Vaughn Williams, announced Wednesday afternoon that
Nitra Perry has been named the sixth head coach in the history of the Kennesaw State women’s basketball program.
Perry, 33, has spent her last four seasons on the University of Toledo’s coaching staff, including the 2011-12 season when she was named the Associate Head Coach. In her time at Toledo, she helped lead the Rockets to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament for three straight seasons, including a WNIT title during the 2010-11 campaign when the squad won a school-record 29 contests.
“I am extremely excited to be here at Kennesaw State University,” coach Perry said. “I think it is a very special place that is on the verge of some great things. We want to win the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship, and we aren’t afraid to put that out there and say that. The players are ready and willing, and to be honest I have never been at a place where you have such energetic and passionate leaders in President Dan Papp and Director of Athletics Vaughn Williams. I will definitely feed off of that passion and I can’t wait to get started.”
In all, Toledo enjoyed a 96-40 (.706) mark with Perry on the sidelines. Recognized as one of the top young assistants in the business, Perry was involved in all facets at Toledo, including on-floor coaching, academic support, individual conditioning workouts and scouting. She also served as the program's recruiting coordinator, and she flourished in that role as she was responsible for several great classes at Toledo, including the No. 68 class in the country in 2010-11.
She was also an assistant coach at Mississippi State from 2006-08 before heading to Toledo. Perry started her coaching career as an administrative assistant for recruiting at Georgia Tech in 2004.
A native of Bolivar, Tenn., Perry earned her bachelor's degree in education from Mississippi State in 2000. A four-year letter winner for the Lady Bulldogs from 1996-2000, Perry garnered numerous honors at Mississippi State, including being named honorable mention All-SEC by the Associated Press in 1999 and 2000 and earning SEC Academic Honor Roll and SEC All-Tournament Team honors in 2000.
“Nitra Perry is going to bring a passion and an excitement for the game, but more importantly she will bring student-athlete perspective that our current players will appreciate,” Williams said. “She has played at the highest level, and she has been mentored by some of the best coaches in the country. Nitra has conquered every challenge that she has been faced with in her life so what we have in her is an ultimate competitor that is going to help us be champions in everything that we do here at Kennesaw State.”
Perry inherits a Kennesaw State team that has a bright future as it went 14-17 last season, and it will return 97 percent of their scoring, and all five starters, from last year’s squad.
Stay connected with coach Perry, and the rest of the Kennesaw State women’s basketball team, during the offseason by visiting www.ksuowls.com or by following them on twitter @KSUOwlsWBB.
