AU graduate takes BSU women's basketball post

From Staff Reports

May 13, 2008 12:06 am

— MUNCIE — Kelly Packard, an Anderson University graduate, has been named the 10th head women’s basketball coach in Ball State University history, according to BSU athletic director Tom Collins.
“We are excited that Kelly Packard wanted to be the head coach at Ball State,” Collins said in a release. “Kelly has head coaching experience, Midwest ties and has been successful at both the collegiate and professional levels. She has learned from some very successful college coaches in Tom Collen and Greg Williams and has been part of a nationally prominent program.”
Packard, a 1990 AU graduate, was formally introduced as the Cardinals’ head coach at a press conference Monday. She was a four-year letterwinner at Anderson and was inducted to the AU Hall of Fame in 2002. She was a four-time All-Hoosier Conference for Women selection and ended her career as the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. She earned her degree in mass communications in 1990.
Packard was previously the executive director of the WNBA Expansion Team for Colorado, working for Triple Crown Sports. She spent two seasons as the head coach of the Colorado Chill (2004-06) of the National Women’s Basketball League.
During her tenure, the Chill posted a 34-12 record while claiming the 2005 and 2006 league championships. She was the team’s general manager in the 2006 season and compiled a roster that included five WNBA players, including All-Stars Becky Hammon and Ruth Riley.
Packard’s collegiate experience covers five seasons over two stints at Colorado State University where she worked for Tom Collen (currently at Arkansas) and Greg Williams (currently at Rice). During her five seasons, the Rams saw unprecedented success as they posted a 99-49 overall record and appeared in two NCAA Tournaments.
She was part of the staff that guided CSU to a 33-3 record in the 1998-99 season as the Rams claimed a No. 5 national ranking, a WAC Mountain Division title and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
In 1997-98, she helped the Rams to a 24-6 overall record and an NCAA second-round appearance in West Lafayette.
She also was part of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament selection committee and a site coordinator. She was the head coach of the 2006 Athletes in Action Brazil Women’s Basketball Tour, where she guided her team to a 7-1 record.
“I couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Kelly, her husband Rich, and their two sons to the Ball State family,” Ball State President Dr. Jo Ann M. Gora said in the release. “Kelly brings an impressive array of coaching experience from a NCAA Division I team to the NWBL. At the international level she also coached the Brazilian Women’s Athletes in Action team. She’s been part of winning programs in each of these arenas including a run to the Sweet 16 while an assistant coach at Colorado State. I know this was a difficult search because we had so many talented applicants. Kelly’s track record of success combined with her strong Indiana ties make her a great fit for building upon the strengths of our women’s basketball program.”