Langley Introduced as UW's 12th Women's Basketball Coach

The Rice coach best met the three criteria that athletic director Jennifer Cohen set for finding a new leader.

With the soft lilt of her Southern accent, Tina Langley introduced herself virtually on Wednesday as the 12th University of Washington women's basketball coach in 48 years. 

The former Rice coach and Alabama native was oh so polite as she addressed each inquisitor.

She also was well-prepared in speaking about her new job and how she planned to put her stamp on it.

Yes, Langley knew this once was a Final Four program not so long ago. One that has supplied its fair share of WNBA players. That has been a landing spot for successful coaches such as Chris Gobrecht, June Daugherty and Mike Neighbors.

Langley sees great opportunity here for women's basketball players. 

"We take a little piece of everything that we've learned along the way," she said of her background, one that includes assistant positions at Toledo, Clemson and Maryland and her head-coaching stop at Rice. "You do want to begin with talent. You want to recruit great players and you work your way down to character."

Langley assumes control of a Husky program coming off a 7-14 season that cost Jody Wynn her job after four seasons. 

Wynn once was in the same position as Langley not so long ago, using her success at Long Beach State as a stepping stone to come to the UW. But it didn't work for her in Seattle as it did in California.

Hopefully, Langley noticed that recently crowned national champion Stanford had two former Washington high school players (Lexie Hull, Anna Wilson) in its starting lineup and national runner-up Arizona was built around a former Husky guard (Aari McDonald). Talent abounds.

UW athletic director Jennifer Cohen said Langley met three criteria she wanted in settling on the best candidate and this coach set herself apart fairly early in the hiring process:

1) as a championship-level coach;

2) as a tireless recruiter;

3) as someone who possesses values that match the UW.

"She's about doing it the right way," Cohen said. "She's a really gritty and tough coach."

Since her hiring was announced, Langley has been busy meeting her inherited players and others through Zoom calls. Many have wanted to know what type of team the coach will put on the floor. 

She responded that it will be one that best fits the personnel at hand and builds strong relationships.  

"On my first team at Rice we tried to implement things right away and they didn't fit," Langley said. "I've tried to be adaptable. I'm just a teacher and a coach."

You can watch Langley's entire news conference in the above video slot, which lasts just short of a half hour.

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