Lady Tigers assistant takes TSU post

• By WILLIAM WEATHERS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Jul 17, 2008 - UPDATED: 6:33 a.m.

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Yolanda Wells-Broughton is going back home and to the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Wells-Broughton, who spent the past year on the staff of LSU women’s basketball coach Van Chancellor, resigned her position as assistant coach Wednesday to become the head coach at Texas Southern University.

The 37-year-old Houston native, who signed a five-year contract, begins her new job today and will begin recruiting for her new school Monday.

“The biggest thing is to represent Texas Southern,” Wells-Broughton said. “I know the program is down but it’s a diamond in the rough. It’s right in the heart of the city of Houston. They have a rich tradition. We just have to get it going and I’m confident, give me two to three years, we’ll be competing.”

Wells-Broughton replaces Surina Dixon who was hired in March but resigned June 30 after a contract dispute. Dixon replaced Claude Cummings following a 8-20 season.

“I’m really happy Yolanda has found a head coaching job,” said Chancellor, who will face Wells-Broughton next season when TSU visits the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. “It’s an honor for her. It speaks well of the LSU women’s basketball program.”

Wells-Broughton earned All-SWAC honors during her career at Grambling State (1993-95) where she helped the Tigers to their first NCAA tournament appearance in ’94.

“She clearly stood out from the applicants that we had,” TSU athletic director Charles McClelland told the Houston Chronicle. “We were looking for a proven winner, which obviously she is.”

Wells-Broughton was the head coach at Paul Quinn College for two seasons before moving to Trinity Valley (Texas) Community College for four years where the Lady Cardinals were 36-0 in 2003-04 and won the national junior college title.

Trinity Valley went 126-8 during Wells-Broughton’s stay that included 19 players that signed scholarships.

Wells-Broughton was an assistant for three years at TCU where the Horned Frogs were 63-33 and reached the NCAA tournament in each season. She then joined Chancellor’s staff where the Lady Tigers went 31-6 last season, won the Southeastern Conference’s regular season and advanced to the program’s fifth consecutive Women’s Final Four.

“It was a great experience to go to the Final Four for the first time,” Wells-Broughton said. “Our entire staff has truly contributed to my success and where I’m going.”