STARKVILLE — Nikki McCray-Penson has finalized her first staff at Mississippi State.
Sources confirmed to The Dispatch Friday that former ODU assistants Scepter Browlee, Keith Freeman, Brittany Young and Ashley Morris will all join McCray-Penson in Starkville. Robbie Falk of 247sports first confirmed the news.
“You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with,” McCray-Penson said in an news release Friday afternoon. “I can’t think of a better group to work alongside as we start this next chapter. Not only are they talented but they are even better people. Each member of our staff has a relentless work ethic. They have a love and passion for coaching young people and for finding a way to win. We are so excited, and we can’t wait to meet our new Bulldog family.”
Freeman will serve as the Bulldogs’ next associate head coach in the latest stop in a career that has spanned three decades. He previously worked as the head coach at Valparaiso, Saint Joseph’s College and Huntington College and as an assistant at Wright State. He spent the past two years at ODU with McCray-Penson.
Brownlee comes to MSU with ample knowledge of the Southeastern Conference after he worked on Bruce Pearl’s staff as a graduate assistant as part of a seven year stint on the men’s side. He also served as McCray-Penson’s trainer during her WNBA career.
Young spent the past two years as a recruiting coordinator and assistant coach for McCray-Penson in Norfolk. She also worked as a graduate assistant under Dawn Staley at South Carolina between 2011 and 2013 before stops at Daytona State College and Stetson.
Rounding out the staff, Morris worked under McCray-Penson for three season at Old Dominion. Prior to that she was the head coach five seasons at Central High School in Philadelphia. She played her collegiate ball under Staley at Temple and spent two years playing professionally in Italy and France.
Maryann Baker and Abby Hunt will also remain in varying roles after previously serving on Vic Schaefer’s staff.
McCray-Penson was previously hired to replace Vic Schaefer, who departed MSU for Texas earlier this month. She inherits a team that was ranked No. 3 in the country in ESPN’s Way-too-Early Top 25 poll in March.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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