Feb. 17, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Senior center Tori Waldner (Milton, Ga.) is among the 58 student-athletes selected to participate in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) "So You Want to be a Coach" program at the Women's Final Four in Tampa, Fla. Waldner is the first Lady Lion to participate in the program since Brianne O'Rourke took part in 2009.
The three-day workshop will be held April 3-5 in conjunction with the WBCA National Convention in Tampa, Florida. The objectives of the "So" program are to increase the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women's basketball, increase the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduce female basketball players to coaches and administrators, raise awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women's basketball.
"The interest in the `So You Want To Be A Coach' program has been incredible this year, and we are ecstatic to see the numerous benefits this program has had on so many young, aspiring coaches," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. "Each year, the WBCA works relentlessly to improve and develop this entry-level program, and we look forward to seeing these student-athletes develop into great leaders and ambassadors for the game of women's basketball."
Waldner has been a part of the back-to-back-to-back Big Ten regular season championships for the Lady Lions. She started all 32 games last season for Penn State and has been in the starting five for Penn State 22 times this season.
The Milton, Georgia native is eighth on Penn State's career blocks list with 119 rejections. She is the ninth player in school history to record 100 blocks and is third Lady Lion in the last three years to reach the 100-block mark, joining Nikki Greene (215) and Talia East (102).
"So" participants will learn about recruiting, the administrative side to coaching, how to get hired, skill development, the importance of knowing the rules, and how to balance work and life.
Qualified candidates must have exhausted their final year of basketball eligibility at a four-year institution or have graduated within the past year. In addition, the candidate's head coach has to nominate them and must be an active WBCA member. Each participant is selected based on her academics, contributions to women's basketball on and off the court, professional resume and a written recommendation from their head coach.
Sponsors for the "So" program are the WBCA and the NCAA Matching Fund for the Advancement of Ethnic Minority Women Coaches and Officials.
About the WBCA
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls. For more information on the WBCA, please visit WBCA.org.
The 2014-15 Penn State Lady Lion Basketball season is presented by Kish Travel and Kish Insurance. The Lady Lions have their bye date on Thursday and return to action at Maryland on Monday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. on the Big Ten Network. Penn State returns home to face Ohio State on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. for Dollar Dog Night and Faculty/Staff Night. PSU employees will get a free ticket and ability to purchase up to three additional tickets for $5 each.
Lady Lion Basketball single-game are available by calling 1-800-NITTANY. Single-game tickets range from $10-17 for adults and seniors and $5-11 for youth (12 and younger). The PNC Flex Books are $120 and give fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions' Coaches Vs. Cancer game and the Lady Lions' Pink Zone game.
The Ninth Annual Pink Zone at Penn State presented by Mount Nittany Health will be held Sunday, March 1 in the Bryce Jordan Center when the Lady Lions take on Wisconsin at 2 p.m. Last year, the Lady Lions donated a record $310,000 to breast cancer causes. All totaled, the Lady Lions have donated more than $1.135 million for breast cancer research and awareness in the first eight years. This year's fundraising efforts will benefit the Mount Nittany Medical Center, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital and Lewistown Hospital. For more information on the Pink Zone at Penn State, visit the official Pink Zone website at www.pennsylvaniapinkzone.org.
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