EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Newly hired head coach of women’s basketball at the University of Evansville, Oties Epps, has announced the appointment of Meredith Baugher as a member of his coaching staff.
Baugher (pronounced balk-er) brings six seasons of collegiate coaching experience, including five at the NCAA Division I level to Epps’ staff. As an assistant at Division II Gannon University in Erie, Pa. in 2010, Baugher served as Gannon’s recruiting coordinator, worked with the team’s post players, as well as monitored academics, scouted and ran team camps.
“We are fortunate to have Meredith join our staff,” said Epps upon Baugher’s hire. “Meredith is an outstanding recruiter and teacher of the game. She has a strong background as a player and a coach in the state of Indiana. Her confidence and her ability to effectively communicate and connect with student-athletes and their families will serve us well.”
Meredith will assume the role of recruiting coordinator in addition to working with the post players and scouting of opponents.
Prior to working at Gannon, Baugher spent two seasons as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Youngstown State, where her main duties were the development of the post players and overseeing players’ academics. She also managed the team’s equipment and apparel needs, as well as organized team and individual camps.
On the floor, she helped Nikita LaFleur turn in arguably the best year of her career. LaFleur, who had scored 194 points and grabbed 253 rebounds through her first three seasons, broke out to record 203 points and 187 boards as a senior post player. She led YSU in both categories while shooting an impressive 55 percent from the floor.
Off the court, Baugher was instrumental in helping the Penguins produce a 3.29 cumulative team grade-point average. Eleven out of 12 student-athletes on the team achieved a 3.0 GPA or higher with Baugher as the team’s academic coordinator.
A native of Berea, Ohio, Baugher began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at NCAA Division I Valparaiso. Baugher helped with film exchange, produced publications for coaches and alumni, and assisted in recruiting during her first season at Valpo. After only one season, she was elevated to full-time status and served in that role for two more seasons.
Baugher coached the post players, assisted with scouting and monitored academics during her time at Valpo. She later became the program’s recruiting coordinator during her final year with the Crusaders.
Valparaiso recorded the fifth 20-win campaign in school history during Baugher’s second season on the bench, producing a 20-11 record and second-place finish in the Mid-Continent Conference.
In all, Baugher was part of seven successful seasons at Valparaiso. Prior to three seasons as a member of the coaching staff, she was a four-year standout for the Crusaders on the court. The program qualified for two NCAA Division I Tournaments, advanced to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) quarterfinals, won a pair of Mid-Continent Conference tournament titles and captured one regular-season crown.
A four-year letterwinner, Baugher averaged nearly six points and four rebounds during her career. As a sophomore, she was named to the all-conference honorable-mention squad after averaging a career-best 8.2 points and 5.3 rebounds.
She was also a three-time academic all-conference selection, helping Valpo produce the 24th-highest cumulative team grade-point average among all NCAA Division I programs in 2007-08. The Crusaders were among the nation’s top 25 for 10 consecutive seasons, including all seven seasons with Baugher as a player or coach.
In March of 2011, it was announced that Baugher was selected as an inductee to the Berea High School Hall of Fame. She will be officially inducted in September of 2011.
From Valparaiso, Baugher earned bachelor’s degrees in public relations and french in 2005 and a master’s degree in sports administration in 2008.
