November 2, 2005
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University Director of Athletics Rick Mazzuto has announced that 23-year women’s basketball head coach Shirley Duncan will take retirement, effective December 31; and that associate head coach Nikki Atkinson ‘98 will be appointed interim head coach, effective January 1, 2006 for the remainder of the 2005-06 campaign. The announcement took place Wednesday at the annual Basketball Media Day on-campus in Farmville. The Lancers will open the season November 18-19, hosting the annual Lancer Invitational, playing Maryland-Eastern Shore Nov. 18 at 8 p.m..
“Shirley Duncan has had an outstanding coaching career,” stated Mazzuto. “As important, her dedication to student-athletes and commitment to conducting the women’s basketball program with the highest ethical standard has set a high benchmark for other programs at Longwood and around the country.”
Duncan enters her final season with an overall collegiate coaching record of 393-313 over 26 years, including a record of 352-253 over the 22 years at Longwood. She has led the Lancers to four NCAA Tournament appearances in Division II (1995-97, 2003), and coached the team to a winning 15-13 record last season while playing its first complete Division I schedule. Overall, Duncan has led the program to 12 consecutive winning seasons, including six 20-win campaigns, while claiming the 2003 Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference (CVAC) Tournament Championship and compiling an overall eight-year regular season CVAC record of 126-28. The program’s finest season was during 2002-03, finishing a school-record 27-5, including the conference tournament title while advancing into the NCAA Regional semifinals.
“When the decision was made to move our athletic programs to NCAA Division I, I knew then it would be a challenge, and at that point in my career I wanted to be a part of meeting that challenge and see the process through,” explained Duncan. “I feel I've accomplished that goal, and with the present staff I know the program is going to remain in good hands.
“I am pleased Nikki Atkinson will become the Interim Head Coach which will give important continuity to all aspects of the program. I have given her more and more administrative responsibility these last couple of years and feel confident in her leadership of the program.
“I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work at Longwood and will continue to give my best to the team and the program in what ever way I'm needed.”
Atkinson, a 1998 summa cum laude graduate of Longwood with degrees in biology and anthropology, is in her third-year back with the program after previously serving as the head coach at Division II West Virginia Wesleyan College (1999-2003). She was a four-year starter at Longwood (1993-97) while scoring 1,499 career points (fourth all-time), earning All-America honors in 1996 and 1997, along with Academic All-America accolades in 1997. At West Virginia Wesleyan, Atkinson led the Bobcats to an overall record of 60-53, including 46-27 in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). Her 2002-03 team finished 19-10 (best record since 1989), including a runners-up finish in the WVIAC (14-4) and advancing to the conference tournament semifinals for the first time in 17 years.
“Coach Duncan has had such a profound affect on women’s basketball, not only at Longwood, but on a National level as well,” said Atkinson. “It has been a great honor to be mentored and coached by her. Coach Duncan is a cornerstone of both Longwood Women’s Basketball and our entire athletic department.
“This year’s team has decided to dedicate the season to Coach Duncan for the positive influence she has had in their lives. Coach Duncan is very deserving of her retirement, but she will be truly missed.”
Longwood will launch a national search for the next head coach after the first of the year, according to Mazzuto, and Atkinson will be a candidate for the permanent position.
