Former UT standout returns to Austin as assistant coach

By Steve Lansdale

AUSTIN, Texas — Women’s basketball head coach Karen Aston refilled her staff this week when she named former UT star Jamey Carey as a new assistant coach for the Longhorns.

The position on Aston’s staff opened up when former Texas player and assistant coach Travis Mays left Austin to become the new head coach at SMU.

During her playing career, Carey[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level1)] played on UT’s 2003 NCAA Final Four team and also played four years in the WNBA. She also spent four years as the assistant women’s national team director with USA Basketball, and spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Colorado.

Texas head coach Karen Aston said that no matter what direction her search took, Carey’s name kept popping up.

“I am so thrilled to welcome Jamie Carey back to the Forty Acres and to Texas Basketball,” Aston said. “This was a national search process to find the right fit for our program and, in particular, our student-athletes. As we combed the country, Jamie kept coming to mind. She brings a wealth of knowledge regarding guard play and offensive schemes that is exciting.

“Jamie, due to her experiences with USA Basketball, understands the highest level of play, which will transfer over to recruiting the types of players we are identifying here at Texas. How can anyone not appreciate the passion with which she played the game during her time at Texas? She put her stamp on this program as a player and I expect her to do the same as a coach.”

In her first year on the UT staff, Carey will be heavily involved in recruiting, will work extensively with the Longhorns’ guards and will coordinate the offensive game plans.

Carey said she is thrilled to return to her alma mater, but said the demands of her new job in Austin mean her homecoming celebration will be short-lived.

“I am thrilled to be back at the University of Texas,” Carey said. “This is a fantastic opportunity and one I am really excited about. I want to thank Chris Plonsky, Mike Perrin, Karen (Aston) and the entire Austin community for welcoming me back to the Forty Acres. I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with all of the elite athletes in this program and am excited to get to work.”

Colorado head coach Linda Lappe commended Carey for many things, including her ability to make the transition from standout player to effective coach.

“Jamie is one of the best in the business — there’s no doubt about that,” Lappe said. “Her talents of being extremely bright, very well spoken, and her ability to be able to teach the game of basketball to young players is unbelievably unique. It’s been really fun to see how she’s had an impact on every player that she’s coached. The thing that she brings more so than any coach I’ve ever worked with is just her presence. Jamie has great presence and that’s what made her so successful as a player. A lot of times, players can’t transfer that skill into the coaching world and be able to teach it, and she can. With her presence, she’s really able to mentor players and teach them how to have a championship mindset.”

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