BYU hires alumna Amber Whiting to lead women’s basketball program

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PROVO — BYU Women’s Basketball has a new head coach and a well-known name for running the program.

The Cougars announced on Wednesday the replacement of the recently retired Jeff Judkins with Amber Whiting, making him the seven head coaches of BYU’s NCAA history dating back to 1972.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to become BYU’s head coach,” Whiting said in a school statement. “I’ve played basketball all my life, coaching and training players. I’m looking forward to doing it again at this level. Coach Judkins has established a great tradition and strong culture of victory with great players. I can. “Get in and continue that heritage and wait to be surrounded by great staff. I’m ready to get to work. “

A graduate of BYU, the first college head coach to earn a degree in history and education in 2001, after a strong career in high school and youth ranks, he recently became the head coach of the women’s basketball team at Brigham Young University. Return to. She won the 2022 Idaho State Championship. Selected as a Four Seasons of the Year by Idaho MPs, Whiting set Burley to a 70-37 overall record in four seasons.

In addition to his time at Burley, Whiting coaches the Adidas U-17 3SSB Select Team at the Natalie Williams Basketball Academy Spring-Summer Circuit and oversees Utah Hard Knox, one of Beehive’s most famous club programs. Did.

At BYU, Whiting has arguably inherited the best-season program in the history of the program. This includes the program’s record of 26 wins and only 4 losses. The final season of the historic 21-year Judkins At the steering of the program. And while a few senior stars such as Paisley Harding Johnson, Sarahamson and point guard Maria Albiero graduated, the team also teamed with top scorer Shaley Gonzalez (18.3 points per game) and Double Double Lauren Gastin (10.7). ppg, 11.6 rebounds / game) 1 year left at West Coast Conference before joining Big 12.

“I’m excited that Amber Whiting will lead the BYU Women’s Basketball Team,” said BYU Athletic Director Tom Holmoe. “Through the recruitment process, we found a coach with a well-thought-out and concrete plan for the team’s future. Amber has a unique and wide range of experience in basketball and feels great about women’s games and their direction. Have a BYU, Big 12, and nationally. “

Whiting played basketball at Snow College. There she served as Team MVP for two years, and in 1999 made a prestigious nationwide reference while leading badger scoring and assisting. Fremont High’s Alum and Ogden natives (formerly Russell) moved to BYU in the final season of 2000-01 after playing for a season at Weber State University.

Whiting’s husband is Trent Whiting. She is a former Snow College All-American and spent a year in Utah before finishing her career at BYU in 2001. Prior to his 12-year professional career in Italy, he scored an average of 14.2 points per game on his way to the honor of every conference. ..

The couple has two children. Amari, who is devoted to Oregon and will be a senior in high school next year, and Jace, who recently returned from the two-year mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With Boise.

Recognized by ESPN as the 33rd-ranked prospect in the 2023 class, Amari Whiting, as Burley’s junior, averaged 26.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

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