LaVonda Wagner
Encyclopedia
LaVonda Wagner is the former head coach of the Oregon State Beavers
women's basketball
team and is an FSN
television analyst for WNBA games. She was fired from Oregon State on June 1, 2010 in the wake of a turbulent offseason that saw multiple player and assistant coach departures.
. She attended Mars Hill College
in North Carolina, where she earned a bachelor's degree in physical education. She was also a star for the women's basketball and volleyball teams, and earned All-America honors in both sports from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA
). In 1998, she was inducted into the college's sports hall of fame. In 1988, Wagner earned a master's degree in athletic administration from East Tennessee State University
(ETSU). From 1988 to 1994 she was the top assistant coach and recruiter for ETSU in women's basketball. From 1994 to 2002 she was an assistant coach for the University of Illinois women's basketball team; in 2000 she helped garner one of the top five recruiting classes in the nation for Illinois. From 2002 to 2005 Wagner was an assistant coach at Duke University
, which featured one of the top-rated women's basketball programs in the nation.
berth. Her team went 9-19 in the 2006-07 season, and improved to 12-19 in 2007-08. As of March 8, 2009 the Beavers record for the 2008-09 season stands at 19 wins and 10 losses. Before her firing in 2010, her contract with the Beavers had been extended through 2012.
Oregon State Beavers
The Oregon State Beavers is a name shared by all sports teams at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. The Beavers are part of the Pacific-12 Conference . Oregon State's mascot is Benny the Beaver...
women's basketball
Women's basketball
Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...
team and is an FSN
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
television analyst for WNBA games. She was fired from Oregon State on June 1, 2010 in the wake of a turbulent offseason that saw multiple player and assistant coach departures.
Background and early career
LaVonda Wagner was born in 1964 in Bristol, VirginiaBristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
. She attended Mars Hill College
Mars Hill College
Mars Hill College is a private, coed, liberal-arts college affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The college is located in the small town of Mars Hill, North Carolina, due north of Asheville, western North Carolina's largest city...
in North Carolina, where she earned a bachelor's degree in physical education. She was also a star for the women's basketball and volleyball teams, and earned All-America honors in both sports from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
). In 1998, she was inducted into the college's sports hall of fame. In 1988, Wagner earned a master's degree in athletic administration from East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University is an accredited American university located in Johnson City, Tennessee. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents system of colleges and universities, the nation's sixth largest system of public education, and is the fourth largest university in the state...
(ETSU). From 1988 to 1994 she was the top assistant coach and recruiter for ETSU in women's basketball. From 1994 to 2002 she was an assistant coach for the University of Illinois women's basketball team; in 2000 she helped garner one of the top five recruiting classes in the nation for Illinois. From 2002 to 2005 Wagner was an assistant coach at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, which featured one of the top-rated women's basketball programs in the nation.
Oregon State
Wagner joined the Beavers for the 2005-06 season, making a ten game improvement from the previous season and ending the year with a 16-15 overall record and a postseason Women’s NITNational Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
berth. Her team went 9-19 in the 2006-07 season, and improved to 12-19 in 2007-08. As of March 8, 2009 the Beavers record for the 2008-09 season stands at 19 wins and 10 losses. Before her firing in 2010, her contract with the Beavers had been extended through 2012.