Head Coach Penny Belford has added Miranda Maples as an assistant to the women's basketball staff for the 2019-2020 season.
Maples comes to Pensacola after spending two seasons as Assistant Coach at Kishwaukee College (KC). At KC, Maples was responsible for the development of post and guard players both offensively and defensively, recruiting prospective student-athletes, she assisted in game and practice planning, fundraising and community service activities, and monitored study hall and academic progress. Maples helped the KC Women's Basketball program reach the Regional Semi-final game for the first time since 2014 after just bringing the women's program back in 2017. She coached one player (Rashel Robinson) to earning All-Region and first team All-Conference Team as well as helped coach four players in earning player of the week honors in the 2018-19 season. Maples was also an instructor at KC teaching First Aid and Emergency Response along with Fitness Training classes.
Prior to arriving at KC, Maples served as the graduate assistant for her alumni team, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), earning her master's degree in Sports Administration in 2017. She was in charge of organizing meals for travel, overseeing and assisting student managers in everyday tasks, assisting in marketing and organization of summer camps. EKU advanced to the championship game of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament before falling to Belmont University. Maples was also the Head basketball coach for Model Middle School while working as a graduate assistant.
As a player at EKU, Maples junior year displayed her noted versatility by leading the team in blocks (14) and three-point shooting percentage (38.6, 22-of-57). She also led the team in free throw percentage (93.5, 29-of-31), missing only two foul shots all season. She had a career night in EKU's thrilling 97-93 double-overtime win at Tennessee Tech on Jan. 24, scoring 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds, and hit 4-of-5 from beyond the arc in the win.
Photo Courtesy: Eastern Kentucky University Athletics