Page 26 - Laker Connection Fall 2011

Dennis Cox
HE BROUGHT HOME THE
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Clayton State University has had many fine athletic coaches over the years, starting in 1990
when then-Clayton
State College fielded
its first intercollegiate
athletic team, men’s
basketball, under the
direction of Mason
Barfield. Maybe it’s a
cliché, but you can’t
have a successful col-
legiate athletic pro-
gram without good
coaches and athletes.
son) Cox has built one of the elite women’s programs in Division II. How elite? How about four Peach Belt Conference regu- lar season champi- onships... three Peach Belt Confer- ence Tournament championships... and seven straight trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament, a run that includes going to the “Elite Eight” three of the last five seasons, and the “Sweet 16” in four of the last five seasons... in addi-
tion to that national championship.
It adds up to a record of 184-45 and a winning percentage of .803, making Cox the winningest head coach of Clay- ton State in women's basketball, and the
by John Shiffert
second-winningest active head coach at the Division II level.
Another way to gauge Cox’ impact on the Clayton State program is the Lak- ers’ success in what can be argued is the toughest women’s basketball con- ference in DII. Maybe that’s an unprov- able judgment, but there’s no denying that the Peach Belt Conference is tough. For some level of proof, just look at the final DII rankings for 2010/2011 – Clay- ton State #1, Lander (which in reality may have been the second best team in the country) #6, and USC Aiken (the only team to beat the Lakers) #13.
Prior to Cox’ arrival on the Clayton State scene, the Lakers had gone 36-82 in the Peach Belt since joining the con- ference in 1997. Under Cox, the Lakers are 100-26 in the Peach Belt - the best record among Peach Belt programs in the last seven seasons. In addition, 14 of his players have garnered All-Peach Belt honors in the process.
For his success in 2010/2011, Cox was honored by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club
However, as of the start of the 2011/2012 academic year, only one Clay- ton State coach had ever brought home a national championship.
His name is Dennis Cox.
In the seven seasons since taking over the Laker women’s basketball pro- gram (he started with the 2004/05 sea-
24 THE LAKER CONNECTION
Cox holds the Russell Athletic/Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association Division II Coach of the Year Award.