June 3, 2002
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State head women's basketball coach Jim Tomey announced the addition of University of New Haven head coach and former UCLA standout Nicole Anderson as assistant coach Monday.
Anderson is the second assistant to be hired by Tomey and will join Matt Hart on the Aztecs' staff.
"First and foremost Nicole and I possess similar values and vision," Tomey said. "She also brings great experience as a player and a coach, has strong ties to the San Diego community and is an extremely engaging person. She is the complete package and a great addition to our staff."
Tomey also indicated that Anderson, who directed New Haven to an 11-15 record (7-5 ECAC) during her inaugural campaign as head coach of the Chargers in 2001-02, will work both with the Aztec guards and posts. Off the court, Anderson will assist with practice and game preparation and also be heavily involved in recruiting.
A 1989 graduate of La Jolla High School and an all-CIF selection as a prep, the move to southern California will be a homecoming for Anderson, who starred at UCLA from 1989-93, served as an assistant coach at the University of San Diego during the 2000-01 campaign and developed Francis Parker into a state power while serving as the head girls coach from 1994-2000.
"I am overwhelmed with excitement," said Anderson. "It is awesome to be back home. It is a tremendous opportunity personally, but I also feel that this program is about to take off. I am thrilled to start working with coach Tomey and coach Hart."
One of the top players ever to come out of San Diego County, Anderson was a four-year varsity starter at La Jolla High, averaging 23 point per game during her high school career. She went on to be named as one of the 15 greatest player in UCLA women's basketball history and still ranks in the top five in both steals (second) and assists (fourth).
Following completion of her bachelor's degree in sociology from UCLA in 1993, Anderson returned to San Diego to teach physical education at Francis Parker Middle School. That same year she landed the head girls basketball coaching job at the Francis Parker High and by the end of her six-year tenure had guided the program to three state CIF semifinal appearances, a quarterfinal berth and a No. 3 state ranking.
In addition to her coaching duties at Parker, Anderson also pursued her own academic and athletic interests, working toward a masters in education at National University and making the developmental squad of the Los Angeles Sparks in 1997.