5/14/2010 2:49:51 PM
Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University vice-president and director of athletics Steve Poston and head women’s basketball coach Barbara Nelson announce the appointment of Keith Bell as assistant women’s basketball coach and recruiting coordinator. Bell begins his duties this month.
Prior to joining the Bulldog family, Bell spent the 2009-10 season as the director of women’s basketball operations at Elon University. The Phoenix improved their win total by seven games from 2008-09 to 2009-10. Guard Ali Ford was the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year and a first team All-SoCon pick.
Bell spent two years as the head women’s basketball coach at Wilkes Community College. Bell inherited a team with six victories and helped the Cougars earn the school’s first conference co-championship. In recognition of the team’s achievements, Bell was named Conference Coach of the Year in 2009. Three WCC student-athletes were named to the All-Region team. Two players earned All-Tournament team honors during his tenure.
The WCC Cougars advanced to the region tournament championship game both years under Bell’s tutelage, a first for the women’s basketball program. Wilkes picked up several victories against nationally-ranked opponents. Every WCC student-athlete under his watch remained academically eligible.
Bell coached AAU basketball for the Charlotte Fire Girls’ Basketball Club before his time at Wilkes Community College. Bell won a state championship and received invitations to three national tournaments. The Fire earned one national top 10 finish. His players earned scholarships to several top-flight programs, including UNC Chapel Hill and West Virginia. Bell served as Club Director for four years.
In the greater community, Bell served with Athletes United for Youth for eight years. His partners in this organization included former NBA superstar Dell Curry and ESPN commentator and former Duke University standout Jay Bilas. Athletes United for Youth was formed in order to make a difference in the lives of young people through various life-enhancing programs including developing, operating and supporting structured, affordable and accessible after-school programs, computer learning centers, one-on-one mentoring and substance abuse prevention and awareness programs.
Bell was a member of several AUFY organizational committees including The Bojangles’ High School Basketball Shootout Committee (one of the nation’s most prestigious high school basketball tournaments featuring both local and national men’s and women’s teams). Bell was the chairman of the Official Statistics/Official Scorers Committee for the Bojangles’ High School Basketball Shootout.
A graduate of Appalachian State University with a B.S. degree in Business Management, Bell is familiar with the local community. He served one year as an assistant girls’ basketball coach at nearby Sun Valley High School.
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution of 2,159 students offering active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, world travel, career discovery and community service.
Wingate offers 34 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, communication, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers graduate degrees in business, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration. In addition, the school awards the doctor of pharmacy and the doctor of education degrees.
Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past four years.
Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 34 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 43 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.