Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University vice-president and director of athletics Steve Poston announces the appointment of Ann Hancock (’92) as head women’s basketball coach. Hancock is the fourth coach in Wingate’s storied women’s basketball history. The Bulldog family will introduce Hancock at a 1 p.m. Tuesday press conference in LaVerne Banquet Hall on the Wingate campus. The Wingate University Sports Network will provide a free video stream.
 
Most recently, Hancock spent two seasons as an assistant women’s basketball coach at East Carolina University. Prior to her time in Greenville, she was the head women’s basketball coach at UNC Wilmington for 10 seasons. Hancock was an assistant coach for eight seasons at UNC Chapel Hill, helping the Tar Heels win the 1994 NCAA Division I national championship. As a basketball student-athlete at Wingate, Hancock was all-conference and all-district for four seasons each.
 
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome back Ann Hancock to Wingate University…a place where she enjoyed an outstanding academic and athletic career,” Poston says. “Ann played a significant role establishing the foundation of our women’s basketball program. Her coaching experience over the past years…has prepared her well for the challenges she will face as the head coach of our women’s basketball team.”
 
At East Carolina, Hancock assisted in all phases of the basketball program. She was involved in on-the-floor coaching, recruiting and scouting. Hancock was also engaged in student-athlete academic progress and summer camps.
 
While the head coach at UNC Wilmington, Hancock led the Seahawks to the most NCAA victories in school history and the most wins in any three consecutive year period. She was the Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year in 2003. The same season, she helped the Seahawks set a new attendance record. UNCW signed the most highly-touted recruiting class in school history in 2003.
 
Hancock helped Seahawk superstar Cherie Lea earn first team All-CAA honors two years in a row. She coached one NCAA I-AAA Strength and Conditioning Female Athlete of the Year, one CAA Defensive Player of the Year, two Strength and Conditioning All-Americans and two CAA Dean Ehlers Leadership Award winners during her UNC Wilmington tenure.
 
Hancock assisted in all phases of coaching for the 1994 NCAA Division I national champion UNC Tar Heels. She was heavily involved in recruiting; Hancock signed the numbers one, four, five, seven and 14th-ranked high school players as the program’s recruiting coordinator. She coached on the floor during practice, with specific work geared to the UNC perimeter players.
 
In addition, Hancock assisted with player development and prepared in-depth scouting reports on Tar Heel opponents. She coached WNBA players Sylvia Crawley, Marion Jones, Charlotte Smith and Tracy Reid. As a collegian, Smith was the ESPN National Player of the Year. Reid was the WNBA Rookie of the Year. Hancock mentored numerous All-Academic team selections.  
           
“Wingate was special (to me) then and it is special (to me) now,” Hancock says. “The relationships and the special feeling you get when you come to the campus…are the same. When you put together the total package…the campus…the people…and the tremendous team returning for next year…it was an opportunity I could not turn down.”
 
In 2012, the Wingate women’s basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16. In 34 senior college seasons, Wingate women’s basketball has 721 victories and 292 losses. Since joining the SAC in 1990, the Bulldogs have won 11 regular season titles and seven Food Lion SAC tournament crowns.
 
Wingate leads the SAC with 12 appearances in the NCAA Division II national tournament. The Bulldogs have an overall NCAA tourney record of 16-12 with Elite Eight appearances in 1995, 1996 and 2008. In 1988, Wingate compiled a 33-2 overall record en route to an appearance in the NAIA Final Four.
 
Hancock scored 2,195 points during a distinguished Wingate career (1989-92). As a senior, she led the Bulldogs in scoring with her 19.9 points per game. During her tenure, Wingate compiled a 103-23 overall record. The Bulldogs advanced to the NAIA national tournament each season. Hancock and her teammates won three conference and three district titles.
 
The 1992 NCAA Woman of the Year for North Carolina, Hancock earned a prestigious NCAA post-graduate scholarship. She was Wingate’s first-ever Academic All-America® selection in 1990. In addition to her basketball exploits, Hancock lettered in volleyball three years and softball one year for the Bulldogs. At Wingate’s 1992 commencement exercises, she won the Budd E. and Ethel K. Smith Cup. The Smith Cup is awarded annually to the graduating senior judged to have made an outstanding contribution through leadership of fellow students.
 
Hancock holds a Master of Arts degree in Sports Administration from UNC Chapel Hill. She earned a B.A. degree in English with a minor in Public Relations at Wingate, graduating magna cum laude. Hancock won the Woody Hayes National Scholar-Athlete Award and the South Atlantic Conference President’s Award in 1992. Hancock is the daughter of Tom and Lou Hancock of Elizabethtown, N.C.         
 
What They Are Saying...
 
Wingate University V-P and director of athletics Steve Poston:
 
“On a personal note, I am a big fan of Ann Hancock. I have followed her career very closely over the years. We welcome her home.”
 
Wingate University head women’s basketball coach Ann Hancock:
 
“Basically, the people are a big reason why I decided to come to school (at Wingate). I never intended to attend Wingate. I had Division I dreams. When I visited Wingate, the people were so nice and genuine. When I left after my visit, I couldn’t shake the wonderful memories. It was a hard choice…but it was the best decision I ever made.”
 
UNC Chapel Hill head women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell:
 
“This is a win/win situation for Wingate…this is great for Wingate and this is great for Ann. She has a passion for the people at Wingate…I know Wingate was and is an important part of her life. She’s always loved Wingate. When the job came open, I thought she would be the perfect fit.”
 
“I believe this is a great job for Ann. She has done well at every stop on her journey. Ann did an outstanding job for us during her time in Chapel Hill. She has great people skills and incredible basketball knowledge. This is a great hire for Wingate.”
 
St. Francis (N.Y.) head women’s basketball coach John Thurston:
 
“I am excited for both Ann and for Wingate about her decision to return ‘home’ as head women’s basketball coach. In speaking with her about this opportunity, I could tell the excitement and emotion in her voice when she talked about Wingate. I hoped she would seize the opportunity to be surrounded by people like Dr. Jerry McGee, Steve Poston, Bill Nash, Dr. Bob Billinger and David Sherwood...”
 
“Ann Hancock was/is the hardest working basketball student-athlete, male or female, I have ever been associated with. Despite the fact that as a player ‘she could not defend a tree and never met a shot she didn’t like,’ she used that work ethic to become an outstanding college basketball coach.”
 
“It was my privilege to be on her staff for two years at UNCW. Her knowledge of the game, her passion for helping student-athletes and her tireless recruiting efforts has made her a star in the coaching profession. Wingate has an incredible reputation in women's basketball and has hired the absolute best person to continue that proud tradition.” 
 
Wingate University professor of English and Religion Dr. John Sykes:
 
“Ann Hancock is the only successful student-athlete I’ve known whose smile was as big as her competitive spirit. She absolutely refused to be second best - in the classroom or on the court - yet she always seemed to be enjoying herself. One of her finest moments as an English major at Wingate came in an honors class, when she and two of her classmates performed a skit on C.S. Lewis for their presentation. The skit had more Marx Brothers in it than theology. I’m looking forward to having that big smile back on campus.”
 
Wingate University professor of English Dr. Pam Thomas:
 
“Ann Hancock has a delightful personality; she’s impish, always seeing or finding the humor in everything; she loves playing jokes on people! What everyone learns about Ann after getting to know her is that she always gives whatever she is attempting her all, whether it be writing a paper for an English class or playing in a basketball game.”
 
“Since I try to approach teaching that way, I think Ann and I always understood and appreciated one another’s passionate commitment to what we love. Whenever Ann and I see each other after long separations, it’s as if we talked only the day before…and we pick up right where we left off, discussing what we’ve read recently or what exciting new plans we’ve made.  She made us all proud when she was a student at Wingate…I know her commitment to excellence will continue in her coaching career here.”
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a comprehensive university with more than 2,500 students on three campuses in Wingate, Matthews and Hendersonville, N.C. The university offers 34 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, physician assistant studies and sports administration and doctorates in pharmacy and education.
 
Wingate students gain the tools and support they need to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. The campus community offers in-class learning, out-of-class experiences, strong mentors, a competitive yet caring environment and rewarding community service opportunities for a complete educational experience.
 
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 six years.
 
Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 42 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 51 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.