Jamene Caldwell is entering her eighth year on the Sam Houston State Women’s Basketball coaching staff and has been a major factor in transforming a program that had not posted a winning record since 1996 into the squad that claimed the 2013 Southland Conference regular championship and garnered the program’s first post-season invitation to the WNIT.
Caldwell serves as the recruiting coordinator for the program and is responsible for post player development, scheduling, and community out-reach. She also assists with the scouting of opponents.
“Jamene Caldwell has proved herself as a coach,” Nichols said. “She is no stranger to me and this program and has helped us bring an extremely talented group of young ladies to Sam Houston State. She will help us continue to move this program in the right direction.”
In 2011, the Bearkats rolled up a 17-14 overall record to post their first above .500 year since the 1995-1996 squad went 18-10. SHSU raced to an 11-5 Southland Conference mark to tie with UTSA as 2011 Southland West Division co-champions.
The 2012 Bearkats added a second consecutive West Division championship. With their 12-4 league record, the women achieved their highest seed (third) at the Southland post-season tournament. The .750 winning percentage in Southland action is the program’s highest in 25 years in the league.
The 18-12 overall record equaled the school mark for most victories in one year, tying the 1996 squad.
The 35 victories during this two-year span mark the most in a two-year period for SHSU’s 30-year history as an NCAA program and contributed to the program’s first invitations to pre-season and post-season tournaments (WBI and WNIT).
Caldwell has worked with head coach Brenda Nichols both as a coach and a player. She was a four-year letter winner at South Alabama where Nichols was an assistant coach. Later, Caldwell worked two seasons as an assistant for Nichols at Mercer University before coming to Sam Houston State with her in 2006.
At South Alabama, Caldwell still ranks as one of the Jaguars’ all-time leading shot blockers. She played in 102 games during her South Alabama career, scoring 595 points and pulling down 367 rebounds.
