Staff Directory
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An experienced assistant coach with a long history of postseason appearances and top-ranked recruiting classes, Keila Whittington joined the Oregon coaching staff on April 14, 2009, after spending two seasons at Marist College.
“We are lucky to bring in a coach with such a wealth of recruiting experience at the Division I level,” head coach Paul Westhead said of Whittington at the time of her hire. “She has a proven track record of bringing in some of the country’s top recruiting classes and developing those programs into extremely competitive and nationally-ranked teams.”
Whittington, who works with Oregon’s post players and serves as the club’s recruiting coordinator, helped bring in Oregon’s first recruiting class in the fall of 2009 which included Danielle Love, Ariel Thomas and Deanna Weaver. Oregon’s second class in 2011 received a top-50 rating from ESPN Hoopgurlz as the coaching staff brought in its first ranked recruiting class. Jordan Loera, a four-star recruit from Moses Lake, Wash., headlined the class along with two-time Los Angeles City Section Division I champion Janitah Iamaleava, two-time Nisqually 1A Player of the Year Lexi Petersen, Denver Post All-State First Team selection Megan Carpenter and Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year Amanda Delgado.
During the last two years at Oregon, the Ducks have finished in the country’s top-15 in scoring in back-to-back seasons, averaging 81.4 points (2010, 2nd) and 73.3 points per game (2011, 15th). In fact, during the last two seasons, the Ducks have averaged 79.0 points per game overall, out done only by Oral Roberts (84.7 ppg) and Gonzaga (82.7 ppg).
In addition, the Ducks have had three student-athletes (Micaela Cocks, 2010; Nia Jackson, 2011; Taylor Lilley, 2010) named to the Pac-10 All-Conference Team during the past two years.
Oregon’s starting forward Amanda Johnson has averaged 14.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game over the last two seasons, earning back-to-back honorable mention nods (2010 & 2011) from the Pac-10. In 2011, Deanna Weaver was also named Pac-10 All-Freshman honorable mention.
During Whittington’s first season at Oregon, the Ducks doubled their win total posting an 18-16 record, and accepted an invitation to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament – Oregon’s first postseason appearance since 2007.
Whittington came to Oregon with an impressive record on the court and on the recruiting trail. An assistant at Marist (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) the last two seasons, Whittington joined the Ducks after a 29-4 record and second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance with the Red Foxes. She spent two seasons at Marist (2007-09) compiling a 61-7 record, winning two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season championships as well as two MAAC Tournament championships.
During a breakout season in 2008, the Red Foxes achieved their first undefeated conference record (18-0) and made their first appearance in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls. Marist finished 2008 with a 32-3 overall record - the first 30-win season and best year in women’s basketball program history - as well as advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and ending the year ranked 23rd in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.
In 2009, Marist made a second-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament with a 29-4 record, and achieved its highest ranking ever in the polls at No. 20 (AP poll) in January.
While at Marist, Whittington assisted with recruiting, including coordinating visits. In 2008, Marist’s recruiting class was ranked 50th in the nation by Blue Star Basketball - the first ever ranking for the program.
Prior to her time at Marist, Whittington spent six seasons (2001-07) as an assistant coach at Penn State University. In charge of recruiting with the Nittany Lions, Whittington oversaw the signing of the 22nd ranked recruiting class in 2007 (Blue Star Basketball), as well as the 34th-ranked player in the nation.
In 2003, Penn State brought in the nation’s 13th best recruiting class (All-Star Girls Report) and Whittington was listed as one of the nations top-five recruiting coordinators by All Star Girls Report.
During her time with Penn State, the Nittany Lions made four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including two Big Ten Conference championships (2003 & 2004), two Sweet 16 appearances (2002 & 2003), and one trip to the Elite Eight (2004).
Prior to her arrival at Penn State, Whittington spent the 2000-01 season as South Alabama’s recruiting coordinator. That year, the team earned its first Sun Belt Conference Tournament victory in program history and had its highest victory total in 10 years.
From 1995-2000, Whittington was an assistant at Indiana, also serving as recruiting coordinator. While with the Hoosiers, she served as assistant coach on the Big Ten All-Star Tour in 1997, traveling to Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Whittington was also an assistant at Rhode Island from 1993-95, and was promoted to top assistant and recruiting coordinator in 1995.
She began her collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Delaware, where she coached from 1991-93. Whittington’s first experience on the bench came as assistant varsity girls’ coach and head junior varsity girls’ coach at McDonogh #35 High School in New Orleans.
A native of Louisiana, Whittington has a wealth of community involvement. She organized a supply relief drive consisting of non-perishable food items, water and toys which was sent to St. Bernard Parish in Chalmette, La., just outside of New Orleans, to benefit those suffering from the effects of Hurricane Katrina.
Whittington is a 1989 graduate of Dillard University in New Orleans, earning a B.A. in Health & Physical Education. She received her M.A. in Physical Education from Delaware in 1993.
