Coach Mattox Honored

Connecticut Sun assistant coach Bernadette Mattox has been named the 2007 Outstanding Alumna by Roane State Community College.

Roane State is a regional two-year college in East Tennessee.

Mattox became an assistant coach with the Sun in 2003, when the team relocated from Orlando, and she has been an integral part of Connecticut�s success during her five seasons working on the staff of head coach Mike Thibault. The team has reached the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, including two trips to the WNBA Finals.

Mattox began her college basketball career at Roane State, where she graduated in 1979. She followed her coach, Andy Landers, to the University of Georgia, becoming the first female athlete to earn All-American and Academic All-American honors at the school.

Mattox stayed at Georgia, serving as an assistant coach under Landers beginning in 1985. She made NCAA history when she became the first female to serve as a Division I assistant for a men�s team, beginning a four-year stint under coach Rick Pitino at Kentucky in 1990.

Mattox was named an assistant athletics director at Kentucky in 1994.

In 1995, Mattox became the first African-American to coach Kentucky women�s basketball. She led the program for eight seasons, including a 1998-99 campaign when the team recorded its first 20-win season and NCAA Tournament appearance in nearly a decade.

She lives in Lexington, Ky. with her husband, Vince, and son, Vincent.