Troy University Athletics
Women’s Basketball Hires Grace Daniels as Assistant Coach
10/26/2024 2:54:00 PM | Basketball (W)
TROY, Ala. – Just over a week before the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign for Troy women's basketball, head coach Chanda Rigby announced the hiring of Grace Daniels as a new assistant coach.
"We're beyond excited to have Grace Daniels join our Troy women's basketball family," Rigby said. "Her former bosses have described her as an absolute rising star in this profession. We're proud to bring her to Troy."
Daniels comes from Houston Christian University, where she held the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator position from 2023-24. In her lone season, the Huskies were in rebuild mode with a 6-23 record but included wins over Wichita State and McNeese State. Off the court, Daniels was a natural with her student-athletes, leading HCU to 18th nationally in team GPA for Division-I women's basketball. The Texas native continued HCU's success in the classroom as she brought the program's sixth straight WBCA Academic Top-25 ranking – ranked in 11 of the past 12 seasons.
Before HCU, Daniels spent time within the Sun Belt Conference as a graduate assistant for ULM from 2021-23. Under head coach Brooks Donald Williams, she assisted in basketball operations, player/skill development and recruitment while she oversaw the scout team and film setup. Daniel also liaised for strength and conditioning, return-to-play rehabilitation, and planned mental health activities.
On the court in Monroe, Daniels helped the Warhawks to rank 11th in the nation for blocks with 5.2 and 23rd for rebounds at 41.5. She coached Kyren Whittington in her two-year tenure, which saw an All-Sun Belt Third Team selection in 2021-22 on 15.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists – ranked fifth in the SBC in scoring. Emma Merriweather was another SBC specialty she coached, earning Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-Sun Belt Third Team.
Outside of NCAA coaching, Daniels also served as a volunteer AAU coach for the Arlington Swoosh in the summer of 2021 and as a Driven Elite Pro Day Intern Coach through 2023.
As a player, Daniels earned District 14-5A Offensive MVP twice and team MVP three times at Mansfield Legacy High School. She also broke her high school's records for most points in a game twice, with 34 and 52, while holding the single-season scoring and steals record. Daniel's performance allowed her to bring the program to its first playoff appearance in over a decade en route to being named a McDonald's All-American nominee, two-time All-Region Team and Fort Worth Star-Telegram Super Team member.
Her high school experience led her to Weatherford College (2017-19), where she averaged 12 points and seven rebounds to earn NJCAA Honorable Mention in conference play. After graduating with her associates of arts degree in 2019, Daniel took her talents to the University of Texas at San Antonio from 2019-2021. At UTSA, injuries took hold of Daniel, but she excelled off the court by being named to the Conference-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and Presidents List.
"What a blessing and such excitement it is to be an assistant women's basketball coach at Troy University," Daniels said. "Coach Rigby and her staff have built a strong foundation and a winning culture that I am very grateful to be a part of, learn from and add to. With Coach Rigby's vision, Troy women's basketball will continue to succeed. I look forward to working with this staff and young women in pursuit of more championships."
"We're beyond excited to have Grace Daniels join our Troy women's basketball family," Rigby said. "Her former bosses have described her as an absolute rising star in this profession. We're proud to bring her to Troy."
Daniels comes from Houston Christian University, where she held the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator position from 2023-24. In her lone season, the Huskies were in rebuild mode with a 6-23 record but included wins over Wichita State and McNeese State. Off the court, Daniels was a natural with her student-athletes, leading HCU to 18th nationally in team GPA for Division-I women's basketball. The Texas native continued HCU's success in the classroom as she brought the program's sixth straight WBCA Academic Top-25 ranking – ranked in 11 of the past 12 seasons.
Before HCU, Daniels spent time within the Sun Belt Conference as a graduate assistant for ULM from 2021-23. Under head coach Brooks Donald Williams, she assisted in basketball operations, player/skill development and recruitment while she oversaw the scout team and film setup. Daniel also liaised for strength and conditioning, return-to-play rehabilitation, and planned mental health activities.
On the court in Monroe, Daniels helped the Warhawks to rank 11th in the nation for blocks with 5.2 and 23rd for rebounds at 41.5. She coached Kyren Whittington in her two-year tenure, which saw an All-Sun Belt Third Team selection in 2021-22 on 15.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists – ranked fifth in the SBC in scoring. Emma Merriweather was another SBC specialty she coached, earning Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-Sun Belt Third Team.
Outside of NCAA coaching, Daniels also served as a volunteer AAU coach for the Arlington Swoosh in the summer of 2021 and as a Driven Elite Pro Day Intern Coach through 2023.
As a player, Daniels earned District 14-5A Offensive MVP twice and team MVP three times at Mansfield Legacy High School. She also broke her high school's records for most points in a game twice, with 34 and 52, while holding the single-season scoring and steals record. Daniel's performance allowed her to bring the program to its first playoff appearance in over a decade en route to being named a McDonald's All-American nominee, two-time All-Region Team and Fort Worth Star-Telegram Super Team member.
Her high school experience led her to Weatherford College (2017-19), where she averaged 12 points and seven rebounds to earn NJCAA Honorable Mention in conference play. After graduating with her associates of arts degree in 2019, Daniel took her talents to the University of Texas at San Antonio from 2019-2021. At UTSA, injuries took hold of Daniel, but she excelled off the court by being named to the Conference-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and Presidents List.
"What a blessing and such excitement it is to be an assistant women's basketball coach at Troy University," Daniels said. "Coach Rigby and her staff have built a strong foundation and a winning culture that I am very grateful to be a part of, learn from and add to. With Coach Rigby's vision, Troy women's basketball will continue to succeed. I look forward to working with this staff and young women in pursuit of more championships."
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