Charity Elliott

Position: Head Coach Experience: 11th Season At LMU: 1st Season

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Loyola Marymount University Director of Athletics Dr. Bill Husak announced on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 that Charity Elliott has been named head coach for the Lions' women's basketball program. Elliott, most recently the head coach at UC San Diego, becomes the fifth head coach in LMU women's basketball history.

"In selecting Charity Elliott to be our next head coach for our women's basketball team, we were very impressed with her success, style of play and development of her players and team," said Dr. Husak. "We have a group of women who believe in themselves and their abilities and skills. With our incoming class and new coaching leadership, the ingredients are in place for a successful season next year and years to come."

Elliott completed a highly successful five-year run with the Division II Tritons, compiling a 127-34 (.789) overall record and 90-16 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association from 2007-08 through 2011-12. This past season Elliott led the Tritons to a 30-3 overall record, including going unbeaten in their first 26 games. The team spent seven weeks ranked #1 in NCAA Division II, the first #1 ranking in school history. Elliott capped the season by being named 2012 West Region Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the National Coach of the Year honor.

During her tenure, Elliott UCSD to three regular-season conference championships, four NCAA Tournament appearances and one Sweet 16 appearance. She also earned three CCAA Coach of the Year honors.

"I am very excited and honored to be joining the LMU family," Elliott said. "I want to thank Dr. Husak and the entire search committee for this opportunity. I was blown away by everything that LMU has to offer and feel so blessed to be a part of such a prestigious university. There are some incredibly talented young ladies and I can't wait to get them on the court and get to work!"

Elliott spent three seasons as the head coach at Portland State where she led the Vikings to a remarkable turnaround during her tenure. After PSU finished with an overall record of 3-23 during her first year in 2004-05, she led the Vikings to a 12-16 overall mark and 6-8 in the Big Sky Conference during her second season. The nine-win improvement ranked amongst the nation's top 20 and Portland State qualified for the Big Sky Tournament for the first time in three years.

Before taking the Portland State job, Elliott served as an assistant coach at Arkansas for one season and was the head coach at Cal Baptist for two seasons. She has also served in an assistant capacity with Southwest Baptist, Southwest Missouri State and San Diego State.

Elliott began her collegiate basketball career at Rice University, where she played for two seasons, averaging 16 ppg as a sophomore before transferring to Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State). While at SMS, Elliott guided the Bears to a 31-3 record and the program's first-ever Final Four appearance as a senior in 1992. An integral part of one of the most successful teams in program history, she ranked in the top 10 nationally in free throw percentage and was named SMS' Female Student-Athlete of the Year as well as Woman of the Year at the end of the 1991-92 season. The Bears posted a 57-8 record during her two-year career with the program.

Elliott earned her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Southwest Missouri State and her Master's of Science in education from Southwest Baptist University.