Starkey Named Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Basketball Coach
Starkey is the 10th head coach in program history
August 17, 2005

Courtesy Lenoir-Rhyne College Sports Information Office

Hickory, N.C. – Neill McGeachy, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Lenoir-Rhyne College, has named Todd Starkey as the new women's basketball coach. Starkey, who has served as acting head coach for the past month, becomes the 10th head coach in the program's history.

Starkey replaces Karen Barefoot, who accepted a position as an assistant coach at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., last month.

Starkey has been an assistant coach for the Bears' men's basketball team the past two seasons and served as the head coach for the Lenoir-Rhyne women's tennis team last year. The women's tennis team was re-introduced in 2004-05 after a seven-year hiatus.

Starkey came to L-R two years ago after coaching five seasons as an assistant for the men's basketball team at Montreat College (1998-03) where he helped the Cavaliers earn a berth in the NAIA National Tournament during the 1999-00 season. That same year, Montreat improved its win total from seven to 22 games, the second-best improvement in the nation at any level.

Starkey, a 1993 graduate of Montreat, played one year of basketball for the Cavaliers after playing two seasons at Mars Hill College.

Starkey takes over a program that has produced four consecutive winning seasons including a 16-12 mark last year. The Bears return just one starter this year but welcome five newcomers to the program.

"I have enjoyed being part of the Lenoir-Rhyne College family over the past two years, and couldn't be more excited about the opportunity to continue on in this new endeavor," said Starkey. "I am looking forward to adding to the strong tradition in women's basketball here at Lenoir-Rhyne. The South Atlantic Conference should prove to be as strong as ever this year. We are looking forward to attacking that challenge head on."

"This is an historic day for Lenoir-Rhyne College," said McGeachy. "We are confident that under the leadership of Head Coach (Todd) Starkey, our already successful women's basketball program will obtain even a higher level of success and consistency."