May 1, 2002

LOGAN, Utah - Raegan Scott-Pebley (Pee-blee) was named the women's basketball coach at Utah State University Director of Athletics Rance Pugmire announced on Wednesday. The Aggies have reinstated basketball and will begin play in the 2003-04 season.

Scott-Pebley, a former player for the Utah Starzz, has been an assistant coach for four years at George Mason (1998-99) and Colorado State (2000-01). She was a four-year letterwinner at Colorado before being a third-round draft pick by the Starzz in 1997. She also spent one season with the Eastern Division champion Cleveland Rockers in 1998.

"Raegan emerged from an outstanding pool of applicants," Pugmire said. "Her relationships in the state and the western region are incredible and helped separate her from the group. She and (husband) Keith will be a perfect fit for the University and our community and they will both generate a great amount of enthusiasm for the program as we gear up for the first year of competition."

"I think that it is important that the faculty, staff, students, Rance Pugmire, and President Hall be commended for their hard work in the search," Scott-Pebley said. "They did a throrough job and I know they called everyone on my reference list. The students should be acknowledged for getting this whole thing going. Without their support in wanting women's basketball again, I would not be in this position, nor would anyone else."

Scott-Pebley grew up in Orem, Utah and graduated from Mountain View High School, where she was part of two 4A Utah State Championship teams from 1992-93. She earned All-America honors and was a two-time state player of the year at Mountain View. She is married to Keith Pebley, who is an assistant football coach at the University of Redlands in Redlands, Calif.

"This state is my home," Scott-Pebley said. "It is a state that I have always wanted to return to. Utah State is a great place to do that. Logan and Utah State is like a gold mine. I like agricultural schools and we had a lot of success at Colorado State. The type of community that Logan is and the type of school that Utah State is, will make this a perfect marriage."

While serving as an assistant to Tom Collen at Colorado State, the Rams posted a 48-18 record in two years with a postseason NIT Final Four appearance in 2000 and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2001.

Scott-Pebley started her coaching career as an assistant at George Mason where the Patriots were 27-28 in two seasons from 1998-99.

As a professional player Scott-Pebley spent two seasons in the WNBA, including one year with the Utah Starzz (1997) and one season with the Cleveland Rockers (1998).

While playing at Colorado, Scott-Pebley was a member of a team which advanced to four straight NCAA Tournaments and reached the Sweet 16 three times, including one Elite Eight appearance. The Buffs won two Big Eight Championships, three Big Eight Tournament Championships and one Big 12 Tournament Championship.

She was a second-team all-Big 12 selection her senior year and finished her career second at Colorado in career blocked shots with 146. She also ranked fifth in career rebounds (701), eighth in assists (344) and scored 1,045 points in her career. As a senior she averaged 12.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

"I want to put an exciting team on the floor that is fun to watch and is very athletic," Scott-Pebley said. "I want to do it with a lot of instate kids. I want to make this a team that everyone associated with Utah State, Logan, and the state of Utah can be proud of both on and off the court. We will have quality individuals as well as quality players."

"Her love for the game and desire to build a model program based on both academic and athletic excellence became very apparent during the process," Pugmire said. "We will be very proud of the type of student she recruits to our community."

Utah State announced it was reinstating women's basketball on March 5. Utah State dropped women's basketball after the 1987 season and was one of three Division I schools that did not field teams last year along with Virginia Military Institute and The Citadel. The Aggies will compete in the Big West Conference.

From 1973-87 Utah State's women's basketball program compiled an overall record of 139-202 and had six coaches. The Aggies participated in AIAW postseason tournaments four times - 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1982 - finishing as high as seventh in the country in 1973.

Scott-Pebley File

Coaching History

Year School W-L Notes

1998 George Mason (assistant) 14-14

1999 George Mason (assistant) 13-14

2000 Colorado State (assistant) 23-10 NIT Final Four

2001 Colorado State (assistant) 25-7 NCAA Second Round

Playing Experience

Years Team W-L Notes

1992-3 Mountain View (Utah) HS -- Two State Championships

1994 Colorado (College) 27-5 NCAA Sweet 16

1995 Colorado (College) 30-3 NCAA Elite Eight

1996 Colorado (College) 26-9 NCAA Second Round

1997 Colorado (College) 23-9 NCAA Sweet 16

1997 Utah Starzz (WNBA) -- Third Round Pick

1998 Cleveland Rockers (WNBA) -- Eastern Division Champions

Education

Mountain View (Orem, Utah) High School, 1993

Univ. of Colorado, Journalism, 1997

Univ. of Redlands, pursuing master's in education-administration

Noteable

Colorado State (assistant coach)

* NCAA Tournament Second Round (2001)

* WNIT Final Four (2000)

* Mountain West Conference Tournament Champions (2001)

* Recruited and signed three All-America high school players

* Recruited and signed four Colorado all-state high school players

* Coached four all-Mountain West Conference players

Cleveland Rockers (WNBA player)

* 1998 Eastern Division Champions

* Involved with the creation of the WNBPA

Utah Starzz (WNBA player)

* Third round draft selection

Colorado (college player)

* Academic all-Big 12 (1997)

* Second-team all-Big 12 (1997)

* Four NCAA Tournament appearances

* Two Big Eight Championships

* Three Big Eight Tournament Championships

* Big 12 Tournament Championships

* 1,000-point scorer

Mountain View (high school player)

* Parade High School All-American (1993)

* Two-time Utah 4A Player of the Year

* Team won two state championships