Kodiaks women’s basketball announces coaching changes

June 23, 2021 – A new era of Lethbridge College Kodiaks women’s basketball begins this fall, as Ken McMurray has been promoted to full-time head coach. McMurray spent the past year as co-coach of the Kodiaks, along with reigning Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) south division Coach of the Year Deanna Simpson, who has announced she is leaving the program to focus on her family and career.

McMurray first joined the Kodiaks women’s basketball program as an assistant coach in 2019-20. He has more than 30 years of high school coaching experience with the Cardston Cougars boys’ and girls’ programs. An all-Canadian as a player for the University of Lethbridge in the 1980s, McMurray has helped to develop and graduate dozens of Cougars players onto college and university programs around the country, and he is currently the principal at Cardston High School.

“Promoting Ken to head coach was an obvious choice because of his knowledge of the game, his deep ties to southern Alberta basketball and his winning resume,” says Todd Caughlin, Kodiaks Athletics manager. “Having worked with Deanna over the last two seasons, Ken will be able to continue building on what this program has achieved already, and I look forward to seeing all that he is able to teach and build in our players.”

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, McMurray has yet to coach an ACAC game as a head coach, but he says a year of practice and team building will have the Kodiaks well-positioned to be a force in the always tough ACAC south division.

“I am excited to continue building the Kodiaks women's basketball program,” says McMurray. “Last year was a disappointment with the loss of the season due to COVID-19. The players had worked hard and were looking like a possible contender until things were shut down. So, with that mindset, I feel like we have some unfinished business to take care of. It has been a pleasure working with Deanna Simpson and recently, assistant coach Danielle Fritzke. I wish them the best as they take care of the important role of working with their families.”

Simpson was head coach of the Kodiaks from 2017 to 2020 and was co-head coach last season. A former Kodiaks player and assistant coach, Simpson rebuilt the Kodiaks program following a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association national championship in 2017. After one rebuilding season, Simpson led the Kodiaks to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2019 and 2020.

“It was a pleasure watching Deanna grow and learn as a young coach,” says Caughlin. “She really put in the time and effort to work with the players and to build a program we can be proud of on the court, in the classroom and in the community. I thank Deanna for her many years with the Kodiaks, and she will always be a part of this Kodiaks family.”

McMurray is looking for an assistant coach for the 2021-22 season. Anyone interested is encouraged to email wbb@lethbridgecollege.ca.

The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) has been granted approval to draft schedules and commence preparations for the delivery of a 2021-22 post-secondary athletics season. Further information will be announced as planning evolves.

Learn more about the Kodiaks at gokodiaks.ca and follow along all season on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.