Marshall University women’s basketball Coach Matt Daniel announced the hiring of assistant coach Caronica Randle on Monday.
Randle is Daniel’s first hire for the Herd staff. She formerly coached with Marshall’s new head coach at the University of Central Arkansas for the past four seasons.
Under Daniel’s direction, UCA transitioned from NCAA Division II, and Randle helped the Sugar Bears to their first Division I conference championship (Southland Conference) and three 21-win seasons.
"I am excited to have Caronica join us here,” Daniel said. “She has been with me since the day I became a head coach, and she is considered a family member to my family. She does a great service helping us raise young women to be leaders beyond basketball, and she will represent the Marshall family in a manner that you will be proud to embrace."
Randle, a 26-year old Forrest City, Ark., native, was a basketball standout for the Sugar Bears before beginning her coaching career. She concluded her playing career in 2007 as the school’s No. 3 career scorer (2,089 points) and all-time leader in free throws made and attempted. She averaged 17.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists for her career, and made 33.6 percent from behind the 3-point stripe.
On the court, the 5-foot-9 Randle accumulated an array of individual honors while leading her teams to 20 victories per season – including a school-record 28 wins and an NCAA Division II national semifinal appearance in 2004-05.
Randle also starred for teams that made two NCAA Division II regional appearances, won Gulf South Conference regular-season and tournament titles, and posted a second-place finish in the Southland Conference East Division in UCA’s first Division I season (2006-07).
Randle was twice named Division II All-America honorable mention and was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2005 Division II South Regional. A two-time All-GSC 1st team selection, Randle was the conference’s Player of the Year in 2006 and was named to the All-Southland first team in 2007 after leading the league in scoring in her first year in the conference. She was named to the Gulf South Conference West Division All-Decade second team in July 2010.
As a UCA assistant coach, Randle had a major impact on recruiting, bringing in the Southland conference’s Freshman and Player of the Year during her first two seasons with the Sugar Bears. She worked primarily with the UCA guards and was also in charge of academics and operations.
“I am absolutely honored and grateful for the opportunity to coach and help out in any way possible at Marshall University,” said Randle. “Coach Daniel is a great coach and I’ve learned so much being under his wing for the last four seasons. I am eager to learn more and expand my knowledge of the game of basketball since I feel that there is always room to grow when you have a passion for something you love.”