Coquese Washington facts for kids
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Washington in 2024
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| Rutgers Scarlet Knights | ||||||||||||||
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| Head Coach | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | January 17, 1971 Flint, Michigan, U.S. |
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| High school | Flint Central (Flint, Michigan) | |||||||||||||
| Listed height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 138 lb (63 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Notre Dame (1989–1993) | |||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1997–2003 | |||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 1999–present | |||||||||||||
| League | Big Ten | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Portland Power | |||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | New York Liberty | |||||||||||||
| 2000–2002 | Houston Comets | |||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | Indiana Fever | |||||||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||||||
| 1999–2007 | Notre Dame (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2019 | Penn State | |||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Oklahoma (associate head coach) | |||||||||||||
| 2020–2022 | Notre Dame (associate head coach) | |||||||||||||
| 2022–Present | Rutgers | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
As player:
As coach:
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Coquese Makebra Washington (born January 17, 1971) is a talented basketball coach and former player. She is currently the head coach for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's team. Coquese also has a law degree and was the first president of the WNBA Players Association. She played high school basketball at Flint Central High School and college basketball at the University of Notre Dame.
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High School Basketball Star
Coquese Washington went to Flint Central High School in Flint, Michigan. She was the starting point guard for all four years of her high school career. This was a special achievement, as she was the first player at Central to start for all four years.
High School Achievements
Coquese earned all-state honors two years in a row. In her senior year, she scored 373 points, setting a new school record for a single season. She finished her high school career with an amazing 1,123 points. She also led her team to their first-ever Saginaw Valley Conference and district championships. Besides basketball, Coquese was also very musical, playing seven different instruments in high school!
College Life at Notre Dame
Coquese Washington played for Notre Dame's Fighting Irish women's basketball team from 1989 to 1993. After her basketball career, she went to Notre Dame Law School from 1994 to 1997. There, she earned her J.D. degree, which is a law degree.
Professional Basketball Career
After finishing college basketball in 1993, Coquese started her professional career. She joined the American Basketball League 1996-98 (ABL). In 1997–98, she was the starting point guard for the ABL's Portland Power.
Playing in the WNBA
Coquese Washington also played in the WNBA. Here's a look at her time with different teams:
- 1998–99 – New York Liberty: She played in 28 games for the New York Liberty.
- 2000 – Houston Comets: Coquese played in 25 games for the Houston Comets. She averaged 1.7 points and one assist per game.
- 2001 – Houston Comets: This was a big year for Coquese. She started all 32 games as the point guard. She averaged 5.3 points, 3.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.16 steals per game. On August 3, 2001, she had one of her best games against Orlando, scoring ten points, grabbing nine rebounds, and making six assists.
- 2003 – Indiana Fever: Coquese started 10 games for the Indiana Fever, playing about 17.5 minutes per game. She averaged 3.2 points, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 rebounds per game.
Coaching Career Highlights
Coquese Washington began her coaching journey in 1999. She has coached at several major universities, leading teams to many victories.
Coaching at Notre Dame
Coquese returned to her old college, the University of Notre Dame, in 1999. She became an assistant coach under Head Coach Muffet McGraw. She was part of the coaching staff when the team won the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship in 2001. They defeated Purdue in the championship game. In August 2005, Coquese was promoted to Associate Head Coach. This role included helping to find and recruit promising young players for Notre Dame.
Leading the Penn State Lady Lions
On April 23, 2007, Coquese Washington became the head coach for Penn State women's basketball team. She was the fifth coach in the team's history.
- Growing Success: Coquese helped Penn State win more Big Ten games each year for her first six years. She started with 4 conference wins in 2007–2008 and reached 14 wins in 2012–2013.
- Postseason Play: Her first postseason appearance at Penn State was in the 2010 WNIT Tournament. From 2011 onwards, her teams made it to the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship three years in a row. They advanced past the first round each time.
- Sweet Sixteen: Her most successful season was 2011–2012. The Lady Lions reached the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to the strong UConn team.
- Leaving Penn State: After 12 seasons, Coquese and Penn State decided to part ways on March 8, 2019.
Coaching at Oklahoma
On April 18, 2019, Coquese Washington was announced as the new associate head coach for the Oklahoma women's basketball program.
Coaching the Rutgers Scarlet Knights
On May 23, 2022, Coquese Washington was named the new head coach for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's basketball program. She continues to lead the team today.
Awards and Honors
Coquese Washington has received many awards for her playing and coaching skills:
- 2007–08 WBCA "Rising Star" Award Winner
- 2009 Greater Flint Hall of Fame Inductee
- 2010–11 Black Coaches & Administrators Female Coach of the Year
- 2011–12 Big Ten Coach of the Year
- 2011–12 WBCA Region 6 Coach of the Year
- 2011–12 WBCA National Coach of the Year Finalist
- 2012–13 Big Ten Coach of the Year
- 2012–13 WBCA Region 6 Coach of the Year
- 2012–13 WBCA National Coach of the Year Finalist
- 2012–13 Black Coaches & Administrators Female Coach of the Year
- 2013–14 Big Ten Coach of the Year
Personal Life
Coquese Washington lives in Somerset, New Jersey. She is married to Raynell Brown. They have a son named Quenton Kassius Winston Brown, born on April 24, 2005, and a daughter named Rhaiyna Kamille Brown, born on July 23, 2009. Coquese's mother is Velma Washington. Her father, James Washington, passed away in 2013. She has two sisters, Stephanie and India, and two brothers, Ameer and Kenyatta (who passed away in 2016). She is also good friends with Notre Dame coaches Carol Owens and Niele Ivey.
