Itoro Coleman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Itoro Coleman

Coleman coaching North Carolina in 2024
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Personal information
Born	(1977-02-21) February 21, 1977 (age 48) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Nationality	American Nigerian
High school	Hephzibah (Hephzibah, Georgia)
Listed height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Listed weight	140 lb (64 kg)
Career information
College	Clemson (1995–1999)
NBA Draft	1999 / Undrafted
Pro career	2003–2003
Career history
As player:
2003	Houston Comets
As coach:
1999–2000	Liberty (asst.)
2000–2002	Butler (asst.)
2002–2007	Penn State (asst.)
2007–2010	Clemson (asst.)
2010–2013	Clemson
2014–2019	Penn State (asst.)
2020–2021	Marquette (asst.)
2021–2024	North Carolina (asst.)
2024–present	Virginia Tech (associate HC)
Career highlights and awards
ACC Tournament MVP (1999) First-team All-ACC (1999)
Medals Women's Basketball Representing the  United States Pan American Games Bronze 1999 Winnipeg Team

Itoro Coleman (born Itoro Umoh on February 21, 1977) is an American basketball coach and former player. She is currently the associate head coach at Virginia Tech. Coleman played college basketball for the Clemson Tigers. She later became the head coach for her old college team. In 2002, she was honored as part of the Atlantic Coast Conference's '50-year all-star women's basketball team'. She was also on their '25th Anniversary Tournament' team.

Early Life and High School

Itoro Umoh was born in Washington, D.C. She grew up in Hephzibah, Georgia. She went to Hephzibah High School. There, she played basketball for the Lady Rebels team. Her coach was Wendell Lofton. She finished high school in 1995.

College Basketball Career

Itoro Coleman played basketball at Clemson University from 1995 to 1999. During her time there, she helped the Lady Clemson Tigers win two ACC Championships. She played as both a point guard and a shooting guard.

In her first year, 1995-1996, Clemson won the ACC Championship. Itoro led her team in assists and steals that season. She was chosen as an All-ACC player three times during her college career.

In 1998, she scored her 900th career point. This happened during a game against Wake Forest. In 1999, during her senior year's ACC tournament, Itoro was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP). Everyone voted for her, which is very rare. That same year, she was also recognized as an honorable mention for the All-American team. She was also named Defensive All-American.

Itoro Coleman played for the United States at the 1999 Pan American Games. Her team won a bronze medal. She earned a degree in communications from Clemson in 2000. She also appeared in the 2002 romantic comedy movie Juwanna Mann.

Professional Playing Career

WNBA Experience

In 1999, Itoro Umoh tried out for the Minnesota Lynx and Washington Mystics WNBA teams. However, she did not make either team. In 2002, she went to WNBA tryouts again. She was assigned to the Indiana Fever training camp but did not make their team either.

In 2003, Itoro Coleman made history for Clemson players. She became the first Clemson player to be on an active WNBA team roster. The Houston Comets signed her early in the season. She joined to replace an injured player, Cynthia Cooper. Itoro had been in the Comets' training camp earlier that year but was released before the season started. She played in three games for the Comets before being released again.

Playing for Nigeria

Itoro Coleman also played basketball for the Nigeria women's national basketball team. She played for Nigeria at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Her teammate, Joanne Aluka, also went to Hephzibah High School. Coleman also played for the Nigerian national team in the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women. She had the most assists in that tournament.

Coaching Career

Itoro Coleman's first coaching job was in 1999. She was a student assistant for Liberty University. After graduating from college, she coached at Butler University from 2000 to 2002.

In 2002, she became an assistant coach for the Lady Clemson Tigers. A big part of her job was finding new players for the team. In 2010, she became the head coach of the Clemson team. After three years, Clemson decided to make a change at the end of the 2013 season.

She then became an assistant coach for Courtney Banghart at the University of North Carolina. On April 12, 2024, she was named the associate head coach at Virginia Tech.

Personal Life

In December 1999, Itoro Umoh married Harold Coleman. They have four children together: three girls and one boy. After her mother passed away in 2002, Itoro and Harold became the main caregivers for her two younger siblings. They also care for Harold Coleman's nephew.

Images for kids

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  Coleman coaching North Carolina in 2024