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 Competition

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

Early Life and High School

Itoro Umoh was born in Washington, D.C., in 1977. She grew up in Hephzibah, Georgia. Itoro 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.

Playing Basketball in College

Itoro Umoh played basketball at Clemson University from 1995 to 1999. She helped lead the Lady Clemson Tigers to win two ACC Championships. While at Clemson, she played both point guard and 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, Itoro won the MVP award at the ACC tournament. All the voters chose her, which is very rare. That same year, she was recognized as an honorable mention for the All-American team. She was also named a Defensive All-American.

Itoro Coleman earned a degree in communications from Clemson in 2000.

Playing in the WNBA

After college, Itoro Umoh tried out for WNBA teams. In 1999, she attended preseason camps for the Minnesota Lynx and Washington Mystics. However, she did not make either team. In 2002, she tried out for the Indiana Fever but again did not make the team.

In 2003, Itoro Coleman made history. She became the first player from Clemson to join an active WNBA team. The Houston Comets signed her early in the season. She played in three games for the team.

Playing for Nigeria

Itoro Coleman also played basketball for the Nigeria women's national basketball team. She played in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She also played for Nigeria in the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women. At that tournament, she had the most assists of any player.

Coaching Career

Itoro Coleman began her coaching career in 1999. Her first job was as a student assistant coach 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. She was very good at finding new players for the team. In 2010, she became the head coach of the Clemson team. She coached for three years before leaving Clemson in 2013.

After Clemson, she worked as an assistant coach for Courtney Banghart. They coached together at the University of North Carolina. In April 2024, Itoro Coleman 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 also became the main caregivers for her two younger siblings. They also care for Harold Coleman's nephew.