APSU, Contributed
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University head women’s basketball coach Brittany Young added three members to her coaching staff for the 2023-24 season, Thursday, in assistant coaches Rachel Travis and Delmar Carey and director of player development Peggy Knight.
Travis brings 13 years of coaching experience to Clarksville and spent the last six seasons at South Alabama (2017-23). She joins the Govs’ staff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
During Travis’ tenure in Mobile, Alabama, the Cougars participated in the 2018 Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament, the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship game and 2019 Women’s National Invitational Tournament.
The Cougars went to the WBI Final Four in 2018, before winning a program-record 25 games in 2019 and advancing to their first Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship game since 1989.
After falling in the SBC Tournament Championship game, USA earned its first WNIT appearance since 2004. There, it won its first game in the tournament since 1988 after breaking Lamar’s 42-game home winning streak, which was the nation’s second-longest streak at the time.
South Alabama advanced to the SBC Tournament Championship Semifinals in 2020, but its postseason trip ended abruptly after the remainder of the season was canceled due to COVID-19.
Travis was promoted to recruiting coordinator following the 2019-20 season and given the title of associate head coach in 2021. She began her collegiate coaching career at Longwood (2014-17) where she was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Lancers for three seasons.
Prior to her time in Farmville, Virginia, Travis was the head varsity girls’ basketball coach at Florida Air Academy (2012-14). During her first season in Melbourne, Florida, Travis led the Kadets to a 3A District Championship title after going 21-5 and 10-0 in district play and finished as the runner-up in 2014 after going 19-8 and 9-1 in district play.
Travis was a three-year starter and captain at Northwest University where she finished her collegiate career with 1,092 points. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in secondary education in May 2009.
Carey comes to Clarksville after spending last season (2022-23) as associate head coach at Morehead State and will serve as an assistant coach for Young’s staff next season.
During his year in Morehead, Kentucky, the Eagles had a 10-game improvement from 2021-22 and won six games in Ohio Valley Conference play after going 0-18 in conference action the year prior. Morehead State also earned its first postseason win since 2019 after defeating UT Martin in the first round of the OVC Tournament this season.
Prior to his time on the Eagles’ coaching staff, Carey was an assistant coach at Stony Brook where he served on a staff that helped lead the Seawolves to a 23-7 record which included Power Five wins against Rutgers and Washington State.
During his time in Stony Brook, New York, Carey helped coach India Pagan and Nairimar Vargas-Reyes. Pagan was a two-time American East All-Conference selection and a silver medalist with the Puerto Rican National Team at the 2021 FIBA AmeriCup. Vargas-Reyes went on to join play as a member of the 2022 Puerto Rico National Team.
Carey was an assistant coach for Kelvin Long Jr. at North Greenville during the 2020-21 season and helped lead the Crusaders to their first winning record in Conference Carolinas play since 2012.
He was the athletic director and head girls’ basketball coach at Whittle School and Studios in Washington, D.C., from 2019-20 and served as the director and head coach of the Nike 16U EYBL Team Takeover AAU program from 2016-20.
Carey began his coaching career on the men’s side where he was an assistant coach at his alma mater of Bowie State (2010-14, 15-17) and Tuskegee (2014). He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in communications from Bowie State in 2010.
Knight comes to Clarksville after serving as a recruiting coordinator and interim assistant coach at Mississippi State (2021-23). She is the Governors’ director of player development and an assistant recruiting coordinator.
Last season, the Bulldogs became the first team in NCAA Tournament history to reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament after being selected as a First Four team. The Bulldogs defeated Illinois in the First Four before upsetting No. 6 Creighton in the first round of the tournament, but had its historic season come to an end following a 53-48 loss to No. 3 Notre Dame.
Mississippi State’s success last season was largely on account of the highest-rated recruiting class in program history which ranked 16th nationally. The Bulldogs’ recruiting class was highlighted by the Gatorade Player of the Year, Debresha Powe.
Prior to her time in Starkville, Knight spent three seasons (2019-21) as the head coach at Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary, Florida. The Rams combined for a 47-29 record and 14-5 mark in district play dring her tenure.
Knight began her coaching career as an assistant coach at UNLV (2016-19). The Rebels combined for a 41-23 record during Knight’s time in Las Vegas and earned a seed in the WNIT in 2017 and 2018. The Rebels also earned their first Mountain West Conference title after going 14-4 in MWC play in 2018.
For news and updates throughout the remainder of the Governors’ offseason, follow the women’s basketball team on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsWBB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.