Head named director of basketball operations for Lady'Backs

FAYETTEVILLE – Former Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association intern Khadija Head becomes the director of basketball operations at the University of Arkansas, Lady Razorback head coach Susie Gardner announced this week. “Khadija brings a lot of passion and energy for the game, and her experience with the WBCA adds her a unique perspective to our staff,” Gardner said. “She’s a great person with outstanding people skills.” A four-year letterwinner at Murray State, Head spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Slippery Rock prior to working last year at the WBCA in Atlanta, Ga. “I’m ecstatic to have the chance to work with Coach Gardner, and being a part of the Razorback atmosphere,” Head said. “This is an excellent opportunity.” Her primary role at the WBCA was planning and coordinating the 2005 WBCA High School All-America Game. “She is very organized, but she knows the game from every angle,” Gardner said. “She’s played the game, she’s worked it as a coach and she has worked in administration.” Head starts this week at Arkansas, taking over administration of Gardner’s summer camps and assisting the staff prepare for the summer recruiting season. “Khadija can relate to players and will be a great asset to the staff,” she added. During her four-year career with the Racers, Head was twice named to the Ohio Valley Conference honor roll and the MSU dean’s list three times. A cum laude graduate in organizational communications in 2003, she earned a Black Coaches Association Postgraduate Scholarship and a NCAA Ethnic Minority Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship for Careers in Athletics. Completing her master’s degree sport management the following year at Slippery Rock, Head coordinated women’s basketball camp for Coach Laurel Heilman along with administrative duties including scouting and film exchange, data base development and coordinated and supervised Midnight Madness for the men’s and women’s basketball teams at The Rock. Spending one season as a marketing and tournament intern with the Georgia State Soccer Association prior to joining the WBCA, Head assisted with the logistics of one of the countries largest and most prestigious youth soccer tournaments, the Atlanta Cup. At Murray, Head started all 28 games her senior season and was the fourth leading scorer for the Racers with 7.1 ppg, and set a then-school record with 14 assists her junior season against Southeast Missouri State. A certified referee and amateur magician, Head is a native of Atlanta where she helped Woodward Academy to a pair of Georgia state titles and a 108-11 record in four seasons.