Vonn Read Promoted to Associate Head Coach

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POSTED: August 4, 2023 -- 10:25 a.m. CT

The Houston Cougars women's basketball team will have two associate head coaches in 2023-24 as head coach Ronald Hughey announced the promotion of Vonn Read to associate head coach on Friday.

Houston felt Read's presence quickly as the defensive mastermind helped the Cougars to national prominence in defensive metrics, ranking second nationally in steals per game (13.5), three-point percentage defense (.241), and turnovers forced per game (24.29) while ranking fourth nationally in turnover margin (7.23).

Read's mentorship of the defense culminated in three Cougars ranking in the top 100 nationally in steals and steals per game – Britney Onyeje, Tatyana Hill and Bria Patterson. Hill also ranked in the top 100 nationally in total blocks (40) and finished her career fifth in school history in rebounds (935) and defensive rebounds (511), fourth in blocks (138) and sixth in steals (222).

Associate Head Coach Tai Dillard will keep her title and will continue to work with the offense.

Prior to his time at Houston, Read spent 11 years at Syracuse as an assistant and the interim head coach where under his leadership, the Orange finished the 2021-22 season ranked fourth in the nation in free throw percentage (.804) and 23rd in steals (294). The Orange led the ACC in free throw percentage, steals, steals per game (10.1), and were second in three-point field goals made (221), three-pointers per game (7.6), and turnovers forced (19.2).

Before being named the acting head coach, Read helped develop the Orange's defensive and offensive systems which is predicated on creating more possessions, forcing turnovers and maximizing points per possession. While on staff during the 2015-16 season, Syracuse advanced to the Final Four for the first time in program history before playing in the 2016 National Champion game against UConn. Read helped lead the Orange to the NCAA Tournament in eight straight seasons.

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