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LaDeyah Forte’ Named Director of Player Development

POSTED: October 11, 2024 -- 3:02 p.m. CT

Houston Cougars Women's Basketball Head Coach Ronald Hughey announced the addition of LaDeyah Forte' as the Director of Player Development ahead of the 2024-25 season.

"LaDeyah is exactly the person we need right now," Hughey said. "She was an assistant coach at Texas Southern, so she's familiar with Houston. She is knowledgeable, has high energy and excels at player relationships. I'm super excited and blessed to have her join our family."

FORTE' FILE

Forte' joins the Cougars' staff from UMBC, where she spent five seasons as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator.

During her final season with the Retrievers, Forte helped lead forward Anna Blount to America East All-Conference Second Team honors and was selected as the conference's Newcomer of the Year.

The 2022-23 season was impressive as four players received All-Conference recognitions highlighted by Kiara Bell's America East Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Defensive Team and All-Conference Second Team. Nia Staples was honored as the Sixth Player of the Year, KK White picked up All-Conference Second Team and Ashia McCalla was named to the All-Conference Third Team.

In her first season with the Black and Gold, Forte' worked with assistant coach TJ Royals with the guards. Forte helped senior Te'yJah Oliver earn a spot on the America East All-Conference First Team as she finished the season ranked in the top five in the conference in scoring, three-point field goal percentage, free throw percentage and field goal percentage.

Before joining the staff at UMBC, Forte' was an assistant coach at Texas Southern. She helped lead the Tigers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017 after winning the SWAC regular season and tournament championship.

Before she was appointed assistant coach, Forte' spent a season as the director of basketball operations at Texas Southern. In this position, Forte managed the team's daily operations, as well as the recruitment of student-athletes and monitored their academic progress.

Forte' received her Bachelor of Science in Social Science from Jacksonville University, where she played a season for the Dolphins' women's basketball team. Before her time in Jacksonville, Forte' played two seasons at Colorado State, where she ranked fourth in the Mountain West as a freshman in assists per game (3.5).

She played one year at Texas Southern, where she earned her master of business administration in May 2017.

Octavia Barnes will stay on staff with the Cougars as the Coordinator of Player Development.

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