June 15, 2007
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Kim Rosamond has joined the Vanderbilt women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, Head Coach Melanie Balcomb announced Friday.
Rosamond brings five years of Southeastern Conference coaching experience with her to Vanderbilt. She has also coached in the state of Tennessee for two seasons. At Vanderbilt, she will coordinate the Commodores’ recruiting efforts while also contributing to on-court strategy, scouting and developing perimeter players.
“Coaching is absolutely my passion,” Rosamond said. “It’s extremely exciting to be back and coaching at a prestigious university like Vanderbilt.
“Living in the area for the past four years, I’ve been continually impressed by the job this staff has done and the success that the program has had,” Rosamond continued. “To me, Vanderbilt represents all that is good in college athletics — student-athletes competing and succeeding at the highest level both on and off the court.”
At Middle Tennessee State, Rosamond served as assistant coach under then-Head Coach Stephany Smith from 2003-05. During that time, the Lady Raiders boasted consecutive 24-win seasons while capturing a pair of Sun Belt Conference championships and scoring two first-round NCAA Tournament upsets (over North Carolina and North Carolina State, respectively).
Prior to her time at MTSU, Rosamond spent five years as an assistant at her alma mater, Ole Miss. She was hired onto Coach Ron Aldy’s staff in 1998 just months after graduating and would be promoted to recruiting coordinator in 2001.
Rosamond was responsible for bringing a pair Top 50 classes to Oxford. Two Tennessee Miss Basketball selections were Included in her Lady Rebel classes, with her final group of signees having reached the NCAA Elite Eight last season. All-American Armintie Price, a current teammate of VU great Carla Thomas on the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, highlighted Rosamond’s 2003 signees.
“We were really impressed with Kim’s recruiting success,” Balcomb said. “She has experience playing and coaching in the SEC, and has well-established relationships in the South. On top of that, Kim brings a ton of positive energy to this position.”
Rosamond attended high school at Winston Academy in Louisville, Mississippi, where she was recruited to Ole Miss by Van Chancellor. She was a four-year letterwinner for the Lady Rebels (1995-98). Following her senior year, Rosamond was the recipient of the team’s Lady Rebel Award, which is given to the player who excels on and off the court.
As a student-athlete at Ole Miss, Rosamond was the first Lady Rebel (and only second player in league history) to earn All-SEC Academic honors in all four years of her collegiate career.
“Coach Balcomb is a proven winner and I’m honored for the chance to work with her and learn from her,” Rosamond added. “The entire staff does an outstanding job and that’s a big reason why the future of this program is so bright.”
After serving as the Interim Head Coach at MTSU following the 2005 season, Rosamond has worked in the private sector for the past two years.
“We all knew Kim from different situations, and everyone here was extremely comfortable with her,” Balcomb remarked. “Out in the world she has a penchant for relationship-building, and that was important to us.”
Notes on Rosamond:
At MTSU, Rosamond coached with former Vanderbilt great Chavonne Hammond-Taylor during the 2003-04 season.
Rosamond’s hometown of Louisville, Mississippi, is the birthplace of three current SEC head coaches: LSU women’s head coach Van Chancellor, Kentucky women’s head coach Matthew Mitchell and Ole Miss men’s head coach Andy Kennedy.
