DRC Heres the full article on Stoehr

OldTimer · July 9, 2004

Women's Basketball: Stoehr leaving for Little Rock

UNT assistant’s exit comes at height of recruiting season

09:05 AM CDT on Friday, July 9, 2004

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

North Texas women’s basketball coach Tina Slinker is expecting to see one of her longtime assistants on the opposite side of the court this fall.

Scott Stoehr, who spent six seasons as an assistant coach at UNT, has left the program and is expected to be named an assistant coach at Arkansas-Little Rock in the next few weeks.

Stoehr has already moved to Little Rock and is among a handful of candidates for an open spot on head coach Joe Foley’s staff. Brooke Lassiter, an assistant coach at UALR, and Stoehr are engaged and are planning to marry in the next few months.

"It’s a great opportunity for them because they wanted to work on the same staff," Slinker said. "When you lose an assistant like Scott, it affects your program. He did a great job."

Stoehr spent five years as an assistant coach at UNT before spending one year at Florida State, where he met Lassiter.

Stoehr returned in 2003 for what turned out to be a final one-year stint with the team.

"It was difficult to leave North Texas, but I am thrilled to be here and have the opportunity to work with my fiancee," Stoehr said by phone from Little Rock. "It’s a blessing. Being a college basketball coach is difficult while having a family with the amount of time you spend on the road. This way we will be able to see each other more."

Slinker is in the process of interviewing potential replacements for Stoehr and expects to hire a new coach in the next few weeks. UNT is approaching a critical part of the offseason when coaches can travel the country to scout players.

Slinker said the rest of her staff will have to pick up the slack left by Stoehr’s departure during the recruiting period.

UNT’s newest coach will join a veteran staff that has been together for several years. Slinker is entering her 16th year with the team, while assistant coaches Angela Ortega and Janice Dziuk have been with the Lady Eagles for 12 and six years, respectively.

Slinker said the staff would miss Stoehr’s work ethic and the knowledge of the program.

Stoehr’s decision to coach for another team in the Sun Belt Conference will set up an interesting game next season when he will have the chance to face one of his mentors.

"It will be interesting to face Tina, but it is not something I am looking forward to," Stoehr said. "I will be excited for UNT in 27 of the 28 games they play this year."

Stoehr expected to stay with UNT until recently when UALR had an opening on its staff. Lassiter was looking for an opening on the high school level in the Dallas area when another coach left UALR’s staff to go into private business.

Stoehr is leaving a UNT team that finished with an 11-17 record after losing to Middle Tennessee in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament to join a UALR team that is in the midst of the rebuilding process.

The Trojans finished with a 10-17 record in the 2003-04 season. UALR had not won 10 games in a season since the 1980-81 campaign. UNT trounced UALR 63-41 last year.

Stoehr is hoping to help the Trojans turn the corner after playing a role in UNT moving into position for what he feels will be a breakout season in the fall.

"I think UNT will have a good year," Stoehr said. "The sophomores have learned to work hard. They have been working their tails off this summer and knows what it takes to win."

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870.

UNTex07 · July 11, 2004

Well, it's gonna hurt losing him for sure!!!! I just can't believe he is going to UALR!! Trust me, I have been to plenty of their practices and he ran the show much of the time and did a great job. Going to be interested who they hire to replace him!! But I do wish him and his wife well, and hope things work out for them...he is a great guy!