Former UNT Coach Angela Ortega enters Hall of Fame

Harry · July 31, 2013

NATCHITOCHES Former Northwestern State women's basketball player and current University of Texas Director of Women's Basketball Operations Angela Ortego was selected to the Trinity Valley Community College Cardinal Hall of Fame Class of 2013.

The induction ceremony for the six-member group will be held on Oct. 19 at 11 a.m. in Athens, Texas.

Ortega averaged 15.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in her sophomore season, which earned her all-region and all-conference honors and led the Lady Cardinals to a No. 2 national ranking.

The Tyler, Texas native led TVCC to 47 wins in her two-year career before playing at NSU.

She competed as a Lady Demon from 1987-89 and helped the Lady Demons to 38 wins and a NCAA Tournament berth. She finished her career as the 10th leading free-throw shooter in school history.

She is credited with the phrase "Don't Die Wondering", which is now the name of the annual golf tournament the women's basketball program hosts as a fundraiser, trying to motivate her teammates before a conference game late in the season.

Before her position at Texas, she spent time as an assistant coach at North Texas and North Carolina-Charlotte.

At UNT, she helped the Mean Green to three conference championships, two appearances to the WNIT, and the most successful period in the team's history with 77 wins in four years.

Ortega spent four seasons at UNC-Charlotte and attended three WNITs with one final-four appearance in 2011.

http://www.nsudemons.com/news/2013/7/31/WBB_0731130627.aspx