Wahawk Athletics

Aug. 4, 2008

IRVINE, Calif. -- Molly Goodenbour has been named head women’s basketball coach at UC Irvine, announced by Athletic Director Mike Izzi.

“Molly is a proven winner with championship experience,” Izzi said. “She is a successful head coach and I look forward to her developing the UC Irvine program into a Big West Conference and national contender.”

Last season, Goodenbour was named California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Coach of the Year after guiding the Wildcats to a 28-6 record, tying the Chico State single-season record for victories. Her 2007-08 team ended the year ranked 17th in the final USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Poll, won the CCAA regular-season and tournament titles, as well as advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Women’s West Regional.

“I am extremely excited to become a part of Anteater Athletics,” Goodenbour said. “We will assemble an excellent staff and get started immediately on the challenge of building and improving the women's basketball program at UC Irvine. I want to thank Mike Izzi, Paula Smith and the search committee for giving me this opportunity and I look forward to beginning this new venture.”

Prior to her stint at Chico State, Goodenbour was the head assistant at the University of San Francisco from 2005-06 and head coach at Santa Rosa Junior College for three seasons (2003-2005).

While at Santa Rosa, her teams compiled a record of 69-21 and won two conference titles. Goodenbour was named Bay Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2005 as her team advanced to the state quarterfinals. She spent one season as Santa Rosa's associate head coach before taking over the helm in 2003.

Goodenbour began her coaching career at USF during the 1994-95 season when she helped the Dons to a NCAA tournament berth. Professionally, Goodenbour began her playing career with the Swedish Basketball Federation then returned to play for the Richmond Rage (1996-97) and Portland Power (1997-98) of the American Basketball League before playing for the Sacramento Monarchs in the WNBA’s inaugural season in 1999.

Goodenbour played at Stanford from 1989-93 and was a member of the Cardinal’s NCAA Championship teams in 1990 and 1992. While at Stanford, the shooting guard made three Final Four appearances and was named the Final Four MVP in 1992 after setting an NCAA Tournament record for most postseason three-pointers made (18).

During her four-year collegiate career, the Cardinal posted a 114-16 record, including a 62-1 mark at Maples Pavilion. Goodenbour recorded 1,040 points in her career and remains in the Stanford career record book, ranking eighth in three-pointers made (178), seventh in assists (441), and 10th in free throw percentage (.793). As a senior, Goodenbour made 74 threes, the seventh-best, single-season mark in program history, and recorded nine three-pointers at Tennessee in 1993, the best single-game mark for the Cardinal. She was also a member of the U.S. National team which won a gold medal at the 1993 World Championship Qualifying Tournament in Brazil.

Goodenbour graduated from Waterloo West High School in Waterloo, Iowa, where she still holds the state records for career points with 1,270 and career steals with 354.

"Iowa Masters: Herrera overcomes four-stroke deficit for victory" - Des Moines Register

Shelly (Brown) Kelling Memorial Scholarship

 This past year the Waterloo Community Schools lost one of its best with the death of Shelly (Brown) Kelling.  Shelly, a 1985 graduate of West High School, where she was a softball player for four seasons, highlighted by pitching a no-hitter versus Cedar Falls during her senior season.  Shelly was also a teacher in the Waterloo Community Schools for 18 years.  She had a passion for teaching, a passion for children, and a passion for softball.  Her goal was to see every child succeed.

 Shelly’s family awarded the first Shelly Kelling Memorial Scholarship to a West High School senior softball player this past Thursday, June 5th.  This annual scholarship will be Shelly’s lasting legacy to her passions for teaching, children, and softball.  We, the West High School community are appreciative of Shelly’s family for endowing this scholarship.

 This first scholarship was presented by Shelly’s family, her son Joshua Wilson, her parents, Errol and Bonnie Brown, and her brothers, Randy and Steve Brown and families.
  Originally, this scholarship was suppose to be a $500 scholarship.  Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous friend of the family, we are pleased to announce that this scholarship is now worth $1,000!
  The first winner of the annual Shelly Kelling Scholarship is senior softball player, Taylor Ray.  Taylor is the 2007-08 Wahawk Most Valuable Female Athlete of the Year.  She has participated in Volleyball, Basketball, and Softball, starting for all three sports.  She will be attending Grandview College in Des Moines where she will also be playing softball and potentially basketball.  Congratulations to the first Shelly Kelling Scholarship winner, Taylor Ray!
  We are also proud to announce that once our new grand stand is open, we will be hanging a plaque in honor of Shelly’s accomplishments, both on the field and in the classroom.  Each winner of the scholarship will be remembered with their name on the plaque for the year they won this great award.
  We thank all in honoring Taylor Ray with the first Shelly Kelling scholarship.  We also want to give a special thanks to Shelly’s family, Josh Wilson, Errol and Bonnie Brown, and Steve and Randy Brown and families our sincere gratitude for Shelly, her accomplishments, and their generosity.  Thank you!