Trisha Stafford-Odom was hired as an assistant coach at Duke on June 1, 2009 and will be heavily involved in recruiting and coaching the guards at Duke.
“We are very excited to welcome Trisha to the Duke family,” commented Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie. “She is a high-energy person with a proven track record of excellence. She did a fabulous job on her interview, as she met with the coaches on our staff. She has a passion for the game, passion for recruiting, and I have no doubt that she can bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm to our program. We are very, very excited to welcome her to our family.”
Stafford-Odom, a standout student-athlete at the University of California who went on to play professionally in the WNBA and overseas, had previously served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at UCLA from 2005-08. Recognized as one of the most influential and positive coaches that continues to impact the women’s game, Stafford-Odom has an infectious personality that captivates players, coaches, event coordinators and parents.
“I’m thrilled about the opportunity to re-enter into the women’s coaching arena on this high level,” said Stafford-Odom. “To be back in my comfort zone, developing players, interacting, and sharing my knowledge, is a blessing I’ve been waiting for. As an added bonus, Coach P is allowing me to exercise my passion in the elite Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), for an outstanding institution such as Duke. I’m ecstatic!”
During her years with UCLA, Stafford-Odom brought in the third-best recruiting class nationally, which was the Bruins’ top class in school history. She also worked with the perimeter players, did scouting and guided four UCLA student-athletes to WNBA Draft selections.
Prior to joining the UCLA staff in 2005, she spent the previous three seasons as the head coach at Westchester High School in Los Angeles, Calif. At Westchester H.S., Stafford-Odom guided more than 10 players who earned college scholarships.
Stafford-Odom, a Los Angeles native, is one of the all-time great players in the history of California basketball, ranking sixth on the all-time scoring list (1,530) and ninth on the all-time rebounding charts (721) after her three-season career. She helped lead Cal into its first two NCAA Tournament appearances (1990 and 1992) and was selected to the school’s 10-player All-Decade Team (1986-1996).
In 1991-92, she topped Cal and the Pac-10 in scoring (22.3 ppg) and also led the Golden Bears in rebounding (8.7). In the process, she posted one of only two 20-plus point scoring averages in school history. Her season total of 647 points was the fourth-most in school history. She was named an honorable mention All-American by Kodak and Basketball Times and a second-team selection by the Women’s Basketball News Service for 1991-92. She earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors in ’91-92 and ’90-91. She is still listed in the school’s top-10 career best lists in seven categories. In 1990, she was a member of the U.S. Junior National team and played in the 1990 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival and the 1993 World University Games.
Stafford-Odom played professionally in the WNBA in 2001 with the Houston Comets and in 2002 with the Miami Sol. She played in the ABL for San Jose and Long Beach and has also played professionally overseas in Italy, Spain, Israel, Brazil and Puerto Rico.
She is married to DeWayne Odom, and they have two young sons, Amari (4) and Trajen (2). The Stafford-Odom family resides in Durham, N.C.
The Stafford-Odom File
Birthdate
Nov. 11, 1970
Hometown
Ladera Heights, Calif.
High School
Westchester
College
California-Berkeley, ‘92
Coaching Experience
Duke - Assistant Coach - (2009-present)
UCLA - Recruiting Coordinator - (2007-08)
UCLA - Assistant Coach - (2005-07)
Westchester H.S. - Head Coach - (2002-05)
Up Close with Stafford-Odom
Growing up, my favorite cartoon was… Probably The Super Friends because they hung tight, respected each other’s strengths, and no one thought he was above the group!
My secret food craving is… Blue Bell ice cream!
My favorite part of a game day is… The part where I get to open my eyes! I love this game!
If I turned on my iPod or CD player right now, the song that would be playing is… Something by John Legend or Maxwell, I’m sure.
My childhood idols were… My mother and my brother. It was hard to idolize outside of the Stafford household.
The three words that best describe me are… Funny, confident, and competitive.
Something that most people don’t know about me is… I TRULY believe I can do all things through Jesus Christ, who strengthens me.
My best non-athletic talent is… That I can sing a little.
My advice to youngsters is… Always take time to listen. Yes. Listen.
The person who has had the biggest influence on my life is… My “favorite mommy,” Catherine Stafford.
My favorite type of movie to watch is… Suspense.
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