Mike Mincey enters his first season as head coach of the Carson-Newman women’s basketball program and fourth season overall with the Lady Eagles.

Mincey is no stranger to the Carson-Newman community as he was an assistant coach for the Lady Eagles the last three seasons and was also a part of the Carson-Newman men’s basketball program during the 2005-06 season under former head coach Dale Clayton.

During Mincey’s time as an assistant at Mossy Creek, the Lady Eagles won 57 games, averaging 19 wins per season, and made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2009 and 2010.

In Mincey’s second year in 2009-10, C-N turned in one of the most successful seasons in school history. The Lady Eagles opened the year winning a school-record 16 straight games and earned the highest national ranking in school history at No. 8. The Lady Eagles finished the year ranked sixth in the nation in blocked shots per game (5.6), 16th in scoring (77.5) and 23rd in steals per game (11.8).

The Lady Eagles have had success with several east Tennessee products during Mincey’s three seasons as well. Former Lady Eagle point guard Ashley Kyle, a two-time All-SAC performer, is from Jefferson City. This season, guard Mandy Mendenhall, an All-SAC selection, and forward Shannon Depew, the SAC Freshman of the Year, were from Kingston Springs and Newport, respectively.

Mincey brings a wealth of experience to the Lady Eagle program after successful stints as a head coach in high school and an assistant coach at the Division I level. In 1996-97 he was the head boys’ basketball and baseball coach at Conway Christian School in Conway, S.C., where he was named Coach of the Year in both sports by the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools. Mincey led his baseball team to a runner-up finish in the state tournament.

From 2001-04 Mincey was the assistant basketball coach at East Tennessee State University. While at ETSU, he coached one Southern Conference Player of the Year, four players who played overseas, two All-Conference players and one All-Freshman team member. In 2004 he was part of the staff that had the most Southern Conference wins in school history.

A 1996 graduate of King College in Bristol, Tenn., Mincey had a successful playing career while at King. He currently ranks in the top five in several career, single season and single game records. He scored 1,285 points and dished out 406 assists. His assist total is good enough for third best in King history. For his efforts both on and off the court, he was named King College Male Athlete of the Year in 1996.

Mike, his wife Shannon, who is the Carson-Newman head volleyball coach, and their two children, Cami and Cy, reside in Morristown, Tenn. and attend First Baptist Church of Jefferson City.