October 7, 2014

Mincey adds former star Ashley Kyle to staff

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Former Carson-Newman standout point guard Ashley Kyle has been appointed a new assistant by head coach Mike Mincey. Kyle started for the Eagles from 2007-2010 garnering 1,136 points and 486 assists leading Carson-Newman to an overall record of 79-42. Kyle participated in two NCAA tournaments highlighted by her senior campaign where Carson-Newman started the year 16-0 and was ranked as high as No. 8 nationally. The Eagles finished that year 24-7 and made it to the round of 32 in the NCAA tournament. Kyle finished her career with 486 assists which stands fourth on the program’s all-time list. She was also named All-Conference two times.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Former Carson-Newman standout point guard Ashley Kyle has been appointed a new assistant by head coach Mike Mincey. Kyle started for the Eagles from 2007-2010 garnering 1,136 points and 486 assists leading Carson-Newman to an overall record of 79-42. Kyle participated in two NCAA tournaments highlighted by her senior campaign where Carson-Newman started the year 16-0 and was ranked as high as No. 8 nationally. The Eagles finished that year 24-7 and made it to the round of 32 in the NCAA tournament. Kyle finished her career with 486 assists which stands fourth on the program's all-time list. She was also named All-Conference two times.

"Bringing Ashley back was a no brainer," Mincey said of the hire. "After coach [Michael] Potts decided he needed to step away to watch his daughter Jenna, who is a freshman at Milligan this year, we had an opening and Ashley approached me about the opportunity. I was fortunate to coach Ashley for two years while I was an assistant here so she knows what I want and I look forward to her hopefully rubbing some of the fire she had as a player off on some of our current players. Ashley actually spoke to our team this past year when we were looking for some fire and leadership during a tough stretch."

Kyle will be replacing Potts who had been with the Carson-Newman program for seven years.

"Losing coach Potts will be an adjustment for both myself and the players, but we have tons of experience coming back this year and I look forward to having both coach [Ashley] Tipton and coach Kyle who were former players here work with this edition of the Lady Eagles," Mincey said.

Kyle played locally at Jefferson County High School for Potts. She led her team to two district titles and two region runner-ups. Kyle was a three-time All-District selection, a two-time All-Region performer and a McDonald's All-American nominee. She had over 1,400 career points and 429 career assists. Out of high school Kyle had many opportunities to play elsewhere but ultimately chose to stay close to home and attend Carson-Newman. Ashley isn't the only member of her family that has worn the orange and blue as her sister Whitney is now in her second year here after transferring from Morehead St.

Ashley's father Jeff Kyle played at Walters St and has ran the TN Lady Trotters AAU program for 18 years, a program that Ashley has played and coached in since 1996.

"I'm really thankful to coach Mincey for this opportunity to come back and coach where I played," Kyle said of the move. "I enjoyed my four years here and I'm looking forward to helping in any way possible. I'm very familiar with all of the players and I look forward to working with all of them and getting this program back to the NCAA tournament. I've stayed close to the program since I graduated and I've talked to coach Mincey a lot over the last four years and I know what his goals are for this team and where he wants to take the program. I think we are positioned to have a great year with so many talented players returning. I'm also looking forward to working with Coach Tipton who was my teammate for three years at C-N. I think it's great that coach Mincey has two former players that both had success here and have walked in the shoes these players are walking in now. It will be easier to relate and work with the players having already been through exactly what they are going through now. Again, I am thrilled for the opportunity and the chance to give back to my program and coach."

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