华盛顿堡 — To many fans of 十大体育外围平台排名 athletics, the mention of Rachel Balzer '19 may bring back memories of a lethal three-point shooter draining timely shots from well behind the arc. Those spectators will now have the chance to watch Balzer again, this time on the sidelines as a member of Longwood University's women's basketball coaching staff.

Entering her second season in Farmville, VA, Balzer has been elevated from the Lancers' Director of Basketball Operations and Player Development to Assistant Women's Basketball Coach. Balzer has been with Longwood since the summer of 2023.

In her first season at Longwood, Balzer coached two All-Big South performers while helping guide forward Otaifo Esenabhalu to a pair of Big South Freshman of the Week accolades. 另外, Balzer coached guard Kiki McIntyre to the 20th best steals-per-game mark in NCAA Division I women's basketball at 2.77.

"Rachel earned this promotion," Head Coach Erika Lang-Montgomery, who is going into her third season as Longwood head coach in 2024-25, 说. "She has proven to be someone our program and staff can count on. She worked very hard this season, wearing multiple hats, and executed at a high level. We are excited to see her continue to grow as an assistant coach."

Balzer came from George Mason, where she spent four years as a member of the women's basketball team. Her career was cut short due to injuries, but she spent her final year in Fairfax on the sidelines as a coaching intern for the Patriots.

"I'm super excited and thankful for the opportunity to continue playing a role in building the Longwood women's basketball program,巴尔泽说. "Working with Coach E is a privilege. She's a leader and mentor who empowers those around her to learn and grow professionally. The future of this program is extremely bright."

在遗传算法, Balzer was a four-year letterwinner for Sherri Retif, earning First Team All Inter-Ac twice, Second Team All Inter-Ac once, and Sugar Bowl All-Tournament Team. She was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2017-18, served as team captain during her senior year, and finished her career with 1,092点.