DeNesha Stallworth Joins WBB Staff as Coaching Video Coordinator
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky women’s basketball alumnae DeNesha Stallworth, who had an exceptional playing career for the Wildcats earning multiple All-Southeastern Conference honors, has rejoined the program and will serve as coaching video coordinator, UK head coach Matthew Mitchell announced Wednesday.
“DeNesha is the perfect fit for our video coordinator position because of her familiarity with our program and engaging personality,” said Mitchell. “She was an exceptional basketball player that has a high basketball IQ and feel for the game. I know she is going to work well with our players and staff and have a positive impact on our program.”
Stallworth fills the void left vacant by Tony Nakashima, who spent one season at UK as the coaching video coordinator before recently being named assistant coach at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Stallworth, a native of Richmond, California, had a successful college and professional career before recently stepping away from the game. Collegiately, Stallworth played 65 games for Kentucky and was known as one of the best post players in the SEC after transferring from California following her sophomore season. The post finished her collegiate career with 1,740 points (812 at Kentucky) and 871 rebounds (417 at Kentucky). At the time of her graduation, she ranked ninth on Kentucky’s all-time double-doubles list with 15 and was part of a senior class that finished with a 109-31 record, which ranked second most in program history.
In her final season with Kentucky, Stallworth was a candidate for SEC Player of the Year and on every national watch list for the nation’s best player. As a senior, she was named to the WBCA All-Region 3 Team, SEC All-Tournament Team, All-SEC Second Team by league coaches and All-SEC honorable mention by the Associated Press. Stallworth led the team in field goal percentage (.524), field goals made (151) and steals (44) as a senior, while ranking second in scoring (12.5), rebounding (6.9) and blocked shots (35). As a junior at Kentucky, Stallworth was named All-SEC First Team by the league coaches and All-SEC Second Team by the AP, helping lead UK to the Elite Eight.
After being selected 25th overall in the 2014 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun, Stallworth began her professional career overseas in Spain playing for Stadium Casablanca and Universitario de Ferrol. In the last five years, she has made stops in Australia playing for SEQ Basketball and Canberra Capitals and played for three teams in Poland for TS Wisla Krakow, Artego Bydgiozcz and CCC Polkowice. Stallworth also competed in Russia for Sparta&K MR.
Stallworth graduated from UK in December of 2013 with a degree in family sciences and a minor in African-American studies. She was a two-time member of the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll and the Dean’s list.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
