Northeast
Basketball
Assistant Coach Maurice Stafford
Maurice Stafford For the past seven seasons both the Tigers and Lady Tigers have benefited from the presence of former Northeast basketball star and veteran college basketball coach Maurice Stafford. A Biggersville native and former JUCO Player of the Year at Northeast in 1982, Stafford works as an assistant coach for both Coach Ford and men’s head coach David Robbins. He now has over 16 years of coaching experience on the college level. After completing his stel-lar playing career at Northeast in ’82 with a National Junior College Athletic Association honorable mention All-American award, Stafford played two seasons at the University of North Alabama (UNA) where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education and sociology. His remarkable 75 percent field goal percentage remains a school record. It is also number two on the all-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II list and ranks fourth in the overall NCAA record book. Stafford was named Gulf South Conference Player of the Year in 1984. He was inducted into the UNA Hall of Fame in 1999. Stafford’s basketball coaching career began in 1989 as an assistant women’s coach at the University of Tennessee at Martin where he worked in all phases of the game. At UT-Martin he helped Mary Kate Long, Tara Tansil and Gina Warren turn in Hall of Fame careers. Following the ’94-’95 campaign, Stafford returned to UNA as assistant women’s coach and head men’s and women’s cross country coach. He recruited the
school’s first first team All-American, Serita Gaulding. Stafford also helped Becky Maulk to lead the nation in free throw and three-point field goal percentage during her career with the Lady Lions. Before returning to Booneville, Stafford’s most extensive work came during a four-year stint at the University of Memphis. Under Lady Tiger coach Joye LeeMcNelis, Stafford was heavily involved
in recruiting, monitoring players’ academic status, game preparation, developing the fundamental skills of the post players, team travel and public relations. Under his tutelage Tamika Whitmore led the nation in scoring during the 1998-99 season. Whitmore currently plays for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. Maurice is married to the former Karyn L. Miller of Jumpertown. They are the proud parents of one daughter, Sascha.
Northeast Mississippi Community College
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