Wake Forest Athletics
Mike Petersen Announces Two Women's Basketball Staff Appointments
4/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
April 20, 2004
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest University head women's basketball coach Mike Petersen announced the appointment of Fred Applin and Amy Waugh to the Demon Deacons' coaching staff today.
"I am delighted that Fred and Amy have joined our staff," Petersen said. "They bring a diversity of experience and will work well together in all phases within this program."
Applin, who will serve as associate head coach, is a highly-regarded recruiter who spent the last decade honing his recruiting and coaching techniques at several major universities, including a stint at Wake Forest during the 1997-98 season. He returns to Winston-Salem following six years on the University of Texas women's staff. Together with Longhorn associate head coach Karen Aston, Applin was responsible for UT's day-to-day recruiting efforts. In 1998-99, Women's Basketball Journal recognized Applin as one of the nation's top assistant coaches in its annual coaching poll. During his tenure at Texas, the Longhorns made the NCAA Tournament every year, captured the 2003 Big 12 Tournament title, reached the Sweet 16 three straight years (2002-04) and reached the 2003 NCAA Final Four.
"Fred is as good as it gets at his job in the entire country," said Petersen. "Fred joining our staff is a huge step forward for Wake Forest women's basketball. He is a tremendous recruiter that possesses a great knowledge of the game. Most importantly, Fred is an outstanding person and will be a great representative of this program and university."
"I am just thrilled to get the opportunity to come back to a university with a tremendous academic reputation like Wake Forest," Applin said. "Everything is in place here at Wake Forest to recruit top-caliber athletes that can take this program to the next level within the ACC and nationwide."
Prior to his first stint with the Demon Deacons, Applin was the head women's basketball coach at Hampton from 1995-97. With the Lady Pirates, he signed two Nike High School All-Americans (Danielle Dawson and Felecia Bryant) and his recruiting classes were ranked among the nation's top 30 by the Blue Star Report. Additionally, 13 of his student-athletes attained Dean's List status, while his teams maintained the highest team grade-point average in school history.
Applin spent two seasons as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Houston (1993-95). He was responsible for bringing in a pair of top 25 recruiting classes.
Prior to Houston, Applin was a women's basketball assistant coach at North Carolina for five years (1988-93), serving as recruiting coordinator for the nationally-ranked Tar Heel program. At UNC, he signed All-America standouts and 1994 NCAA National Champion performers Sylvia Crawley, Tonya Sampson and Charlotte Smith. Applin also signed All-America two-sport (basketball and track) superstar, U.S. Olympic and World Championship sprint and long jump gold medalist Marion Jones. Crawley, Sampson and Smith all played in the former American Basketball League (ABL), while Smith and Crawley have gone on to stardom in the WNBA. Applin was also a volunteer UNC men's basketball junior varsity coach (1987-88).
Off the floor, Applin is a noted speaker and champion of community service. He has initiated numerous promotional and service endeavors surrounding his basketball programs. While at Hampton, he founded the "Professors for Women's Basketball" and the "Friends of Hampton Basketball" organizations while also developing the "Think Ahead" and Women's Basketball Alumni Outreach programs. At Texas, Applin was heavily involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Champions for Christ.
Applin is a 1985 graduate of Elon where he earned a bachelor's degree in recreation and was a member of the NAIA National Championship football team while also competing in track and field and lacrosse. Applin also served as a student coach and manager for the Elon women's basketball team. He received his master's degree in therapeutic recreation from North Carolina Central University in 1989. Applin was a commissioned officer in the North Carolina National Guard. He completed his U.S. Army Quartermaster Officer School Training at Ft. Lee, Va., in 1985-86.
Applin, a Roseboro, North Carolina native, and his wife Cora, have two daughters, Anaiah and Hillary, and one son, Michael.
 Amy  | |
"Amy brings a ton of energy and enthusiasm to our staff," said Petersen. "She enjoyed tremendous success at Xavier, both individually and with a team that reached the Elite Eight. Her ability to convey that success to our players will be very important to this program. She has a great mind for the game of basketball and she has a bright future."
"I am extremely excited about this opportunity to join a program like Wake Forest in a conference such as the ACC," Waugh said. "I am truly honored to work alongside such an experienced and knowledgeable staff."
Waugh enjoyed a stellar four-year playing career with the Musketeers. As a senior in 2002-03, she knocked down a school record 107 three-pointers as the Musketeers finished 20-10 and advanced to the Atlantic 10 Tournament semifinals. Waugh led Xavier and the Atlantic-10 Conference in scoring at 19 points per game. Waugh was named All-Atlantic 10 first team and honorable-mention All-American by womenscollegehoops.com and Basketball Times. She was a finalist for the Detroit Rotary Club Nancy Lieberman Award for the nation's best point guard. Waugh also led the nation with 3.6 three-pointers per game.
She garnered national attention when she was crowned the three-point shooting champion at the 15th annual ESPN College Slam Dunk and Three-Point Shooting Championship at the 2003 NCAA Men's Final Four. Waugh defeated a field of seven other women to be the female champion, then defeated men's champion Darnell Archey of Butler to be crowned overall champion.
Waugh, a Fort Wayne, Ind., native, earned a bachelor's degree in education from Xavier in 2003.
Petersen will fill the final assistant coaching position and Director of Basketball Operations position in the coming weeks.
