Ashley Earley brings a wealth of Power 5 experience as both a player and coach to her second season with Northern Kentucky. Earley was a standout player for Vanderbilt, and made coaching stops at her alma mater as well as Virginia and Alabama.
The former Commodore was on the Vanderbilt staff from 2013-16 and worked primarily with the post players while also aiding the program’s recruiting efforts. In her first season with Vandy, Earley helped the Commodores earn their 15th-straight NCAA tournament berth. The following season, the frontcourt was one of the most efficient in the nation with four players connecting above 50 percent from the field, while the entire team ranked 10th in the nation at 45.4 percent.
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Prior to the return to her alma mater, Earley started her coaching career at Alabama as a graduate assistant before moving on to positions at Tennessee Tech, Marquette, and Virginia.
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As a player from 2001-05, Earley was a unanimous All-SEC First Team honoree, Kodak All-Region, an Associated Press All-American honorable mention and a Full Court Press All-American Second Team member. She led the Southeastern Conference in field goal percentage and offensive rebounds in her senior season and was a candidate for both the Naismith Trophy and the Wooden Award. She also has extensive postseason tournament playing experience, helping the Commodores to the Elite Eight in 2002 as well as Sweet Sixteen appearances in 2004 and 2005. Earley was drafted by the Indiana Fever and played professionally for the Maccabi Tel Kabir in the Safsal Israeli League.
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