| Traci Waites |
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It's been three years since Traci Waites came on the scene as head coach of the Pittsburgh women's basketball team, and three attributes have remained the same since her first day on the job: passion, enthusiasm and desire.
It's a passion that is needed to achieve great things and that is equally felt by her players and staff.
A vigorous enthusiasm for coaching, teaching and supporting a group of young, talented players.
And a desire to take the Pittsburgh women's basketball program to a new level.
It became evident right away that Waites was going to use those three attributes to make a difference at Pittsburgh. During her debut season in 1998-99, Waites sent the Panthers on a dramatic 4-0 run to start the year, a feat that had not been accomplished since the 1982-83 season. Playing with a hard-nosed and enthusiastic style, Pittsburgh served notice that it was on the rise.
And rise it did, becoming one of the Big East Conference's greatest success stories in 1999-2000. That season, Waites orchestrated the biggest one-year turnaround in the program's history as Pittsburgh posted a 16-13 record, finished sixth in the Big East standings, and earned a bid to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for its first postseason berth in six years. In addition, the Panthers earned their first vote in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 poll in years. To cap off the success of the season, Waites was selected the Big East Co-Coach of the Year by the league's coaches, giving Pittsburgh and its fans something to be excited about.
"Each year has been a surprise to me -- how the players have been like sponges, soaking up everything and believing they can make a difference in this institution," Waites said. "They all have taken a chance on building something special."
But with the promise of her early success, it was no wonder the 2000-01 season was a disappointment to both Waites and her team. The Panthers battled a young and injury-riddled lineup and finished the year with a record of 9-18. At times, the five starters on the floor included three sophomores and one freshman. But it's that young talent that saw Pittsburgh through a rebuilding process last year, and who Waites is hoping will bring new successes to the program in the years to come.
"At this point, our program is headed in the right direction," said Waites. "Last year was a learning experience, for not only myself, but for my staff and players as well. Leadership will be the key to next year's success.
"After recruiting for three years, I believe that we have the key ingredients to continue the early success that we've already experienced."
Waites, a 16-year veteran of the collegiate coaching and playing ranks, was tapped by Athletic Director Steve Pederson three years ago to lead the Panthers into the national and conference spotlight.
"My expectations for Traci Waites when I hired her were extremely high," said Pederson. "And she has met or exceeded those expectations in the three years she has been at Pittsburgh.
"Not only has she brought a special talent to coaching, recruiting and administration, but she has brought a special energy and confidence that will be the hallmark of her program.
"Every day gets better when Traci Waites is your coach."
From Waites' initial visit to the university, one could feel the excitement and determination running through her veins.
"We are going to make a change here," said Waites at the press conference that announced her hiring. "We will take small steps, but they will be encouraging steps in the right direction for this program."
And throughout her three seasons at the helm of the Pittsburgh women's basketball program, Waites has transferred her excitement to her players and everyone around her.
A transformation that is recognized by her colleagues as well.
"[Pittsburgh] continues to play with passion and heart," said Rutgers Head Coach C. Vivian Stringer, following a hard-fought matchup between the Panthers and Scarlet Knights on Feb. 4, 2000. "And that is the first step toward becoming a successful program."
Waites is no stranger to building successful basketball programs. During her 16 years as a player and coach, she has been associated with several nationally ranked programs and NCAA Tournament contenders. She has been a member of two Final Four teams and helped bring the Arizona women's basketball program to national prominence.
Waites joined the Panthers after serving at Arizona four seasons from 1994-98 as an assistant coach, including the last two as associate head coach. While there, Waites was instrumental in the Wildcats' emergence as a Top 10 program, helping them to three straight 20-win seasons and two NCAA Tournament berths.
Her work at Arizona helped produce one of the biggest turnarounds in college basketball.
After posting an 11-19 mark in her first season with the program in 1994-95, the Wildcats went 22-8, the first 20-win season in school history, and captured the 1996 WNIT championship. In 1996-97, Arizona earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth with a school-record 23-8 mark.
During the 1997-98 season, Arizona set or tied 34 school records on the way to a 23-7 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament's "Sweet 16." The Wildcats ranked ninth in the final Associated Press poll, their highest final ranking ever. Along the way, Arizona defeated five nationally ranked opponents, including a 91-90 win versus Stanford, which halted the Cardinal's 48-game winning streak in the PAC-10.
Prior to Arizona, Waites was the head coach at Santa Monica Community College in Santa Monica, Calif., from 1993-94 after serving the program as an assistant for three years. During her tenure, Waites' teams finished second in the Western States Conference and qualified for the state playoffs each year.
Waites enjoyed an outstanding collegiate playing career, first at the University of Georgia and then at Long Beach State University. She played in the NCAA Tournament each of her four seasons and went to two Final Fours. She holds the distinction of being the only player to appear in the Final Four for two different teams.
At Long Beach State, Waites was a two-time All-Big West Conference guard, while leading the 49ers to a 58-11 mark and NCAA Tournament berths in her junior and senior seasons.
As a junior, Waites led Long Beach State to a 28-6 mark and an appearance in the 1988 Final Four. As a senior at LBSU, her team entered the 1988-89 season ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press preseason poll. The team went on to a 30-5 mark and advanced to the Final Eight, but lost to eventual champion Tennessee. During her career at Long Beach, Waites was a two-time NCAA All-Region tournament selection and earned all-conference honors each season.
Waites played her first two seasons at Georgia. As a freshman in 1984-85, Waites helped the Bulldogs to the Final Four and was selected to the All-Tournament team. During her sophomore campaign, Georgia reached the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament.
Waites served as the team captain for the USA Basketball Select Team from 1988-89, and following her collegiate career, she played professional basketball for one year in Magenta, Italy.
A native of Conyers, Ga., Waites was a three-time Parade All-American while playing at Rockdale County High School. She helped lead her team at Rockdale to the state title her senior year and earned Miss Georgia Basketball Player of the Year honors in both 1983 and 1984. Upon graduation, her jersey number was retired by the school.
A 1989 graduate of Long Beach State, Waites received her bachelor's degree in speech communications and was a Dean's List honoree.
