Angela Kristensen has recently been removed from her position as head women’s basketball coach.
Athletic Director Jason Boothe said Kristensen has violated many department policies over time, and if ignored would have left the program to NCAA sanctions. He said the institution is highlighting that honestly and integrity is most important.
“We dismissed her for repeated violations…” Boothe said.
Boothe said looking at other schools that have violated rules and asking the question: “You knew that long and did nothing?” Helped him make this decision.
“It’s part of our mission; it’s part of what we teach general students and especially student athletes,” Boothe said. “To repeatedly violate that over a long period of time in coaching—enough is enough.”
He said this decision was hard, but it happened.
“We just had to do what was right,” Boothe said. “It’s hard and it’s going to be a tough pill to swallow here for a little bit.”
Derek Dawes, Director of Annual Giving and Community Engagement, will take place as the head women’s basketball coach with Kawika Stant and Sheila Adams still in the positions of assistant coaches.
“We’ll see how the season goes,” Boothe said. “I’m confident that it will be fine because we have a very talented basketball team.”
Boothe said this change could either have a positive or negative effect on the team. He said the team could tank, but he believes DSC has too much talent for that to happen, or it could play better than it has been.
“It could go one of two ways—that’s the risk,” Boothe said. “But the bigger risk was not doing something right now and potentially making us susceptible to something else happening.”
Boothe said there would have been big consequences for the athletic program and the school as a whole if nothing were done.
“It could cost scholarships to the team, and post season eligibility for the team,” Boothe said. “And that was my most important focus.”
The women on the team have been taking the news very hard.
“They’re taking it hard as to be expected,” Boothe said. “It’s a shock. Angie was their friend just as much as she was their coach. But in fairness to the players—Angie also put them in some compromising positions that led to some of the issues. And that wasn’t fair to the girls.”
Although this it tough on the women, the team will work on moving forward and focusing on completing its goals for the rest of the season.
“It’ll take some time to heal, but we’ll get them back on the basketball court and that stuff will take care of itself,” Boothe said. “It’s not going to be quick.”
Boothe said this unfortunate event doesn’t mean Kristensen is a bad person—he just had to do this for the sake of the program.
“It’s certainly not a real positive reflection of Angie, but it certainly should not be a full description of her and the type of person she is,” Boothe said. “She’s obviously a very good coach—there’s just some other issues that she just has to fix for her to have that same level of success, if not a higher level, in her future. “
Although people of the athletic program are upset, Kristensen still had positive attributes to the program.
“I’m still just very disappointed,” Boothe said. “I love Angie. She’s a great person. She was a great basketball coach, a great recruiter, and she’s done a lot not only for the basketball program, but the rest of the school with the success that she’s had.”
Dawes, Stant and Adams will finish out the season with hopes of success, then when the season is over the search for a new coach will begin.
