-
- Title:
- Head Coach
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- Phone:
- (616) 437-7312
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- Email:
- ColleenTate@ferris.edu
Bio
Meet Colleen Lamoreaux-Tate
Press Conference
Big Rapids, Mich. - One of the top prep coaches in the state took
over the Ferris State University women's basketball program when
FSU Athletics Director Perk
Weisenburger officially announced the appointment of
Colleen Lamoreaux-Tate as the Bulldogs' new head
coach in June of 2012.
A veteran coach with 27 years of experience on the sidelines,
Lamoreaux-Tate most recently had spent seven years as the varsity
girls basketball coach at Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School
where she guided the Cougars to a 167-19 cumulative record.
She became only the sixth head coach in the 39-year history of
Bulldog women's basketball and replaced former head coach Tracey
Dorow, who accepted the head coaching position at NCAA Division I
Valparaiso University.
In her first season at the helm in 2012-13, Lamoreaux-Tate
directed an injury-riddled Bulldog squad to a 13-13 overall record
and a GLIAC Tournament appearance.
"A very competitive search process resulted in the hiring of
Colleen Lamoreaux-Tate as our new head coach for women's basketball
at Ferris State," said Weisenburger. "We could not be more
enthusiastic about what Colleen brings to our basketball program,
our athletic department and our university. We were looking
for a head coach who could quickly build upon the success of our
program and we are absolutely thrilled that our search process led
us to Colleen.
"We quickly learned that Colleen is a person of tremendous
character and an outstanding motivator with great passion, energy
and an unquestionable commitment to a game and profession that she
truly loves and respects," he added. "It was apparent that
she is very comfortable with who she is, what she believes in and
what has allowed her to be successful as a head coach.
She connected with everyone she met and I believe her to be an
ideal fit for Ferris State. We look for Colleen to have a
long and very successful career as our women's basketball
coach."
Lamoreaux-Tate took over the girls program at GR Catholic Central
in 2005. In her seven seasons at the helm, she recorded 23
wins or more six consecutive years, including back-to-back 27-1
marks in 2008-09 and 2009-10. Her 2009-10 team claimed the
Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Class B State
Championship.
"I'm excited about this opportunity to continue to build on the
legacy that's been left at Ferris State," Lamoreaux-Tate
said. "Our full intention is to keep this program at a high
level and the returning players I've met with have been excited
about my reputation for being an intense and demanding coach."
Lamoreaux-Tate led the Cougars to a district finals appearance in
her initial season (2005-06). Her second team reached the
regional finals and posted a 24-2 mark in 2006-07 followed by a
state quarterfinal showing and a 26-3 ledger in 2007-08. In
2008-09, her squad became the first team in more than 100 years of
Catholic Central High School history to finish the regular-season
undefeated and they eventually earned state runner-up laurels while
posting the first of two identical 27-1 marks.
After winning the state championship in 2009-10, the Cougars
tallied a 23-2 record and made the state quarterfinals in
2010-11. Her final team (2011-12) posted a 24-4 record and
was the state runner-up. She's been tabbed three times as the
Grand Rapids Press Coach of the Year and twice claimed Basketball
Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM) Coach of the Year
recognition at Catholic Central, including being named as the
all-region winner of the award in 2008-09. Additionally,
she's been honored as the MHSAA and Associated Press Coach of the
Year, the Detroit Dream Team Coach of the Year and the Catholic
Central High School Coach of the Year in her tenure.
Prior to taking over as the varsity girls basketball coach at
Catholic Central, Lamoreaux-Tate spent two seasons as the freshman
boys basketball coach for the Cougars and recorded a 32-8
record. That came on the heels of a highly-successful stint
as the girls basketball coach at East Grand Rapids High School from
1995 to 2004, which was her first varsity head coaching
opportunity.
While at East Grand Rapids, Lamoreaux-Tate guided the Pioneers to
a 185-45 record in 10 seasons along with nine district
championships, five regional crowns, three state quarterfinal
showings, two state semifinal appearances and one state runner-up
finish. She led East GR to the state final four for the first
time in school history in 2001 and was a three-time Coach of the
Year honoree. Prior to her appointment, East Grand Rapids had
averaged only two wins per season and never won a district
game.
Lamoreaux-Tate made her coaching debut as the freshman girls
basketball coach from 1989-95 at West Catholic High School in the
Grand Rapids area. Her freshman team at West Catholic never
finished less than second in the city league in her seven
seasons. Her coaching experience also includes a year as a
volunteer assistant coach at Aquinas College under Patti Tabaldi in
1994.
"The support I've received over the years has been tremendous and
I can't thank the people I've worked with in the past enough,"
Lamoreaux-Tate said. "I'm honored to call many of them dear
friends and the way in which many have embraced us has helped lead
to this new opportunity."
Along with her coaching experience, Lamoreaux-Tate brings a
diverse range of business and management skills. She's served
as an office manager in Grand Rapids and has also worked as a
security supervisor who's interacted with young adults at Northview
High School in Grand Rapids since 2010. Additionally, she's
also been active running prep basketball camps throughout her
coaching career and several of her former high school players have
moved on to play at the collegiate level.
Lamoreaux-Tate was a three-year varsity player during her prep
career at West Catholic and claimed all-state, all-conference and
all-area recognition. She went on to play collegiately two
years each at both Lake Superior State and Aquinas where she earned
a bachelor's degree in physical education. Lamoreaux-Tate
also received an associate's degree in criminology from the Grand
Valley State University Police Academy.
Lamoreaux-Tate's children include Trenton and Katie along with
Tiesha and Ryheem Stokes.
Lamoreaux-Tate
At A Glance:
* 27 years of coaching experience
* Posted a 167-19 mark in seven seasons as head coach at Grand
Rapids Catholic Central
* Recorded a 185-45 record in 10 years as the head coach at East
Grand Rapids
* Also was the freshman girls coach at West Catholic for seven
years
* Led Catholic Central to the 2009-10 MHSAA State Championship
* Played collegiately at both Lake Superior State &
Aquinas
What They Are
Saying About Colleen Lamoreaux-Tate:
"Colleen Lamoreaux-Tate is a tremendous hire for Ferris State
University. Her enthusiasm and passion is infectious and will
transcend in every phase of the program. Colleen's teams have
always been mentally tough, hard working, competitive and well
coached. Her ties to the west side of the state as well as the
state of Michigan will be an asset on the recruiting trails."
- Suzy Merchant, Head Women's Basketball Coach, Michigan
State University
"I'm looking forward to working with Colleen on an everyday
basis. She's had outstanding results throughout her career in
the Grand Rapids area and will be a great fit at Ferris
State. I expect to see both of our teams right at the top of
the conference for many years to come." - Bill Sall, Head
Men's Basketball Coach, Ferris State University
"We quickly learned that Colleen is a person of tremendous
character and an outstanding motivator with great passion, energy
and an unquestionable commitment to a game and profession that she
truly loves and respect. It was apparent that she is very
comfortable with who she is, what she believes in and what has
allowed her to be successful as a head coach. She
connected with everyone she met and I believe her to be an ideal
fit for Ferris State. We look for Colleen to have a long and
very successful career as our women's basketball coach."
- Perk Weisenburger, Athletics Director, Ferris State
University
"Colleen will be a tremendous asset to Ferris State University and
the GLIAC. Her ties as a high school coach along with her regional
connections will create a wealth of excitement and we look forward
to watching her progress in the years ahead."
- Dell Robinson, Commissioner, Great Lakes Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference
"Colleen is a tireless worker and a players coach who will build
tremendous relationships. Her expectactions will be high both
on and off the court in terms of conduct and the way her players
carry themselves. She will represent the university extremely
well."
- Mark Thomas, Athletics Director, Grand Rapids Northview
High School