Sheryl Swoopes is "super excited," yet admittedly "a little nervous" about her new job as head women's basketball coach at Loyola University Chicago. She was formally introduced Monday morning at an on-campus press conference, attended by about 75 people, including her new team and media.
She was introduced by assistant vice president and director of athletics Dr. M. Grace Calhoun, who said Swoopes is, "a wonderfully delightful mix of warmth, humility, genuineness and compassion [combined] with this fiery spirit that doesn't take well to losing."
Swoopes is the eighth head women's basketball coach in school history, and she replaces Eric Simpson, who spent the last four seasons at Loyola. He resigned March 18, the day after the team's last game. The Ramblers went 17-15 this season, the most wins by the school since the 1988-89 season.
"This has always been a lifelong dream of mine, to have an opportunity to do something I loveand that's not only to play basketball, but to be in a position to pass that [knowledge] on to the up and coming generation," said Swoopes, a four-time WNBA champion and three-time Olympic gold medal winner.
Swoopes admitted she was "honored and humbled that [school officials] have trusted me with these young ladies, to lead them and guide them in the right direction."
Swoopes led Texas Tech University to the 1993 NCAA championship and was named Naismith National Player of the Year that season. Her WNBA career included stints primarily with the Houston Comets, and also the Seattle Storm and Tulsa Shock.
Swoopes on Monday acknowledged several people "who have been very instrumental in my development as, not only a basketball player, but as a person," she said. Her list included multiple former coaches, teammates and her mom. She also singled out her fiancée.
"For those of you who don't know, I have been engaged for two years, and I have to say 'thank you' to him for allowing me this opportunity and for supporting me to go after my dream," Swoopes said.
Swoopes, in 2011, announced she was engaged, though she had come out in 2005 and was in a lesbian relationship with then-partner Alisa Scott. Swoopes also was married from 1995-1999 and has a son, 15.
"If someone would have approached me three years ago and said, 'Oh, would you like to coach?' My answer would have been, 'No' because I knew it was something I wasn't ready to do," Swoopes said. "But, without a doubt, I know this is where God wants me. This is the path He has for me and I know my reason for being here is, He brought me here."
Swoopes said, despite her lack of coaching experience, she is not concerned "that I can't lead this group of young ladies to where we want to go."
Calhoun is convinced Swoopes will appeal to "a very diverse cross section of Chicago because she has that engaging personality, that spirit, and a can-do attitude of getting things done.
Calhoun added, "She not only will be able to build a championship team, but also develop our young people in a very Jesuit way." Calhoun said Swoopes "absolutely will" help attract [fans from] and appeal to the LGBT community, and other select, diverse communities. But expanded the team's fan base was not the reason Swoopes was hired, she added.