Published: May 09, 2008 11:32 pm         

WVU women's aide returning to Ohio

MORGANTOWN — Jim Schaus, newly named director of athletics at Ohio University, announced Friday that Semeka Randall has been hired as head women’s basketball coach at that school.

The Cleveland native goes to the Athens, Ohio, school after spending a year at West Virginia University. She also was at Michigan State in 2005-07, and while there the Spartans played for the national championship.

“It is my dream job to coach in the state of Ohio,” Randall said. “If you look at my previous coaching experiences, you’ll see that I’ve always positioned myself around the state because it’s a great state for women’s basketball.

“Ohio is a great school. I like that it urges student-athletes to excel in the classroom and on the court. It’s just a great place, and I’m looking forward to becoming part of the Ohio basketball family and the Athens community.”

WVU head coach Mike Carey said, “I am very happy for her. There is no doubt in my mind that with her ties in Ohio she will be very successful at Ohio University. We are going to miss her here at WVU, but we wish her only the best.”

Carey said he will conduct a national search for a replacement as soon as possible.

Schaus, a son of former WVU player, coach and athletic director Fred Schaus, likened hiring Randall to “a winning half-court shot at the buzzer. I am very excited about her leading our program, and she is a perfect fit for what we were looking for.”

Randall starred as an All-America performer at Tennessee and is a four-year veteran of Women’s National Basketball Association competition. She made the All-SEC team in 1999 and 2000.