Women’s Basketball Nicolle Holcomb
Josh Prock announced that he will be departing from his role as the head coach of the Eastern New Mexico women’s basketball program to become the West Texas A&M women’s basketball head coach.
“I want to thank Coach Prock and his family for the dedication they have shown to the young women who have played in Greyhound Arena. Coach Prock has done so much for our women’s basketball team, the ENMU athletic department, and the Portales community. He has led these young women to great success both on and off the court. Our program is so much better because of his tireless efforts and commitment to make ENMU women’s basketball a contender in the Lone Star Conference,” said Interim Athletic Director Matthew Grawrock.
Prock spent eight years as the head coach and elevated the program to new heights throughout his time on the sidelines.
The 2019-20 women’s basketball team turned in one of the best seasons in the program’s history, earning its third NCAA Tournament bid in the last four seasons and posting the second-best winning percentage in the ENMU record book with a 22-9 overall record. Under Prock’s leadership, the Hounds advanced to the LSC Championship Semifinals for the first time since the 1992-93 season.
Prock reached a pair of impressive coaching milestones in 2019-20, first by earning his 200th career NCAA victory with a 60-45 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Jan. 25 before earning his 100th victory with ENMU with a 70-52 playoff win over Oklahoma Christian on March 3. Prock became just the second coach to reach the 100-win threshold in program history.
Zamorye Cox, Alivia Lewis and Natalie DeLonge each received All-LSC Second Team honors for their efforts, with Cox being named to the All-LSC Tournament Team and Lewis earning All-LSC Defensive Team recognition.
As a unit, the High Plains squad proved to be one of the best defensive teams in the conference and set program records for rebounding and scoring defense. The Greyhounds held opposing offenses to just 59.3 points per game while corralling 1,391 total rebounds, 901 defensive rebounds, 491 offensive rebounds and averaged 44.9 per game, which all rank as the best marks in the program’s history.
The Greyhounds finished the 2018-19 campaign with a 19-11 overall record and a 14-6 mark in Lone Star Conference play while posting an impressive 12-1 record inside Greyhound Arena, setting the best home record in program history.
Three players from the 2018-19 squad took home All-LSC honors highlighted by D2CCA South Central Second Team honoree Treyanna Clay. The Tucson, Ariz. native averaged 16.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as she was named LSC Newcomer of the Year as well as being a First Team All-LSC and All LSC Defensive Team selection. Sophomore forward Alivia Lewis earned LSC All-Academic Team accolades as well as All-LSC Honorable Mention and senior forward Shelby Jones received All-LSC Honorable Mention.
The 2016-17 Lone Star Coach of the Year followed up the program’s most successful season in decades with another quality campaign during the 2017-18 effort. The Hounds posted an overall record of 16-12, including a 12-8 mark in conference play that earned a fourth-seed for the LSC postseason tournament.
Kaylee Edgemon earned LSC Freshman of the Year honors at season’s end while Mikaehla Connor and Daeshi McCants concluded their Hound careers with Second Team and Third Team selections respectively. The 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons mark the first time the program has had back-to-back winning seasons since the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons.
Eastern posted a historic season in 2016-17 that saw the program earn a conference championship and the first trip to the NCAA Tournament in school history. ENMU recorded its first winning season since 2006-07 and first LSC winning record since 2003-04. The Greyhounds picked up their first win at West Texas A&M since 1981, the only team to win at Angelo State and snapped a 19-game losing streak to Tarleton State.
During the 2016-17 Season, Mikaehla Connor earned First Team All-LSC and All-Defensive Team accolades while Kassandra Harris and Daeshi McCants garnered Second and Third Team All-LSC honors.
In 2015-16, Sarah Stinnett garnered her second straight All-LSC selection, and was joined by Kassandra Harris. As usual, Prock’s team was exceptional in the classroom, with Jordyn Cooper capturing CoSIDA Academic All-District honors, in addition to a selection to the LSC All-Academic Team.
In 2014-15, Sarah Stinnett and Tori Tucker earned Second Team All-LSC honors, while Tucker was chosen as the league’s Offensive Player of the Week, twice. Eastern won five LSC games, which included a sweep of Angelo State, to qualify for the conference tournament.
Before his time at Eastern, Prock spent five seasons at Howard Payne University. He posted an impressive 108-31 record over his five seasons (2008-2012) at HPU, with a 9-5 mark in postseason play. In the 2010 and 2012 seasons, he was chosen as the American Southwest Conference West Division Coach of the Year. During that time, the Yellow Jacket’s lineup featured two All-Americans, a pair of American Southwest Players of the Year and five all-region selections. His squad was just as successful in the classroom, with 13 Academic All-ASC honorees. Prock also served as the assistant athletic director for development at Howard Payne.
Prior to three seasons at Billy Ryan High School (Denton, Texas), Prock was an assistant coach at Kentucky Wesleyan College (Owensboro, Ken.). During his two seasons with the Panthers, Prock handled recruiting, player development, scouting, practice planning and community relations.
The search for the next head coach of the Greyhound women’s basketball program will begin immediately.
“It will be a tall task to find a replacement for Coach Prock, but the next head coach will be able to take great strides forward because of the foundation that has been put down over the last eight years. We also look forward to when Coach Prock will return to Greyhound Arena even though he will be on the opposing sideline,” said Grawrock.
