June 10, 2005

Columbia, S.C. – – South Carolina women’s basketball coach Susan Walvius announced the hiring of 2004-05 Big West Coach of the Year Tammy Holder as an assistant coach today.

Holder is very familiar with South Carolina, having served as an assistant coach on the Gamecock staff for two separate stints. Holder helped Carolina to a pair of Metro Conference championships and NCAA appearances while serving as an assistant coach on Nancy Wilson’s staff from 1984-88 and spent a year coaching under Walvius for the 1999-2000 season.

“South Carolina is a like a second home to me, and I am very excited to come back,” Holder said. “I look forward to working with Susan Walvius again and the challenge of coaching in the SEC. I really believe in her expertise, and it feels good to be back.”

“We’re very excited to have Tammy back at South Carolina,” Walvius said. “She brings more than 20 years of coaching experience with her and she has enjoyed success every place she has been. She will be a tremendous asset to our program and we are thrilled to have her back with us.”

Holder spent the last three years as the head coach at Cal State Northridge, where she was hired in April of 2002 and turned the program around dramatically. After a 3-24 record her first year, she led the Matadors to an 18-11 record in 2004-05 and the school’s first appearance in the conference tournament in five years. She was recognized as the Big West Coach of the Year for her efforts.

Prior to her second stint at Carolina, Holder served as the head coach of the Seattle Reign of the now-defunct ABL from 1997-98, compiling a 17-15 record before the league folded. She was the general manager of the ABL’s Richmond Rage from 1996-97 and stayed with the franchise as the assistant general manager/game operations director when it moved to Philadelphia in 1997.

Prior to joining the professional ranks, Holder was the head coach at the University of Richmond from 1991-96, where she compiled a 71-67 record. Her first head coaching job came at USC-Spartanburg, where she led the program from 1988-91 and was recognized as the Peach Belt Coach of the Year in 1990-91 after guiding the Spartans to an 18-10 record. She finished her time at USC-Spartanburg with a 50-33 overall record.

After graduating from William and Mary in 1980 with a degree in physical education, Holder spent the first eight years of her career as an assistant coach, serving on the staff at the University of Richmond from 1980-84 and on Wilson’s staff at South Carolina from 1984-88. While coaching at Richmond, Holder earned her master’s degree in health and physical education in 1982 and also served as a teacher at Falling Creek Middle School from 1982-84.

Holder was a four-year letterwinner at William and Mary in both basketball and tennis and finished her career ranking in the school’s top-20 in both scoring and rebounding, and also ranked fourth in free throw percentage, 14th in assists and 10th in blocked shots.

Holder At A Glance
Alma Mater, Year
William and Mary, 1980 (physical education)
University of Richmond, 1982 (master’s in health and physical education)

Coaching Resume
University of South Carolina, assistant coach: June, 2005-present
Cal State Northridge, head coach: 2002-05
University of South Carolina, assistant coach: 1999-2000
Seattle Reign (ABL), head coach: 1997-98
Philadelphia Rage (ABL), asst. general manager: 1997
Richmond Rage (ABL), general manager: 1996-97
University of Richmond, head coach: 1991-96
USC-Spartanburg, head coach: 1988-91
University of South Carolina, assistant coach: 1984-88
University of Richmond, assistant coach: 1980-84

Playing Experience
William and Mary, 1976-80