On Friday June 23, WNBA powerhouse and Memphis Amateur Sports Hall of Famer Ashley Shields announced she would be joining the women’s basketball coaching staff of Mississippi Valley State (MSVU).
Posed next to MSVU’s latest women basketball commit Niya Morant, sister of Ja Morant, Shields officially made the announcement via her social media. “Happy birthday to me! On to the next chapter! MVSU here I come. So thankful for this opportunity.”
During her one season at Southwest Tennessee Community College in 2006, Shields led the team to a remarkable 26-2 record, securing a notable No. 13 ranking in the final National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) poll. Both the NJCAA and Kodak and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association honored Shields with the honor of being named a first-team All-American.
Additionally, the talented guard was a part of the Region VII All-Tournament team and the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association’s Player of the Year. Shields etched her name in the NJCAA record books, scoring a staggering 65 points during the Lady Saluqis’ quarterfinal victory over Cleveland State.
The Memphis native was a leader on the court as well as on paper. For the Lady Saluqis Shields led the team in n both field goal and three-pointer percentages. On a national level, she led the NJCAA in scoring that 2006-2007 season with an impressive average of 27.4 points per game.
As a standout from Southwest Tennessee Community College, Ashley Shields made her mark in the professional basketball world after being selected as the No. 8 overall pick by the Houston Comets in the 2007 WNBA Draft. A year later and Shields’s career reached new heights when she secured a championship victory with the Detroit Shock team in 2008.
Following her time in the WNBA, Shields expanded her basketball horizons by playing overseas. The guard played in Israel, Slovokia, and Poland. For the Poland league, Shields led the league in scoring.
In 2018, Shields began her coaching tenure at Mitchell High School in Memphis. Fast forward to her most recent gig, in 2020 she was the head women’s basketball coach for Arlington High School. During her time, she led the team to two state tournament appearances. She left Arlington holding a 61-21 record under her coaching belt.
Ashley Shields’s basketball journey is a testament to her resilience, and passion for the game. There’s no doubt that her impact on Mississippi Valley State women’s basketball program will be for the best.