New Mississippi State women's coach rounds out hoops staff

Mississippi State coach Nikki McCray-Penson has retained staffers Maryann Baker and Abby Hunt and added four former Old Dominion assistants to her coaching staff.

Keith Freeman, whose 30-year career includes 24 as a head coach with 18 at Valparaiso, was named associate head coach. Scepter Brownlee and Brittany Young will be assistants, with Young serving as recruiting coordinator. Ashley Morris will be director of operations.

Young and Morris were on McCray-Penson’s inaugural ODU staff before Freeman and Brownlee joined the following season. Baker moves from director of operations the past eight years to assistant athletic director of women’s basketball. Hunt will continue as coordinator of on-campus recruiting and digital services.

McCray-Penson, a Tennessee standout and Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer, was hired earlier this month to replace Vic Schaefer after three seasons at ODU.