Marla Brumfield Joins Clemson Women’s Basketball Staff

June 25, 2009

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson women’s basketball head coach Cristy McKinney has announced the addition of Marla Brumfield to her staff as an assistant coach. Brumfield, who was an All-American under McKinney at Rice, began her tenure on Monday, June 22.

“We are excited about adding Marla Brumfield to our coaching staff,” McKinney said. “She brings invaluable playing experience from her college days and her time in the WNBA. Her personality and work ethic will also allow her to recruit the top players in the country.”

At Clemson, Brumfield will work primarily with the guards and will be involved with recruiting efforts and on-court player development.

“I am excited to be working with Coach McKinney and the Tiger family,” Brumfield said. “Having watched them play for the past few years I look forward to being in the trenches and preparing to battle in the ACC!!”

Brumfield comes to Clemson most directly from the Alief Independent School District in Houston, TX where she served as a teacher and coach. Following her stellar playing career at Rice, Brumfield spent two seasons as an assistant for the Lady Owls on McKinney’s staff. The team had a combined 39-21 record during her two years on the sidelines. Brumfield also played four seasons in the WNBA with the Minnesota Lynx, Miami Sol and Charlotte Sting from 2000-04.

She was the first women’s basketball player from the Western Athletic Conference to be drafted by the WNBA when Minnesota selected her with the 22nd overall pick in 2000.

As a collegiate player, Brumfield was a four-time All-WAC honoree and was named the 1997 WAC Co-Freshman-of-the-Year. She earned the WAC Tournament MVP award after leading Rice to the conference title and its first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament as a senior in 2000. She was also named an Honorable Mention Kodak All-American for the 1999-2000 season in which she averaged 15.1 points per game while leading the Lady Owls in assists as well. Brumfield led Rice to an upset victory over ninth-ranked UC Santa Barbara in the first round of the 2000 NCAA Tournament. She still holds the school record career steals and ranks fourth all-time in career scoring and assists.

Brumfield graduated from Rice University in 2000 with a degree in mathematics and managerial studies and later earned her master’s in education from Prairie View A&M University.