The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/141892
tracking the PACK Getting To Know: Lindsay Edmonds ■ Women's Basketball Assistant Coach New NC State women's basketball assistant coach Lindsay Edmonds said she'd rather be recruiting for head coach Wes Moore than against him. Edmonds coached at James Madison and at her alma mater Appalachian State, where she was a two-time team captain and four-year starter. The Winston-Salem, N.C., native talked about working for Moore, who coached at Tennessee Chattanooga and was a former NC State assistant under Kay Yow. Edmonds also discussed her recruiting philosophy, playing career and her husband Ulrick Edmonds, a football assistant coach at James Madison, in an interview with The Wolfpacker. She can be followed on Twitter at @NCStateCoachE. What was it like to get hired to be an assistant coach at NC State? "I was very shocked when Coach Moore called me. I was at the Final Four, and I knew he had gotten the job, but it was never in my head that he was going to call me and ask me to come. "It's a great opportunity, and I feel extremely blessed to be able to be here and work with him, knowing the success he's had. I know the rich tradition at NC State, and getting back to my home state was huge. It's a great, great opportunity and something I felt I couldn't turn down." Your husband is still coaching football at James Madison. How difficult was it for you to move to Raleigh and take the job at NC State? "He has been extremely supportive. We've talked about wanting to get back to North Carolina. It was something where the opportunity presented itself, and he said, 'Go for it.' He never said, 'Don't go' or tried to stop me. His support is something that definitely pushed me." Quick Questions Who on the staff would win in a game of H-O-R-S-E? Me. First impression of Raleigh? This is the first time I've lived in a big city. There is so much to do and there is so much around.There is even a oneway street. It's the biggest city I've lived in. Favorite moment from your playing career? Winning a state championship in high school at [High Point] Ledford with my friends. In college, my Senior Night game was pretty memorable because I had 33 and we won. What has been the welcome message from NC State fans? It's been amazing. Everyone has been so nice and welcoming. How tough is the ACC? Very tough. It's definitely the best basketball conference there is. It's going to be brutal, but eight to nine teams a year are going to the NCAA Tournament. What traits do you like in a player? I like someone who is a team player and someone who will run through a wall. The rest falls into place. During Edmonds' four years as an assistant at James Madison, the Dukes compiled a record of 106-34 (.757), won two CAA championships and played in two NCAA Tournaments. photo courtesy nc state media relations What made you want to work with Coach Moore? "I played against him when I was at Appalachian State and he was at Chattanooga,Then I coached against him because I started there [at ASU]. I've always watched his teams, played against his teams and coached against his teams. "I know how well run they were. I know how hard they play and how passionate and energetic he is on the sideline. They flat-out won all the time. "I just wanted to be a part of that when I was at App State. I was like, 'That program is great and wonderful, and they win, have fun and do it the right way.' When the opportunity presented itself, I said, 'Why not? He's won everywhere he's been.' "It's exciting being a part of helping him building this program back up." What have you been telling recruits about NC State? "We've been talking how Coach Moore has been successful wherever he's been. We've talked about his time here under Kay Yow, and how they won and he recruited a class that went to the Sweet 16 and Final Four. "He was a part of that. He knows how to get it done here as well. We want to get this thing rolling, and he knows how to do it." What kind of talent do North Carolina high schools usually produce? "It's very good. That's part of why I'm here. He wanted me to hit North Carolina hard because of my ties [playing and coaching in the state, plus coaching an AAU team at one point]. There are so many good prospects in the state. There is no need to go outside this area. If we can get some of those, we can be really good. Geographically, we want to hit North Carolina very hard moving forward. "It's one thing to go to a school, but to go to a school in your home state, your pride is that much higher.You are playing that much harder because it's a school in a state where you grew up.You are not going to a school halfway across the country." How did you catch the coaching bug? "I was doing a sales job and coaching high school [High Point Andrews High] and AAU basketball my first year out of college.When I was coaching basketball for two hours a day, I was happier than my seven hours a day at my sales job. My coach from App State called me and said there was an opportunity she wanted to talk to me about. I drove up to App State and I listened to her.Then I took a position at App State." Who has inspired you over the years? "My parents were huge supporters, and I'm lucky to have them. They have been through everything with the AAU tournaments and the trips. My father missed three games in my four years at App State. That was a big piece for me. "My AAU coach with Piedmont Express, Dana Conte, was very influential in building me up as a player and as a person on the floor." — Jacey Zembal 22 ■ the wolfpacker 14-16,18,20,22-23.Tracking The Pack.indd 22 7/2/13 12:14 PM