Angel Elderkin, a longtime assistant coach in the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference and Big East, was named the eighth head coach in Appalachian State University women's basketball history on Oct. 1, 2014. After posting the App State's best season in recent history in 2018-19, Elderkin agreed to a four-year contract extension that runs through 2023 on April 8, 2019.

The head coach for the Mountaineers heads into her eighth season on the sidelines after leading the program to a 15-12 mark in a COVID-stricken season. App State managed to play all 27 games on the schedule including the Sun Belt Tournament. 

App State earned a winning season and a trip to the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals for the second time in the past three years. The Mountaineers beat Troy on the road and defeated UTA for the first time in program history, which came in the Sun Belt quarterfinals. 

She also helped Pre Stanley become the fifth all-time leading scorer and Lainey Gosnell post the third-most 3-pointers in program history. Both seniors finished in the top 20 all-time in scoring, giving Elderkin five student-athletes in the top 20 in program history in points scored. Both players made all-conference with Stanley collecting all-first team honors and Gosnell all-second team recognition.

App State also hit 200 3-pointers, which was second all-time in a single season. The Mountaineers won seven of their last nine games of the season, highlighted by a five-game win streak. 

Stanley was the first player in program history to receive a WNBA Training Camp contract, appearing in two contests and playing well in limited action. She later signed a professional contract in Greece in the summer.

Gosnell was the first player under Elderkin to be named CoSIDA Academic All-American after her success off the court. 

Also showing improvement under Elderkin last season was Brooke Bigott, who led the team in 3-pointers made and 3-point field goal percentage at 33.6 percent. Bigott dropped a career-high 23 points and tied a program record with seven 3-pointers at Coastal Carolina. 

Janay Sanders and Michaela Porter were two players that progressed over the season. Porter was nominated for Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year after leading the team with 53 steals and a rate of 1.9 steals per game, which were first and fourth in the league, respectively. Porter more than doubled her scoring average from 4.1 ppg to 8.7 ppg. Sanders averaged 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists over the past 12 contests of the season.

In 2019-20, she had the Mountaineers win seven of their final 12 games following a slow start due to injuries. She helped develop Bayley Plummer into the program’s second all-time rebounder and fourth in blocks. 

Under Elderkin’s guidance, Stanley averaged 14.1 points per game en route to becoming the 26th player in program history to score 1,000-career points. Off the court, the Apps did a stellar job helping the community, as they finished first in the country in the 2020 NCAA Team Works Helper Helper Community Service Competition with over 1,000 hours of community service. 

Elderkin's fifth season was her best on the App State sidelines, where she , led the Mountaineers to their most successful season in recent history with a 22-win season en route to the program's second WBI championship. 

The Mountaineers reeled off a 10-2 stretch over their last 12 games of the season en route to their 22-14 mark. The 22 victories are the program's most wins since the 2011-12 campaign and the seventh-best win total in a season. Elderkin also led the Black and Gold to one of the top turnarounds in the nation. On top of the 14-win improvement tying a program mark for the largest turnaround in school history, the Apps' jump from eight wins in 2017-18 to 22 victories this season was the fifth-best resurgence in the nation. 

Elderkin's squad was dominant on its home floor with a 14-3 record, which is the best mark at home in program history. 

In Sun Belt play, App State registered 10 league wins for its highest total since joining the league. The Mountaineers' fifth-place standing was also their best finish in Sun Belt action. App State put forth its deepest run in the Sun Belt Tournament with a pair of victories over Coastal Carolina in the first round and Georgia State in the quarterfinals. 

In season four facing a rash of injuries that included a torn ACL to senior and an All-Sun Belt First Team Preseason selection in Madi Story, Elderkin helped the most inexperienced team in the Sun Belt post eight wins including a first round Sun Belt Tournament win over Arkansas State. It was the second straight season the Black and Gold collected a postseason win, which was the first time since the 2012 and 2013 SoCon Tournaments.

The Mountaineers boasted one of the most lethal 3-point shooting attacks as the trio of Tierra Wilson (56), Lainey Gosnell (38) and Nicola Mathews (38) were the third-best 3-point shooting trio in the Sun Belt, while the 167 team trifectas were the second most in a single season in program history. 

Elderkin also helped guide the freshmen into one of the top producing classes in the league, as the team's leading scorers were first-year players in Pre Stanley (11.4 ppg) and  Wilson (10.5 ppg). In addition, Mathews' first season led to a year where she dished out a team-high 3.1 assists per contest. 

Her goal to raise money for the Play4Kay continued as Appalachian raised $1,092 for the Play4Kay Free Throw Challenge, which was first in the Sun Belt and 13th in the nation, while the Mountaineers raised over $3,000. 

In coach Elderkin's third season at the helm, she helped App improve its win total by two games despite injuries to key players, and recorded  its first-ever Sun Belt Tournament victory over Coastal Carolina in the first round. App won its most road games since the 2013-14 season while doubling its win total in non-conference from the 2015-16 season with six, equaling the most victories since the 2012-13 campaign.

The Mountaineers had three players score in double figures in Madi Story (13.2 ppg), Joi Jones (13.0 ppg) and Q. Murray (10.3 ppg). Story and Jones was the first duo under a coach Elderkin coached team to make an all-conference team, as the tandem were named Third Team All-Sun Belt.

With the help of Elderkin, Jones endured a successful career where she ended up in the record books rank 15^th all-time in scoring with 1,178 points and sixth in assists with 299, becoming one of seven players in school history to be ranked in the top 20 in scoring and top 10 in assists. In addition, Jones was named to the WBCA "So you Want to be a Coach” Program.

Coach Elderkin continues to be an advocate in raising funds for the research and awareness in the fight against cancer. In three years at App State, she has helped raise more than $10,000, including over $5,000 combined through the Kay Yow Fund and the American Cancer Society.

The team embraced the motto  “ETG” or “Embrace The Grind”, and coach Elderkin fully embraced the saying, as she successfully battled endometrial cancer in 2016-17. Beginning with treatments in the summer, coach Elderkin still didn't skip a beat and was at practice every day. The three-year head coach traveled to Chapel Hill for treatments every day and still made it to practice on time. She didn't miss one game the entire season, including a daunting five-game road trip to begin the slate. Elderkin ended her treatment just after the first road trip of the season in DePaul.

For her strength and courage in the face of cancer,  Elderkin was awarded the United State Basketball Writer's Association (USBWA) Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award along with ESPN analyst, Holly Rowe.

Elderkin's second campaign at App State went through ups and downs with a 10-20 record and 7-13 mark in conference play. Despite the record, the Apps had wins against squads such as UL Lafayette, who was second in the conference at the moment and eventual Sun Belt Tournament champion, Troy, on the road by 15 points.

Under Elderkin's tutelage, Madi Story improved greatly where her 8.6 point improvement was the highest in the conference while Joi Jones averaged just over 18 points in the final nine games of the season.

In the the conference opening victory at UL Monroe (12/31), it was the first time since the 1996-97 season that the Mountaineers opened conference play with a win on the road. 

In Elderkin's first season, she led the Apps to a 14-16 record and a 9-11 mark in the inaugural season in the Sun Belt. She played a pivotal role in developing young players such as Madi Story and Katelyn Doub. In one season, she contributed to Katie Mallow averaging a career-high 10.5 points per game and 2.3 assists per contest. 

App State standout Maryah Sydnor went down in program history as the team's third all-time leading scorer with 1,821 points. Another player that developed well under Elderkin was Bria Carter, who doubled nearly every statistical category and finished down the stretch as one of the better players on the team.

Under Elderkin's reign, the Apps finished third in the Sun Belt in scoring (67.7), second in free throw percentage (71.3) and made it a point of emphasis to crash the boards as the Apps  finished tied for second in offensive rebounding and third in defensive rebounding. 

With the philosophy and culture that Elderkin brings to the Appalachian State family, the Mountaineers are poised to contend for a Sun Belt Championshp sooner rather than later.

Elderkin comes to Appalachian State from LSU, where she spent two of the last three seasons (2013-14 — assistant coach; 2011-12 — director of video operations). She has also served on the staffs at St. John's (2012-13), Virginia (2007-11), Tennessee (2005-07), Siena (2001-05) and East Tennessee State (1999-2001).

In her 12 seasons as an assistant coach, video coordinator and graduate assistant, Elderkin's teams have advanced to postseason play 10 times and won five conference championships. As an assistant coach, she has worked directly with two all-Americans and four student-athletes that have gone on to play in the WNBA. She has also been responsible for landing four classes ranked among the nation's top 20 as a recruiting coordinator.

Elderkin helped LSU to the Sweet 16 of the 2014 NCAA Tournament, as the Tigers finished with a 21-13 overall record and ranked No. 24 nationally in the final USA Today women's basketball poll of the 2013-14 season. She also helped LSU to an NCAA Tournament berth as the program's director of video operations in 2012.

In between her two one-year stints at LSU, Elderkin was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at St. John's. In her lone season at St. John's, the Red Storm went 18-13 overall, 11-5 in Big East play and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Prior to going to LSU, Elderkin spent four seasons (2007-11) on the staff of Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Debbie Ryan at Virginia. As an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at UVa, Elderkin helped lead the Cavaliers to four-straight postseason berths (NCAA in 2008, 2009 and 2010, WNIT in 2011) and oversaw the signing of four-consecutive recruiting classes that were ranked among the top 20 nationally, including top-10 classes in 2010 and 2011.

Elderkin's first taste of the SEC came from 2005-07 when she served as a graduate assistant (2005-06) and video coordinator for legendary coach Pat Summit at Tennessee. In her two seasons with the Vols, UT won the 2007 national championship and advanced to the Elite 8 of the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

Her first job as an assistant coach came at Siena, where she also served as recruiting coordinator from 2001-05. In her four seasons at Siena, the Saints won three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season titles (2002, 2003 and 2004) and played in two WNITs (2002 and 2003).

Elderkin began her career as a special assistant to the head coach while earning a master's degree at nearby East Tennessee State (1999-2001).  

As a guard at the University of Southern Maine, Elderkin was a four-year letterwinner (1995-99) and helped lead the Huskies to three Little East Conference championships and an astounding 104-15 record over four seasons. USM reached the NCAA Division III Tournament all four seasons and was the national runner-up in 1998. 

A two-time recipient of the William B. Wise Scholar-Athlete Award, Elderkin also lettered three times in softball. She was inducted into the New England Hall of Fame as a member of the 1997-98 Southern Maine basketball squad in 2004.

Elderkin earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Southern Maine in 1999 with a minor in education and received a master's in physical education from ETSU in 2001.

“I'm extremely grateful and humbled to join the Appalachian State family,” Elderkin said. “I learned a lesson in life that you win with people and it is the people at Appalachian State that makes this the right opportunity for me at this time. I am truly excited for the opportunity to inject my spirit in the terrific women in our program and inspire them to succeed on and off the court.”

THE ANGEL ELDERKIN FILE
Birthdate: August 18, 1977
Hometown: East Providence, R.I.

Education
Bachelor's: Southern Maine, 1999 (Sociology)
Master's: East Tennessee State, 2001 (Physical Education and Exercise Science)

Coaching Experience
2014-pres: App State (Head Coach)
2013-14: LSU (Assistant Coach)
2012-13: St. John's (Assistant Coach)
2011-12: LSU (Director of Video Operations)
2007-11: Virginia (Assistant Coach)
2006-07: Tennessee (Video Coordinator)
2005-06: Tennessee (Graduate Assistant)
2001-05: Siena (Assistant Coach)
1999-2001: East Tennessee State (Special Assistant to the Head Coach)

Playing Experience
1995-99: Southern Maine

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT ANGEL ELDERKIN
“Angel Elderkin is going to be a great head coach for Appalachian State. She possesses the leadership qualities that are necessary to run a successful program. Angel is very dedicated and committed to the overall success of the student-athlete on and off the basketball court. She  understands how to motivate people while maintaining a positive relationship with her players. Angel has a love and passion to grow the game and fully understands the importance of giving back to the community. “
— Nikki Caldwell, Louisiana State University head coach

“Appalachian State has stolen a gem right from under the entire Women's Collegiate Basketball World. Angel will bring extensive basketball knowledge, an infectious motivational spirit, and an incredible level of integrity to the program at Appalachian State. She is prepared to do whatever it takes to lift the program to a Championship level both on and off the court. This will prove to be an extraordinary day in the history of Appalachian State athletics in the very near future. Angel will be an amazing leader coach and positive role model for the entire Appalachian State Community!”
— Debbie Ryan, former University of Virginia head coach, Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

“What a fantastic hire for Appalachian State. Angel is an outstanding, experienced young coach who knows how to build relationships and work very well with players. She's extremely knowledgeable about the game and knows what it takes to win, and I am excited that Angel has been given this opportunity to demonstrate what she can do as a head coach.”
— Holly Warlick, University of Tennessee head coach