Sept. 15, 2003
Iowa Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lisa Bluder announced today the hiring of Shannon Gage as the new director of basketball operations. Gage replaces Laquanda Dawkins, who left in August to become an assistant coach at Florida International University.
Gage will work closely with the Hawkeye basketball staff, helping coordinate and carry out the day-to-day activities of the program. She will be responsible for arranging team travel, overseeing the budget, coordinating summer camps and training tables, overseeing opponent tape exchange, managing film exchange and supporting Iowa’s recruiting efforts.
“I’m extremely excited to join Coach Bluder’s staff,” commented Gage. “After graduating from college, I wanted to branch out and try new things, but always knew that I would come back to women’s basketball. I think this is the beginning of a long career in women’s basketball on the collegiate level.”
Gage joins the Hawkeye staff after working as a retail manager the last four years and has been pursing a fashion degree from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.
The native of Tulsa, OK, graduated from Southwest Missouri State in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in leisure and recreation studies, with an emphasis in recreational therapy. A four-year letterwinner at SMS, Gage played in 91 games, starting 11 and totaled 247 points, 128 assists and 71 steals during her career.
“We are excited to have someone like Shannon join our staff,” said Bluder. “She brings great playing experience from a winning program and she is excited to have this opportunity with the Iowa Hawkeyes.”