Auburn's Williams-Flournoy: 'I know how to win'
Tuesday - 4/3/2012, 7:46pm ET
AP Sports Writer
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - New Auburn women's basketball coach Terri Williams-Flournoy vows to create a winning mind-set, not instant wins.
"I can't promise you how much we will win, what we will do," Williams-Flournoy said Tuesday. "But what I can promise you is that I know how to win, and that's what I will put into the minds of our young ladies."
She was introduced Tuesday before a couple of hundred fans at Auburn Arena, a 2-year-old facility that she touted as a big asset for her new program.
Williams-Flournoy spent the past eight seasons as Georgetown's head coach, leading the Hoyas to NCAA tournaments in each of the past three seasons. She received a five-year, $550,000 contract.
"It wasn't a hard decision when Auburn University opened up," Williams-Flournoy said. "I knew that this was a great opportunity for me and my family. Just look at this arena. It's unbelievable what we can do with women's basketball in here."
The Tigers haven't been to the NCAA tournament since winning the Southeastern Conference title in the 2008-09 season when they went 30-4. Meanwhile, Williams-Flournoy led the Hoyas to 93 wins over the past four seasons.
Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said all but one of her Georgetown players has graduated, "and that one is just a few hours away."
"What we wanted to make sure and what we got was somebody that could establish a program, and she's done that at Georgetown," Jacobs said. "We feel like being in the SEC, being at Auburn, and with the facilities we have, that she could do that. She talked about winning the right way right off the bat.
"She's a very competitive person, and she wants to win. We all need to be patient, because it's going to take a little time. But like she did at Georgetown, she'll build this program to be in the NCAA every year and have a chance to compete for national championships."
Williams-Flournoy talked to her current players and all four signees after her hiring Monday night. She said she wants the Tigers "to play tenacious defense for 40 minutes."
As for boosting the attendance, she said that will come with success.
"I didn't get fans at Georgetown until we won," she said. "When we win, they shall come."
Williams-Flournoy made an impression on Blanche Alverson and her Auburn teammates, many of whom attended the news conference.
"We're really excited," the forward said. "We got to meet coach Flo (Monday) night and she kind of sold us on what she's going to bring to this program and why she picked Auburn. We're just really excited. She's got a lot of good things in store and I think we all got a great first impression."
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
