In the past, he gave instructions

from the sidelines. She took shots on the court. In the near future, the two will stand together and watch their team.

Iowa State Women’s Basketball Coach Bill Fennelly and Latoja Harris have a history together from their days at University of Toledo-Ohio. As of Aug. 26, the two have a future together in Cyclone basketball.

Fennelly appointed Harris to be his third assistant basketball coach last week.

Harris recently returned to the United States after playing professional basketball in Portugal, Italy, Finland and Turkey.

She decided she wanted to change her position from basketball player to basketball coach.

For Fennelly, Harris’ decision to become a coach could not have come at a better time.

“We were looking hard for a third assistant coach,” he said. “When Latoja’s name came up, we jumped at the chance to hire her.”

He said she was exactly what he wanted in a coach.

“She will be a great asset to the Iowa State women’s basketball team,” he said. “She has great work ethic, which I knew from her days at Toledo, and will be a role model for the girls to look up to.”

And in turn, Harris said the ISU position was just the type of job she had been hoping for.

She said leaving the big leagues to become a coach was easy for a couple of reasons, one being that she has the chance to work with her former coach.

“It’s great to get an opportunity to work with one of the best coaches in the country,” Harris said.

Not only is she looking forward to working with Fennelly, she said she also wants to have an impact upon the lives of other people.

“I really want to help kids who go through a lot of struggles in their life,” she said. “I want to show them that they can still get through.”

Harris graduated in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in communication. At Toledo, she was an All-American center for Fennelly and a three-year letter winner.

While playing overseas, she averaged double-figure in scoring and rebounding throughout her entire professional career.

Harris said right now, she does not feel much like a coach, but she is looking forward to it.

The Cyclones play the Hungarian National team Nov. 9 at Hilton Coliseum.