“KaLeah will be an asset to us in all phases of the program,” said Watkins. “She brings three years of experience as an assistant and has been involved in many aspects of Division I basketball during her time with Coach Agee at UNCG. She is a people person and was a natural fit for our program in many ways. Her coaching, both from an analytical and skill basis, along with her outgoing personality and work ethic will assist us in striving to build the caliber of athlete we seek at Campbell.”
“I’m very excited to get started here at Campbell,” said Latham. “This is a great opportunity for me and a perfect fit. I immediately felt comfortable with the other members of this coaching staff, and the girls are amazing.”
Latham comes to Buies Creek after three seasons as an assistant coach on longtime Spartan head coach Lynne Agee’s staff. Agee retired after the 2010-11 season after leading the UNCG women’s hoops program for the past 30 seasons.
“I’m honored to work for someone as prestigious and successful as Coach Watkins, and I am very excited to be able to get experience and learn under such a great coach,” said Latham.
With the Spartans, Latham worked primarily with the UNCG post players. In 2008-09, her first season with UNCG, the Spartans broke their team blocked shots record. Center Agne Girstautaite also set a new individual school mark with 53 blocks that season, then blocked 35 in 2009-10, tied for the fourth-best mark in school history.
In Latham’s three years on the UNCG staff, the Spartans finished in the top four in the Southern Conference in offensive rebounds each time, leading the league last season and finishing second in 2009-10. In 2008-09, the Spartans had five players with at least 100 rebounds for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
“I had the tremendous opportunity to both play and coach under Coach Agee and I am extremely grateful for that experience,” added Latham. “I hope to be able to touch as many lives as she has through basketball and be that positive impact on peoples’ lives.”
Latham was also in charge of tape exchange and assisted with all other facets of the women’s basketball program.
The Athens, Tenn., native was a four-year player for the Spartans from 2003-07. Latham led the Spartans in rebounding three consecutive seasons and tallied 565 career rebounds, which ranks seventh in UNCG’s Division I era. During her senior season, she led UNCG to a 20-10 record, including a 71-68 win over SoCon rival Chattanooga. She finished her career fifth in school history in double-doubles with 11.
During her senior year, Latham started all 30 games and became just the fourth Spartan in school history to lead the team in rebounding three consecutive seasons with 7.5 rebounds per game. She set career highs in points with 19 in a win against Georgia Southern and rebounds with 15 against Furman and closed her career with five double-doubles in her last 10 games.
Her junior year, she led UNCG to the Southern Conference Championship title game and was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 13.0 points and 7.3 rebounds through three games. She also led UNCG to a 70-64 win over Wake Forest with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Latham had a breakout sophomore campaign and led the team with 5.5 rebounds per game in 26 appearances with 17 starts. She tallied six double-digit scoring games and three rebounding efforts of 10 or more to go with her first two career double-doubles.
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