Batthsketball

Former WNBA player hired as assistant coach 

Erin Batth, the newly-hired women’s basketball team’s assistant coach, is no stranger to two of the key principles of Lady Flames basketball — hard work and character.

Getting drafted to the WNBA, being a part of the Clemson women’s basketball team ACC championship run in 1999 and working as an executive assistant to the general manager and operations specialist for both the Sacramento Kings and Sacramento Monarchs are just a few items on Batth’s decorated resume.

At 16 years old when Batth was still in high school, she was recruited by current Head Coach of the Lady Flames Carey Green, who was the assistant head coach for the Clemson women’s basketball team at the time.

While playing under Green and Clemson’s head coach Jim Davis, Batth developed into one of the most dominant players in Clemson women’s basketball history.

In her sophomore year, Batth helped contribute to the Tigers second ACC championship in school history, and their run to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament, despite playing with a torn ACL.

“My trainer would make me stand on a training table and she would tape my knee in place and tape my DonJoy brace to my leg,” Batth said.

“I got 10 stitches in my face too. I was like ‘There’s no way you can hurt (yourself) anymore,’ so why not play?”

During her junior and senior year Batth was a dominant force in the post.

Batth showcased her talent on both ends of the court and finished her career as the fifth all-time leading shot-blocker and the 20th all-time leading scorer.

She also led the team in rebounding both years, accumulating 722 career rebounds to land her the eighth spot on the Tigers all-time rebounding list.

Along with those records, Batth was a member of the ACC All-Defensive team in 2000 and 2001, second-team defensive All-American team in 2000 and 2001, and second-team All-ACC team in 2001.

Batth was then drafted by the Cleveland Rockers, becoming the first Clemson player to be drafted to the WNBA.

“I was in my little Honda driving down the road and I had no idea,” Batth said.

“Then the head coach at Cleveland called me and I stopped at 7-Eleven, I got out and did a wild dance. I wasn’t even professional, I was like ‘Shut up!’”

At the professional level, Batth also gained experience from top talent and coaches while playing with the Sacamento Monarchs, San Antonio Silver Stars and while playing overseas in Greece.

After her time in Greece, Batth moved to Virginia Commonwealth University where she would serve as an assistant basketball coach.

However, after a year of coaching, Batth would briefly return to professional basketball to play in Turkey but would retire from playing basketball after that.

Once Batth had retired, she transitioned into the administrative and coaching side of basketball.

She landed a job as an executive assistant to the general manager/operations specialist of the Sacramento Kings and Monarchs.

Batth worked administrative positions for five years, including three years spent at the University of Virginia, before returning to coaching when Towson University asked her to join its staff as an assistant.

After a year with Towson, Batth would bring her experience to coach at Tennessee Technological University, where she held an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator position under her former coach at Clemson, Jim Davis.

In April of 2014, Batth moved on to her next chapter as an assistant coach for Georgia State University (GSU).

In her time at GSU, Batth helped develop post players, and also helped with recruitment.

Although Batth found a lot of success while coaching for GSU in her home state, she knew that when Green called her and offered her a position on staff for the Lady Flames, she had to go.

“When (Coach Green) called it was a no-brainer,” Batth said.

“Coach Green taught me so many things. I never really had a father in my life. But Coach Davis and Coach Green are the two men that were steadfast in my life with discipline, even with our backgrounds being so different. That’s why I’m bringing my daughter. I’m bringing my gift from God here because it’s time for her to have a foundation of something — and I would give anything if she knew who Coach Green was.”

Batth hopes to give back to the players as Coach Green did for her in her time at Clemson and to also learn from him as she aspires to become a head coach one day.

“We’ve got a bigger purpose,” Batth said.

“It’s a lot of ‘momma’ work too. Very little of what we do has to do with X’s and O’s. These young people need guidance, and you hold each other accountable. It’s a lot about making sure they become women.”

Davis is the asst. sports editor.