Vanderbilt women's basketball adds WNBA, former UConn player Katie Lou Samuelson to staff

Vanderbilt women's basketball announced Sunday that WNBA player and former UConn women's basketball star Katie Lou Samuelson had joined the staff as director of player development.

In that role, she will assist with player development, recruiting and strategy. Samuelson, who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks, will continue playing with them during the WNBA's season and will work with Vanderbilt in the offseason.

“Lou is a natural leader and visionary on the court,” coach Shea Ralph said in a statement. “I have no doubt that she will bring that same level of dedication and intensity to our student-athletes here at Vanderbilt as director of player development. Beyond her basketball ability, she is an amazing person and a great role model. Katie Lou Samuelson’s consistent presence here on and off the court will elevate our program in every way.”

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With UConn, Samuelson was the American Athletic Conference player of the year in 2017 and 2018 and was part of the Huskies' 2016 national championship team. Ralph was an assistant coach on that team.

Samuelson is a new addition to the staff rather than replacing any existing staff member. Samuelson's former teammate at UConn, Kyla Irwin, previously served as the director of community relations and player development, but Samuelson's hire will allow Irwin to focus on community relations, according to a program spokesperson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt women's basketball hires WNBA player Samuelson to staff