Lauren Flaum

CHANDRA DORSEY

ASSISTANT COACH/RECRUITING COORDINATOR • SECOND SEASON OLE MISS, 2001 • Pine Grove, La.

Chandra Dorsey enters her second season as a member of the Tulane women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach in 2021-22 and her 21st season coaching collegiately. She serves as the recruiting coordinator and the guards coach for the Green Wave.

Dorsey came to Tulane after spending eight seasons at Texas State having two different stints with the Bobcats. The latter five as the associate head coach after spending a season at Wichita State in 2014-15. Dorsey spent her first three seasons prior to her departure to Wichita State with the Bobcats as the recruiting coordinator.

The 2018-19 season saw Texas State finish with a 14-17 overall record and a 9-9 mark against the Sun Belt Conference. The Bobcats finished sixth in the league standings and dropped a tough game in the second round of the conference tournament. Guard Toshua Leavitt was named First Team All-Sun Belt Conference after a record-breaking season saw her top both the school and conference marks for career made 3-point field goals (363). Leavitt also collected CollegeSportsMadness. com National Mid-Major Player of the Week on Jan. 17 following a career-high 35-point effort at Georgia State. The 2017-18 season, Dorsey’s third as associate head coach, saw the Bobcats finish 23-10 overall, including an 14-4 record in Sun Belt play, which was good for the No. 2 seed in the Sun Belt Championship. The Bobcats fell in the title game, but clinched an automatic bid to the WNIT.

Dorsey, who works primarily with the guards, helped guide Taeler Deer to Sun Belt Player of the year accolades after the senior averaged 17.3 points and 6.5 assists per contest. Deer also garnered Texas State’s first All-Sun Belt first team selection in program history. Guard Toshua Leavitt cruised by the previous school record for single-season 3-point makes, canning 137 during her junior campaign, including twice making a school record 10 triples in a single-game. Leavitt was named to the All-Sun Belt second team.

The 2016-17 season, Dorsey’s second as associate head coach, saw the Bobcats finish 16-15 overall, including an 11-7 record in Sun Belt play, which garnered the No. 4 seed in the Sun Belt Championship, and earn an at-large berth to the WBI. The Bobcats, which won 10 of 12 games during the heart of the Sun Belt schedule, were the only team in the league to defeat each of the top three teams in the final conference standings. Moreover, Dorsey, who serves as the program’s defensive coordinator, helped lead the Bobcats’ overall defensive efficiency from last in the Sun Belt in 2015-16 to second-best in 2016-17, which included leading the conference much of the season.

In addition to conference success, the Bobcats posted key nonconference wins over Houston, North Texas and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Guard Taeler Deer earned Third Team All-Sun Belt honors after averaging a career-high 10.8 points per game. Moreover, guard Toshua Leavitt sank 77 3-pointers to rank second on the TXST single season list, including a program-record tying seven in the quarterfinal round of the Sun Belt Championship.

Dorsey’s 2015-16 season, her first as associate head coach, was highlighted by wins over North Texas and rival UTSA along with Sun Belt Conference victories against Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Little Rock, Appalachian State and UL Monroe. In addition, she coached guard Taeler Deer to both the Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Week and College Sports Madness National Mid-Major Player of the Week in late November after a 32-point performance to lead the Bobcats to a 64-62 win over a North Texas team that had previously upset then-No. 17 Oklahoma. As a team the Bobcats set the all-time Texas State record for made 3-point field goals in a season with 232, eclipsing the previous record of 207 set in 2014-15.

While Dorsey was with Wichita State, the Shockers earned their third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance after sweeping through the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament for their third consecutive title. The 2014-15 Shockers finished the season with a 29-5 overall record and 17-1 MVC mark as they also won their third consecutive regular season title.

At Wichita State, Dorsey coached Alex Harden and Jamillah Bonner, the 2014-15 MVC Player of the Year and MVC Defensive Player of the Year, respectively. Both players earned First-Team All-MVC honors and along with being an AP All-American Honorable Mention honorees, Harden was drafted as the No. 18 overall pick of the 2015 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury. ranked as the No. 76 recruiting class in the country, according to Dan Olson.

Before coming to Texas State, Dorsey spent four seasons at the University of Tulsa. After one season she was appointed recruiting coordinator.

In four seasons at Tulsa, she was responsible for signing the Oklahoma 5A Girls Basketball MVP and Tulsa World Player of the Year, two Texas McDonald All-American Nominees, and the HoopGirlz Top 40 Forward in the Country. She also helped develop two C-USA All-Conference performers, including the 2010 All-Freshmen Team performer and 2010 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year. Dorsey’s other responsibilities included scouting opponents and developing the perimeter players. In March 2011, she was named interim head coach of the Golden Hurricane before leaving for Texas State.

A native of Pine Grove, La., Dorsey went to Tulsa after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Southern Mississippi. She worked primarily with the perimeter players, while her responsibilities also included recruiting, opponent scouting/film breakdown, assisting with summer camps, and coordinating the team’s community service projects. With help from Dorsey, the Lady Eagles won the USM Community Service Cup Award. She also helped coach and develop the 2006 C-USA Co-Freshman of the Year, along with three All C-USA performers.

She began her coaching career at McNeese State where she was responsible for film exchange, team travel, scouting opponents, guard development and on campus recruiting.

Dorsey was a four-year letterwinner at the University of Mississippi. While at Ole Miss she led her team to two postseason tournament appearances in 1999 and 2001 (WNIT), was selected as the team’s Most Improved Player in 1999 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. She was also selected as team captain during her senior campaign. Dorsey was named to the All-SEC Academic Honor Roll and was a member of the UMAA (University of Mississippi Athletic Association) Honor Roll.

A 2001 graduate of Ole Miss, Dorsey earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in sociology. Prior to her collegiate career, Dorsey prepped at St. Helena High School where she was named to the Louisiana All-State Team, All-Metro Team and was the 1996 & 1997 District MVP. Dorsey averaged 24 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds and her name appears on the 1000-point club scoring list with 1,200 points.

Dorsey regularly goes back to mentor and speak to St. Helena’s youth. She has spoken at several award banquets and served as the guest speaker at her alma mater’s commencement along with being honored as the Grand Marshal of the St. Helena homecoming parade. Dorsey was also a guest speaker at the 2010 WBCA convention during the Final Four.

THE DORSEY FILE...

Hometown: Pine Grove, La. Alma Mater: Ole Miss, 2001

Playing Experience Ole Miss, 1997-2001

Coaching Experience

2020-present: Assistant Coach, Tulane 2015-20: Associate Head Coach, Texas State 2014-15: Assistant Coach, Wichita State 2011-14: Assistant Coach, Texas State 2007-2011: Assistant Coach, Tulsa 2005-07: Assistant Coach, Southern Miss 2001-05: Assistant Coach, McNeese State