Agger, 24, Takes Over The Reins At PSU-Abington
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – It hasn't taken long for Steph Agger to make a lot of progress on her "bucket list." This week, "Get a college head-coaching job" was crossed off.
Just 24 years old, Agger has been named the new head women's basketball coach at Division III Penn State-Abington.
"It is quite an honor and I am extremely, extremely excited," Agger tells KYW Newsradio.
Steph Agger Interview
A standout player at Lower Cape May High School and Division II Philadelphia University (she was a 1,000-point scorer at both institutions), Agger brings head coaching experience to campus. Last season she led the girls' squad at John W. Hallahan High School in Philadelphia.
She says coaching is a real passion for her.
"You start as a player and you work hard and you do all the things, and you have role models in your life," Agger says. "My high school coach is one of my role models. (Head coach) Tom Shirley at Philadelphia University was a role model of mine, and I see how he was with me and motivated me and did all those things that I was, like, 'This is what I want to do.' It's a sport that I've loved forever and these people have done it for me, so I'd like to give back and teach young adults, young student athletes, the game of basketball."
So, what can PSU-Abington fans expect on the floor?
"We're definitely going to preach defense," Agger says. "I'm definitely going to be a defensive minded coach. (We're going to be) a defensive-minded program."
Last season, PSU-Abington went 9-16. One of the keys to improving on that ledger for Agger will be getting out on the recruiting trail for the first time.
"The recruiting is going to be the challenge," she says. "But I was a student-athlete who was recruited, so I know what kids are wanting to hear. So I have that advantage, because I was a student-athlete that was recruited. The rest of it is just getting in there and doing the dirty work of getting to see these players and selling myself and selling the institution. So I'm excited for it, I really am."
PSU-Abington is a member of the North Eastern Athletic Conference.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.
