The Connecticut Sun announced today that head coach and general manager Curt Miller has hired Brandi Poole as an assistant coach on his staff.
An assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Texas Tech since September of 2015, Poole will start when the Red Raiders’ season ends. She was an assistant coach for Miller at Indiana and Bowling Green.
“I am so grateful to be joining the Connecticut Sun,” Poole said. “I look forward to being reunited on the bench with Curt. We have won a lot of games together and cut down a lot of nets. I believe in his championship locker room approach and in how he prepares his teams to be successful. He took a chance on a young coach 17 years ago, and we built two programs together. Now, I am looking forward to working with some of the best basketball players in the world and helping the Sun win a title.”
Poole started her career as the Director of Operations for the WNBA’s Portland Fire in 2000, and was an assistant coach at West Virginia from 2000-01. She worked with Miller at Bowling Green from 2001-12 and at Indiana from 2012-14.
“I am so excited to be reunited with my longtime and talented assistant coach,” Miller said. “We have a fantastic relationship and helped build two programs during our 13 years together at the collegiate level. Brandi is widely considered one of the elite assistant coaches in the country. She has tremendous work ethic and is the best multi-tasker I have been around in my coaching career.”
At BGSU, Poole helped Miller win eight straight MAC regular-season titles, five MAC Tournament Championships, reach five NCAA tournaments, and become the only team in conference history to advance to the Sweet 16. BGSU set a conference record for wins in a season (31), had nine straight seasons with at least 21 wins, including four seasons with 28 or more wins, and had a winning percentage of .737 (258-92).
Poole followed Miller to Indiana in 2012, and the Hoosiers tied a school record with 21 wins during the 2013-14 season. Indiana had a program-record three postseason wins in the 2014 WNIT tournament.
“She is an outstanding scout and has great familiarity with our offensive system,” Miller said. “She is a great addition to our organization and will help echo our beliefs in culture, leadership, and family. We have celebrated numerous championships together. Nothing would bring us more joy than cutting down nets in Connecticut.”
Poole is excited to return to the WNBA.
“Early in my career, I got to spend a summer with (Hall of Fame coach) Linda Hargrove and the Portland Fire, so I was able to get a feel for the league in its early days,” Poole said. “I have loved watching the WNBA grow and influence so many young players and give them a platform. I can’t wait to get to Connecticut and help the Sun build on the tremendous season that they had last summer. I look forward to building relationships with our players and helping to prepare them to be the best they can be. I am so grateful to Curt and to Amber Cox for this opportunity to help lead the Connecticut Sun.”
Season tickets for 2018 start as low as $22 per game and are available now. Visit ConnecticutSun.com or call 1-877-SUN-TIXX to purchase.