Shoemate named LU women's basketball assistant

GREENWOOD - Lander women's basketball coach Kevin Pederson has announced the hiring of DeCole Shoemate as the Lady Bearcats' assistant coach.

Shoemate, a former Lander volunteer coach who has been the head coach at Brewton-Parker in Mount Vernon, Ga. for the past two seasons, replaces longtime assistant coach Russ Gregg, who was hired as the head coach at Erskine College.

"I am very excited to welcome DeCole back to Lander University as our assistant women's basketball coach," said Pederson. "Coach Shoemate is familiar with our system as a player and as a coach. After working with us and then being a head coach at Brewton-Parker, she brings a wealth of experience that we believe will help keep our women's basketball program heading in the right direction.

"I have a lot of confidence in her ability to coach on the floor, recruit quality student-athletes and help our team to grow in the community"

A native of Beaufort, S.C., Shoemate, who was Pederson's first signee as a rookie coach at Anderson University, played two years at Florida International before playing her last two years at Anderson. An all-Conference Carolinas selection, she helped lead Anderson to a conference championship and the school's first ever NCAA win.