Ann Hancock: Do the hard things that no one else wants to do-that is what propels you!

Two Feet In with Coach Heather Macy

Prior to returning to her alma mater, Hancock spent two seasons as an assistant women’s basketball coach at East Carolina University. Prior to her time in Greenville, she was the head women’s basketball coach at UNC Wilmington for 10 seasons. Hancock was an assistant coach for eight seasons at UNC Chapel Hill, helping the Tar Heels win the 1994 NCAA Division I national championship. As a basketball student-athlete at Wingate, Hancock was all-conference and all-district for four seasons each. She can be reached at [e-mail].
At East Carolina, Hancock assisted in all phases of the basketball program. She was involved in on-the-floor coaching, recruiting and scouting. Hancock was also engaged in student-athlete academic progress and summer camps.
While the head coach at UNC Wilmington, Hancock led the Seahawks to the most NCAA victories in school history and the most wins in any three consecutive year period. She was the Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year in 2003. The same season, she helped the Seahawks set a new attendance record. UNCW signed the most highly-touted recruiting class in school history in 2003.
Hancock helped Seahawk superstar Cherie Lea earn first team All-CAA honors two years in a row. She coached one NCAA I-AAA Strength and Conditioning Female Athlete of the Year, one CAA Defensive Player of the Year, two Strength and Conditioning All-Americans and two CAA Dean Ehlers Leadership Award winners during her UNC Wilmington tenure.
Hancock assisted in all phases of coaching for the 1994 NCAA Division I national champion UNC Tar Heels. She was heavily involved in recruiting; Hancock signed the numbers one, four, five, seven and 14th-ranked high school players as the program’s recruiting coordinator. She coached on the floor during practice, with specific work geared to the UNC perimeter players.
In addition, Hancock assisted with player development and prepared in-depth scouting reports on Tar Heel opponents. She coached WNBA players Sylvia Crawley, Marion Jones, Charlotte Smith and Tracy Reid. As a collegian, Smith was the ESPN National Player of the Year. Reid was the WNBA Rookie of the Year. Hancock mentored numerous All-Academic team selections.
Hancock scored 2,195 points during a distinguished Wingate career (1989-92). As a senior, she led the Bulldogs in scoring with her 19.9 points per game. During her tenure, Wingate compiled a 103-23 overall record. The Bulldogs advanced to the NAIA national tournament each season. Hancock and her teammates won three conference and three district titles.
The 1992 NCAA Woman of the Year for North Carolina, Hancock earned a prestigious NCAA post-graduate scholarship. She was Wingate’s first-ever Academic All-America® selection in 1990. In addition to her basketball exploits, Hancock lettered in volleyball three years and softball one year for the Bulldogs. At Wingate’s 1992 commencement exercises, she won the Budd E. and Ethel K. Smith Cup. The Smith Cup is awarded annually to the senior judged to have made an outstanding contribution through leadership of fellow students.
Hancock holds a Master of Arts degree in Sports Administration from UNC Chapel Hill. She earned a B.A. degree in English with a minor in Public Relations at Wingate, graduating magna cum laude. Hancock won the Woody Hayes National Scholar-Athlete Award and the South Atlantic Conference President’s Award in 1992. Hancock is the daughter of Mrs. Lou Hancock and the late Mr. Tom Hancock of Elizabethtown, N.C.