June 2, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - - Melissa McFerrin has hired Brett Schneider as an assistant women's basketball coach at the University of Memphis it was announced by McFerrin, Tuesday. Schneider replaces Tempie Brown who joined the staff at Michigan State.

"Brett brings an incredible amount of high level women's basketball experience to the University of Memphis with a strength in recruiting and post player development," McFerrin said. "He has devoted his career to the sport of women's basketball and comes from a long line of great coaches from West Texas."

Schneider has over 15 years of experience in coaching, most recently spending two seasons as an associate coach at UMKC, where he served as the recruiting coordinator and camp director for the Kangaroos. He also worked as the liaison between the UMKC strength and conditioning program for the team.

"I am really excited about joining the Tiger family," Schneider said. " I've know Coach McFerrin for over 10 years and have closely followed her coaching career throughout the WNBA and college. She is a proven winner and it's a privilege to be a part of her staff and work at the University of Memphis."

Prior to his stop at UMKC, Schneider spent a season at Sam Houston State for the 2006-07 season, where he also served as the recruiting coordinator.

Schneider was an assistant on the coaching staff at West Texas A&M University from 1993-1998 and was the associate head coach from 2000-2006, helping West Texas A&M to a 248-76 record and six NCAA Division II tournament appearances. At West Texas A&M, Schneider coached five all-America selections, a National Freshman of the Year honoree, two Lone Star Conference MVPs, four LSC Freshman of the Year award winners, four LSC Defensive MVPs and four Academic all-Americans. In between his two stints at West Texas A&M, Schneider served as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri from 1998-2000. In Columbia, he helped the Tigers compile a 31-17 overall record and helped MU to its first postseason victory since 1985 and its first Big 12 tournament victory in the program's history. He also helped sign the No. 21 ranked recruiting class in the nation in 1998-99. That class included the No. 1 ranked junior college forward and the No. 7 ranked shooting guard.

Schneider has an extensive family background in college basketball. His father, Bob, coached for 43 years, including 25 seasons at West Texas, totaling 1,045 career victories with stops at three high schools and Texas Woman's University. Schneider's brother, Brandon, is currently the women's basketball coach at Emporia State in Kansas and his sister, Brooke, was a letterwinner at West Texas.

Schneider played one season of college ball at Trinidad Junior College after earning honorable mention all-state honors at Canyon High School in Canyon, Texas. He then transferred to West Texas A&M, earning his bachelor's degree in 1997 and his master's degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2002.