Tulane’s Stockton promotes Grayson to assistant coach

NEW ORLEANS – Tulane women’s basketball head coach Lisa Stockton announced the promotion of Olivia Grayson to the open assistant coaching role effective July 1.

Grayson had served as the director of student-athlete development and video for the Green Wave since August 2018.

“Olivia has been an integral part of our program in multiple roles,” Stockton said. “She has worked her way up the ranks and is more than ready to take on this new challenge. I am excited to have her as an assistant coach for the upcoming season.”

Grayson will fill the position left open by former assistant coach Beth Dunkenberger after she stepped down in the spring for another career opportunity.

“We are greatly appreciative to Beth for her dedication over the past nine years,” Stockton said. “Her knowledge of the game and her ability to teach are unparalleled.”

Grayson previously served as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Northwestern State women’s basketball in Natchitoches, Louisiana. With the Demons, she was responsible for recruiting, scouting, coordinating camps, team video exchange, organizing team travel, ordering inventory and supervising graduate students in addition to her coaching duties.

Prior to her time at Northwestern State, Grayson was Tulane’s graduate assistant and video coordinator from 2013-2016. While earning her master’s degree in social work, Grayson broke down game film, assisted coaches on court during practice, organized on-campus recruiting, managed social media and assisted with all aspects of team travel. She also designed and organized the team playbook, recruited practice players and managers and was the assistant camp coordinator.

Grayson coached the Kenner Angels AAU program from 2013-16 and manned the sidelines for the New Orleans Blazers boys summer program in 2019.

“I am so excited to have the opportunity to coach at my alma mater,” Grayson said. “Tulane has been an integral part in my life, in both my playing and coaching career. The same pride I took in playing for the GreenWave is the same pride I will bring to coaching. I am so grateful for the trust Coach Stockton has placed in me, and I am looking forward to continuing to learn from this amazing staff and help the program reach new heights.”

As a player for the Green Wave, Grayson was First Team All-Conference USA in 2012 and Second Team All-CUSA in 2013. In her first year at Tulane, the conference recognized her on its All-Freshman Team. She was the MVP of the 2011 Tulane Classic and made the All-Tournament team in 2010 and 2011.

Grayson, a native of Metairie, remains eighth all-time in Tulane history with 1,442 points. She is also fourth all-time in assists (499), fifth in steals (249), 10th all-time in field goals made (487), fifth in field goals attempted (1,349) and seventh in rebounding (750). She holds the program record for games played at 134.

She attended the WBCA’s “So You Want to be a Coach?” program in 2013, earned All-Louisiana honors in 2012 and 2013 and was the 2010 Female Amateur Athlete of the Year as awarded by the Allstate Sugar Bowl and Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame. Grayson was been selected to be inducted into the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame in the fall of 2020.

“Olivia was an outstanding player in our program and brings a great perspective to our coaching staff,” Stockton said. “Her connection with our student-athletes and perspective on the court will help her in this role. She is an emerging leader in this field and I am excited to add her to our coaching staff.”

The Green Wave are scheduled to tipoff the 2020-21 season in November.