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 GW assistant women's basketball coach Tajama (Abraham) Ngongba accepted the head coaching position at Radford University Wednesday. |
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Women's Basketball Assistant Coach Tajama Ngongba Named Head Coach at Radford
May 8, 2008
WASHINGTON, DC - George Washington assistant women's basketball coach Tajama (Abraham) Ngongba has accepted the head coaching position at Radford University, the Big South school announced in a press conference Wednesday.
Ngongba becomes the sixth coach in Radford program history. The Highlanders finished 23-12 overall and made an appearance in the Big South Championship game and WNIT in 2007-08.
Ngongba has spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater following stints as an assistant at both Virginia Commonwealth (2002-04) and Richmond (2001-02). During her 10 years as a student-athlete, administrative assistant (1999-2001) and assistant coach with the Colonials' women's basketball program Ngongba has been part of 252 victories, four Sweet 16 appearances and the Elite Eight in 1997.
The most prolific scorer in GW women's basketball history, Ngongba tallied a school-record 2,134 points during her four-year career and is the only Colonial to eclipse the 2,000 career-point mark. Ngongba was named a Kodak first-team All-American as a senior in 1997 after leading the Colonials to a 28-6 record and the East Regional Final in the NCAA Tournament. She was named to the 1997 East Regional All-Tournament Team after GW defeated No. 4 North Carolina to advance to the Elite Eight. Ngongba was also a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American and a Basketball Times Honorable Mention All-America selection as a junior in 1996.
Ngongba earned the 1997 Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year Award and was the conference's Rookie of the Year in 1994. She was a unanimous first-team all-league selection in 1996 and 1997 and earned second-team all-conference honors in 1995. Ngongba was selected to the Atlantic 10 All-Tournament Team in 1997 and was the tournament's MVP in 1996 when GW claimed the A-10 crown.
In addition to her school-record 2,134 points, Ngongba holds the school mark for the most points in one season (675 in 1996-97) and is tied with former GW assistant coach Lisa Cermignano for the most games played (130). She ranks second at GW in career scoring average (16.4 points per game), rebounds (970) and blocked shots (326).
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After graduating in 1997, Ngongba was drafted with the seventh pick in the fourth round of the inaugural WNBA draft by the Sacramento Monarchs. Ngongba spent the 1997 season with the Monarchs before joining the Detroit Shock for the 1998 campaign. Ngongba traveled to Nice, France, for the 1998-99 season before joining McKeown's staff at GW in October 1999, as administrative assistant.
Ngongba became the sixth player and the seventh individual with ties to the women's basketball program to be inducted into the GW Athletics Hall of Fame on January 24, 2004. She married former GW men's basketball player Patrick Ngongba in 2003 and the couple has a daughter, Naja, and son, Patrick II.