55 Run & Jump Man to Man Press

The Coach

Ron Hughey

Follow

Head Coach Ronald Hughey was introduced as the seventh head coach in Houston Cougar Women's Basketball history on April 22, 2014.

The 2019-20 Season
The Cougars battled through adversity throughout the season, anchored by senior leadership from Dorian Branch. Under the tutelage of Hughey, Branch became the 26th member of the 1,000-point club at Houston after earning Preseason Second Team All-Conference accolades. With a schedule packed with ranked opponents and holiday tournaments in both Canada and New York, the Cougars developed under Hughey and his staff as they reloaded for the 2020-21 season.

The 2018-19 season
In his fifth season at Houston, Hughey’s squad exhibited its gritty, in-your-face style of defense that is perfectly paired with its fast-paced offense. 

Under the tutelage of Hughey and his staff, the Houston made its second straight postseason appearance and secured a fourth-place finish in the American standings, its highest since joining the league.

Three of the members of his first signing class surpassed the 1,000 career points, mark as Serithia Hawkins surpassed 900 rebounds as well to become one of the most prolific forwards in Cougar history.

Houston ushered in a new era, playing a large portion of its season in the newly built Fertitta Center, winning six contests in the $60 million arenas.

Houston standout Dorian Branch took on a larger role in the offense and concluded the regular-season with second-team All-American Athletic Conference honors.

THE 2017-18 SEASON
Hughey's fourth season in 2017-18 was a banner year for the Cougars that saw the squad make the postseason for the first time since 2010-11 with a berth in the Women's NIT. Under Hughey, Houston won 20 games for the 12th time in program history and finished fifth in the American Athletic Conference standings, the highest finish for the squad since joining the league.

The Cougars matched a program record with 11 non-conference wins during the first half of the 2017-18 season, and eventually received three votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll, the most since Houston was ranked in the top-25 poll in 2010-11. The Cougars also reached a milestone for the second-consecutive season, when they broke the program record for 3-pointers made as a team with 247.

2017-18 had a certain resiliency instilled among the program. Hughey's Cougars completed nine second-half comebacks when trailing by eight or more points, earning the affectionate nickname among fans as the #CardiacCoogs.

THE 2016-17 SEASON
Hughey's third season at the helm of the Cougars was the 2016-17 campaign, where the Cougars took big strides toward becoming the powerhouse program of old. Hughey helped the Cougars double their win total, picking up 12 wins, including season-series sweeps of American Athletic Conference foes Tulsa and East Carolina. Hughey capped the season with an upset of the No. 7 seed Cincinnati in the American Championship First Round to register his first win in the postseason tournament.

Hughey's freshman class for the 2016-17 season proved to be one of the best in school history. Jasmyne Harris and Angela Harris each landed on The American Athletic Conference All-Freshman team, marking Hughey's second and third selections to the squad, while Harris became just Houston's fifth freshman to score 350 points and pull down 150 rebounds in their rookie campaign. 

THE 2015-16 SEASON
Hughey's second season leading the Cougars came in 2015-16 as he continued to build towards the future success of the program. Houston picked up wins over SMU and Rice for the second consecutive year while also collecting big wins against UCF and in-state rivals Incarnate Word and Texas A&M Corpus-Christi. The Cougars finished the 2015-16 season with a 4-2 record against teams from the Lone Star State.

The Cougars saw immediate success from standout freshman Serithia Hawkins as part of Hughey's first recruiting class. Hawkins led the team in points per game and rebounds per game en route to being unanimously voted to the American Athletic Conference All-Freshman team.

THE 2014-15 SEASON
Hughey's first season at the helm came in 2014-15, as the first-year head coach laid the foundation for future success. The Cougars knocked off in-state rivals SMU, UTSA, and Rice during the season, which was highlighted by a 2-1 trip through the Athletes in Action Classic in Lubbock.

Individually, returning Cougars set 54 single-season statistical highs under the tutelage of Hughey in 2014-15. Players benefiting most from Hughey's leadership include Jessieka Palmer, who more than doubled her scoring average to lead UH with 9.6 points per game, and Tyler Gilbert, who blocked 63 shots in 2014-15, the fifth-best mark in Houston history. Hughey's mentorship was also evident in the success experienced by point guards Alecia Smith and Bianca Winslow. Smith recorded a positive assist-to-turnover ratio for the first time in 2014-15 and finished 10th in The American with 3.1 assists per game. Winslow, meanwhile, finished second on the team with 59 total assists after combining for 17 helpers in her first two collegiate seasons.