June 13, 2012
NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion University women's basketball head coach Karen Barefoot has announced the hiring of Richard Fortune as assistant coach while Adrienne Goodson has moved over to the director of operations.
"We are very excited to welcome Richard to our ODU family, his expertise in recruiting and his contacts all along the east and west coasts are tremendous. He brings a lot of passion and energy to the game and he really enjoys this community," Barefoot said. "Adrienne's background and expertise in marketing will allow us to grow this program and continue to reach the level we want to achieve."
Fortune comes to the Lady Monarchs after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at UCF. Prior to joining the Knights, he was an assistant coach for the highly acclaimed Boo Williams AAU Girl's Nike Travel Team from 2008-10 in Hampton, Va. Fortune helped lead the AAU team to a No. 1 national ranking in 2008.
"Richard will do a fine job at Old Dominion. He has done a good job wherever he has been, not only as a coach but also a recruiter," Williams said. "He knows the Virginia area very well and is a fine addition to Coach Barefoot's staff."
"I am grateful and thankful for the opportunity to work with Coach Barefoot and her staff. Coach Barefoot has a love and passion for the game as well as her players," Fortune said. "She has the energy, knowledge and leadership skills needed to reignite ODU's great tradition."
In his first season at UCF, he helped the Knights to the 2011 Conference USA Championship.
During the 2004-05 season, Fortune served as an assistant coach with the men's basketball team at his alma mater Virginia State University following one season as an assistant coach with the John Marshall High School boys' basketball team. Prior to his stints at Virginia State and John Marshall, Fortune was the boy's head coach at Caroline High School in Milford, Va., from 2001-04. In his final season at Caroline, he was named the Free Lance Star All Area Coach of the Year as well as the Battlefield District Coach of the Year after leading the team to the 2004 District Championship.
His tenure at Caroline started in 1994 as he began an eight-year stint as an assistant coach before taking the helm as the team's head coach. As an assistant, Fortune helped lead the team to six district championships (1994-96, 1999-2001) and three tournament championships (1994-96). Those teams also made six regionals appearances (1994-96, 1999-2001), winning three titles in that time (1995-96, 2000). Under Fortune, the team also appeared in four state tournaments (1995-96, 1998, 2001.)
A member of the Lady Monarchs' 1985 National Championship team, Goodson rejoined the ODU staff last season as an assistant coach. She worked as an assistant during the 2004-05 season as well.
"I think it's an awesome transition to move to operations, from looking at everything and kind of rearranging things to put people in their position of strength. Coach Barefoot has worked hard in the off-season to put people in places of strength so that her vision for the program will be met," Goodson said. "It gives me the opportunity to foster and develop the things we're trying to get these girls to understand, how to conduct themselves in the community, academically and all the way around."
"Our staff is extremely excited heading into this season with a top-40 recruiting class. We feel that we've got a very talented incoming class that will compliment a committed returning class that will result in excitement for our fans," Barefoot added.