2019-20 smu women's basketball n PAGE PB 2019-20 smu women's basketball n PAGE 15 TRAVIS MAYS HEAD COACH TEXAS, '90 4TH SEASON Travis Mays took over at SMU on April 7, 2016. Mays arrived on the Hilltop after 14 years as an assistant coach, where he served under three Hall of Fame coaches, and 11 years playing professionally. In his first season, Mays led the Mustangs to the third round of the WNIT with a pair of victories in the tournament, winning multiple postseason games for the second time in program history and the first since 1993. He guided the team to a 19-13 record overall, including a 13-3 mark in Moody Coliseum, the second-most home wins in program history. SMU defeated then-No. 19 Texas A&M at home, and all three losses came against teams ranked or receiving votes at the time (No. 1 Connecticut, No. 22 USF and RV Tulane). The Mustangs set program records with 187 blocks (12th in the NCAA for the season) and 1,409 rebounds (27th in the NCAA for the season). Alicia Froling earned all-conference honors, and set the single-season record with 17 double-doubles. In his second season, playing without three-time all-conference honoree Alicia Froling who missed the season due to injury, Mays and the Mustangs won just 10 games. However, 10 of the 20 losses were by 10 points or less, including a pair one-possession games. One of Mays’ first signees, Ariana Whitfield, was named Following his playing days, Mays began his coaching career with a two-year stint in to the league’s all-freshman team. He also guided senior McKenzie Adams to her the WNBA with the San Antonio Silver Stars (2002-04) and then returned to his alma first all-conference award, and the senior become the 24th 1,000-point scorer in mater as an assistant to Hall of Fame coach Jody Conradt from 2004-07, where he program history. proved himself as a gifted floor coach and recruiter. Mays moved on to LSU and worked on Hall of Fame coach Van Chancellor's staff from 2007-11. In 2018-19, Mays guided one of the two youngest teams in the country to an 11-19 record. His leadership aided Alicia Froling to become the first player in program At both UT and LSU, Mays helped ink nationally-acclaimed recruits, and all seven of history with 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Kayla White led the team in scoring. the recruiting classes Mays assisted in assembling were ranked among the nation's White was named to the conference all-freshman team, marking the second straight top 25, including five top-five efforts - No. 1 (2005), No. 3 (2008), No. 3 (2016), No. season in which a Mays recruit was honored by the league. 4 (2014) and No. 5 (2015). Mays came to SMU following four seasons as Associate Head Coach at Texas, After his time in Baton Rouge, Mays was an assistant coach at the University of where he made his mark on the program as a dynamic guard from 1986-90, and Georgia for Hall of Fame coach Andy Landers. The Lady Bulldogs finished the 2011- where he served a previous three-year stint as an assistant coach for the women's 12 season at 22-9 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's first round. basketball program from 2004-07. He returned to UT in 2012 as Associate Head Coach. His duties at Texas included recruiting, preparing opponent scouting reports, A 2002 inductee into UT's Men's Athletics Hall of Fame, Mays is still No. 2 among instructing guards on the court and public speaking at various community service the Longhorns' career scoring leaders with 2,279 points and was the first player to and campus events. earn back-to-back Southwest Conference Player of the Year honors in 1989 and 1990. As a senior, Mays was a second-team Associated Press All-American. He averaged 24.1 points per game and led Texas to the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. Included in that NCAA run was a 44-point outburst against Georgia in the first round that still ranks 14th-most all time in "March Madness" history. His 23 free throws made and 27 attempts at the line versus the Bulldogs remain NCAA Tournament records. In 2016, he was inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame in conjunction with the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Mays was drafted by Sacramento with the No. 14 overall pick in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft, and he was a second-team All-Rookie selection after averaging 14.3 points per game. Mays then played two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, before rupturing two tendons in his right foot. He recovered and enjoyed a successful eight- season career overseas in Greece, Israel, Turkey and Italy. A native of Ocala, Fla., he received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Texas in 1990. Mays and his wife, Mirella, have two children -- a daughter, Cherrell, and son, Trevor. 2019-20 smu women's basketball n PAGE 16 2019-20 smu women's basketball n PAGE 17 MAYS YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD Year Organization/School Position Record Conference Finish Postseason 2003 San Antonio Silver Stars Assistant Coach/Head Scout 12-22 2004 San Antonio Silver Stars Assistant Coach/Head Scout 9-25 2004-05 Texas Assistant Coach 22-9 2nd NCAA Second Round 2005-06 Texas Assistant Coach 13-15 T-8th 2006-07 Texas Assistant Coach 18-14 7th 2007-08 LSU Assistant Coach 31-6 1st NCAA Final Four 2008-09 LSU Assistant Coach 19-11 T-2nd NCAA Second Round 2009-10 LSU Assistant Coach 21-10 T-3rd NCAA Second Round 2010-11 LSU Assistant Coach 19-13 T-5th 2011-12 Georgia Assistant Coach 22-9 3rd NCAA First Round 2012-13 Texas Associate Head Coach 12-18 T-8th 2013-14 Texas Associate Head Coach 22-12 3rd NCAA Second Round 2014-15 Texas Associate Head Coach 24-11 T-3rd NCAA Sweet Sixteen 2015-16 Texas Associate Head Coach 31-5 2nd NCAA Elite Eight 2016-17 SMU Head Coach 19-15 T-5th WNIT Third Round 2017-18 SMU Head Coach 10-20 10th 2018-19 SMU Head Coach 11-19 T-9th WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT TRAVIS MAYS GENO AURIEMMA, HALL OF FAME COACH "Travis has done a great job helping to elevate programs everywhere he has been, and there is no doubt he will do the same thing at SMU." VAN CHANCELLOR, HALL OF FAME COACH "I think as a former player at Texas, Travis has name recognition and the ability to recruit that will make him a tremendous hire at SMU. Sometimes during a hire, the Athletic Director is trying to hit a home run, and I think SMU has hit a grand slam. Travis will do a great job and be very successful at SMU." JODY CONRADT, HALL OF FAME COACH "Travis was outstanding as a player, very good and passionate about the game. I knew him as a player, and seeing him on the staff of a WNBA team gave me the comfort to hire him at Texas. It told me he had an appreciation for women's basketball and a future in the field. He was a great hire at Texas, eager to learn, and he turned the passion he had as a player into a passion for teaching the game. He was a wonderful assistant with the ability to establish relationships and connects with players very well. He has a great opportunity at a prominent institution in an excellent location, and I'm excited to watch what he does at SMU. I know he will be successful." VIVIAN STRINGER, HALL OF FAME COACH "I've admired Travis over the years and found him to be a consummate professional. Though he didn't know that I was watching, I admired his work ethic, the way he related to his colleagues, and his presentation. In talking with him, I found him to be bright and perceptive and have no doubt that Travis will be successful at the highest level of basketball, not just women's basketball. I understand why the top players in the nation want to play for Travis." 2019-20 smu women's basketball n PAGE 16 2019-20 smu women's basketball n PAGE 17 AMIE SMITH BRADLEY ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH TEXAS, '97 4TH SEASON Amie Smith Bradley worked with Travis Mays as a member of current Texas head coach Karen Aston’s staff at the University of Texas before starting her most recent role as the Assistant Athletics Director for Donor and Alumni Relations and the Longhorn Foundation in 2013. She was promoted to associate head coach after the 2018-19 season. The post players continued to improve under Smith Bradley’s guidance in her second season. The Mustangs posted 148 blocks, fourth in a season in program history. Klara Bradshaw tallied 59 to lead the team, ranking second in a season at SMU. Freshman Johnasia Cash averaged 5.1 points and 5.9 points, and was awarded the Jerry Levias Outstanding Athlete award. In her first season on the Hilltop, Smith Bradley directed the post players to program records in blocks (187) and rebounds (1,409). Alicia Froling finished the season with 51 blocks, fifth in a season at SMU, and a program-record 339 rebounds. She also scored 14.3 points per game, earning all-conference honors.