“I am extremely excited to be adding Ashley to our staff,” said Smith. “I have always been impressed with her and hoped to have the opportunity to hire her.
"She is a very driven person with a positive demeanor and a true passion for the game of basketball. Having been a successful point guard in the SEC, she brings the type of knowledge and championship experience we want to have as a part of this program.”
McElhiney, a four-year letterwinning performer at Vanderbilt University (1999-2003), comes to the Tide after a one-year stint as the head coach of the Nashville Rhythm of the American Basketball Association.
She made history in that position serving as the first female head coach of a men’s professional basketball team. McElhiney guided the Rhythm to a 21-10 record and a berth in the ABA playoffs in their inaugural season.
“I am thrilled to be joining Stephany and the Crimson Tide,” said McElhiney. “It is truly a privilege and an honor to have the opportunity to work at a University with the rich tradition of success of Alabama. It is exciting to be back in the SEC, and I look forward to being a part of such a talented and experienced staff.”
As a player at Vanderbilt, McElhiney helped guide the Commodores to a 94-36 record during her career including four appearances in the NCAA Tournament with two trips to a Regional final game. She also helped lead Vanderbilt to a pair of SEC Tournament championship games including capturing a title in 2002.
McElhiney ended her VU career as the program’s all-time leader in assists with 673. She led the SEC and ranked second in the nation as a senior handing out 7.46 assists per game. A two-time All-SEC selection, she was a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award and Senior CLASS Award. She also finished with 1,093 points in her commodore career.