500 (and Counting) Games Won

When Lisa Stockton took over as head coach of the Tulane University women’s basketball team back in 1994, it was never with the idea that she would become a true New Orleanian.

“You don’t go somewhere thinking you’re going to be there for 25 years,” said Stockton, a native of North Carolina.

But New Orleans, with its captivating culture of food, music and art, got into her blood, as did Tulane’s reputation for providing student-athletes with outstanding academics. Despite many opportunities to leave, the 500-win coach, who recently celebrated her 25th anniversary at Tulane, wasn’t interested.

As far as she was concerned, New Orleans was home.

“I love New Orleans,” she said. “The city has such great culture. And I love coaching the kind of athletes that we attract at Tulane. We’ve built a culture of success that we can keep going for many years to come.”

Stockton has proven herself over and over again, boasting a resumé that includes five conference tournament championships, four conference regular-season championships, six All-Americans, 11 NCAA Tournament berths, seven WNIT appearances and more than 500 wins at Tulane. Five former Green Wave standouts have gone on to play in the WNBA.

In 2016, the Ben Weiner Director of Athletics Troy Dannen announced another contract extension for Stockton, keeping her at Tulane through the 2020–21 season.

“The secret to our success is getting the right individuals who can come to Tulane and contribute athletically and academically,” said Stockton. “Otherwise, it can be a challenging place.”

Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Stockton recalls the fervor and excitement of growing up in such a basketball-rich state. She was a standout point guard at Wake Forest University, and although drafted by the Charlotte franchise of the Women’s Basketball League (WBL), she yearned to coach.

She began her career as a volunteer assistant at the University of North Carolina, and at 23, became the head coach at Division III Greensboro College. She remained in her hometown for three years before leaving to become an assistant coach at Georgia Tech.

Four years later, Tulane’s then-Athletics Director Kevin White snatched her up. “We think Lisa has success written all over her,” White said in an article in the Greensboro News Record.

Stockton has proven White’s words true. And though far from satisfied, she is optimistic about the future.

“We’ve got some talented young players, which is a basis for success over the next few years,” she said. “our league continues to get stronger, our recruiting has gone really well. I think we can consistently be one of the best teams in the league and beyond.”