UCI’s Matsuhara Selects Assistant Basketball Coaches

UC Irvine women’s basketball Coach Colleen Matsuhara has selected Annette Smith Greene, a former University of Texas basketball standout, and Fred Williams, an assistant women’s coach at USC, as her assistants.

Smith Greene worked at Southwest Texas State last year as an assistant to former USC Coach Linda Sharp. As a player, Smith Greene was Texas’ all-time leading scorer and played on its 1986 NCAA championship team.

Matsuhara, who was named Irvine’s coach in May, was an assistant coach at Texas during Smith Greene’s career.

“In her playing days, they used to call Annette Smith Greene the best little center in America,” Matsuhara said. “She’s only 5-feet-11. With her temperament and the type of player she was, she will contribute a lot to the development of our post players. She also has the experience of being on a national championship team.”

Williams, an assistant at USC the past eight seasons, also worked under Sharp. Williams was an assistant on the 1983 NCAA championship team.

“I’m really excited I’m able to get someone from a program so rich in basketball tradition,” Matsuhara said. “He’s well known on the West Coast. I’m looking forward to him recruiting and working with our perimeter players.”

Williams, a former point guard, played at Inglewood High School, El Camino College and Boise State, where he was the Big Sky Conference assist leader in 1978.