May 28, 2002

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - Chris Denker, who led Santa Clara to the NCAA tournament last season, was hired as women's basketball coach at Colorado State on Tuesday.

Denker spent nine seasons at Santa Clara, the first seven as an assistant. His teams were 41-18 the last two years.

Denker, 35, replaces Tom Collen, who left earlier in the month to take over at Vanderbilt but resigned the next day when the school found a discrepancy in his resume.

Denker is familiar with at least two Colorado State players.

"I recruited Katie Borton and Ashley Augspurger hard to come to Santa Clara," Denker said. "They didn't sign with me so I guess I had to chase them down."