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April 23, 2002 INDIANAPOLIS, IND.- Beth Couture, who served as the head coach for Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. for the past 13 seasons, has been named Butler's seventh women's basketball head coach. Butler director of athletics John Parry introduced Couture as the Bulldogs' new coach at a press conference in Hinkle Fieldhouse on Tuesday, April 23. Couture, 39, replaces Wendy Gatlin, who resigned from the position on March 4, following the Bulldogs' 3-26 season. Gatlin had completed three seasons with the Butler women's basketball team upon her resignation. Couture had been a part of the women's basketball program at Presbyterian College for the last 15 years, serving the first two as an assistant coach. Since taking over the program prior to the 1989-90 season, Couture has compiled an impressive 258-117 (.688) overall record including eight 20-win seasons in 13 years. In addition, she has led the program to six trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament in the last nine years. "Beth has a proven track record as a head coach and the ability to restore the Butler women's basketball program to where we were in the mid-90's," stated Parry. "We believe we have the support in place to compete for the Horizon League Championship in the near future and that Beth is the person to lead us ." The Bulldogs have posted 15 winning seasons throughout the program's 26-year history. Butler made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament during the 1995-96 season, and advanced to the second round of the WNIT during the 1997-98 campaign. "Everyone had a chance to meet her and was impressed with her perspective on basketball as a means to educate young women, and her work ethic and enthusiasm are contagious," added Parry Couture accumulated a long list of accomplishments while at Presbyterian College. She led the team to three straight South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Regular Season and SAC Tournament titles from 1998 to 2000 while earning SAC Coach of the Year honors on four occasions. In addition, she has had 18 all-conference selections and three conference player of the year selections. One of the highlights of Couture's career came during the 1999-2000 season when the Blue Hose placed themselves in the record books with a 28-2 mark. That team won the SAC regular season title with a 15-1 record, won the SAC Tournament title and hosted the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional Tournament. Presbyterian College was ranked as high as fourth in the nation during that season. Last season, the Blue Hose posted 21 wins against nine losses before losing in the first round of the NCAA regionals. Couture's commitment to academics has also been at the forefront of her career, as 25 of her student-athletes were named to the SAC Academic Honor Roll throughout her tenure. "I am pleased to continue my career at a comprehensive university that places an emphasis on both student learning and athletics," said the new Butler coach. "I am thankful to Dr. Bobby Fong, John Parry and Carol Reep for the opportunity they have given me." "I am really excited about the opportunity to continue my basketball career in a university where there has been a great athletic tradition throughout the years, especially in basketball. I look forward to working with the players and getting to know them. Spending time with them will be my top priority." In addition to coaching the women's basketball team, Couture also served as an assistant director of athletics since 1993. In her administrative role, Couture was intricately involved with compliance and game operations issues. She also had an impact on Presbyterian College's volleyball program as she served as the team's head coach from 1987-93, amassing an overall record of 233-50. A three-time SAC Volleyball Coach of the Year, and the only coach in the conference's history to be named coach of the year in two different women's sports, she guided the Blue Hose to three national tournaments including the school's first-ever NCAA postseason appearance in 1993. A native of Greenville, S.C., Couture began her coaching career in 1984 at Dixie High School in Due West, S.C. where she posted a 49-28 record over the course of three seasons. She is a 1984 graduate of Erskine College where she was a four-time MVP selection in basketball for the Flying Fleet. A Kodak All-American honoree as a senior, Couture was inducted into the Erskine College Hall of Fame in December of 1989. She earned a bachelor's of science degree in physical education from Erskine and went on to complete a master's degree in the same field at Furman University in 1987. |
