McNelis Announces Staff Addition

Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Southern Miss Head Women’s Basketball Coach Joye-Lee McNelis has announced an addition to her coaching staff, naming Chandra Dorsey as an assistant coach.

Dorsey comes to Southern Miss after four seasons at McNeese State, where her duties included recruiting, film exchange, organizing team travel and overseeing the weight training program.

“We’re very excited about our new addition to the Lady Eagle coaching staff,” McNelis said.  “Chandra possesses the passion, drive and work ethic it’s going to take to help rebuild this program. She has competed at a high level as a former athlete, and she has experience in the rebuilding process of a Division I program.  She understands what it takes to be successful at this level.”

Dorsey, a 2001 graduate of Ole Miss, was a four-year letterwinner for the Lady Rebels from 1997-2001. During her playing career, she averaged 4.0 points per game and scored a career-high 19 points against Oklahoma in her freshman season (1997-98) and then again her junior season (1999-2000) against Auburn.

During her junior year, she dished out a career-best six assists against Auburn.

While at Ole Miss, Dorsey earned the team’s best defensive player award as a sophomore, and most improved her junior season. Not only was Dorsey productive on the court, she was academically strong as well. As a junior, she was named to the All-SEC Academic Honor Roll and a member of the UMAA (University of Mississippi Athletic Association) Honor Roll.

A four-year standout for Coach Eddie Addison at St. Helena Central High (La.), Dorsey averaged 20.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 9.3 assists and 4.3 steals as a senior. She also participated in the Louisiana High School All-Star game. 

Dorsey led St. Helena to a 28-5 overall record during the 1996-97 season and helped the team advance to the second round of the state playoffs.  During her prep career, Dorsey scored over 1,000 points and was named her district’s most valuable player twice. She was also a two-time all-metro and all-district selection, and also named to the all-state honorable mention team. As a junior, she averaged 24.3 points, 10.2 assists and 5.4 rebounds.