Wildcats add McCombs to women's basketball staff

Caroline McCombs has been named assistant coach for Northwestern's women's basketball program, head coach Joe McKeown announced Thursday.

McCombs, who is in her 12th season in the coaching ranks, comes to Evanston from Pittsburgh, where she served as an assistant for five seasons.

"She brings great coaching experience to our program, having been at Valparaiso and most recently at Pittsburgh, where she helped elevate them to the national scene, " McKeown said. "She will be an invaluable resource recruiting and developing our players to make Northwestern one of the top programs in the nation."

McCombs is excited about the opportunity as well.

"Coach McKeown is one of the most well-respected coaches in the country and it is truly a chance of a lifetime to work with him," she said.

McCombs is familiar with postseason success, having led Pittsburgh to its NCAA Tournament debut in 2006-07 and back-to-back NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances in the following two seasons. In total, the Panthers reached postseason play in all five seasons McCombs was on staff.

McCombs, a native of Medina, Ohio, began her career at Valparaiso University, coaching there from 1999-2005.

McCombs graduated in 1998 from Youngstown State, where she started 112 of 115 career games and scored 1,577 career points, finishing her career as the school's sixth leading scorer.