In retrospect, the most important decision Huskie women’s basketball head coach Jane Albright ever made for NIU did not occur during an NIU game.

Instead, the decision was made within the collegiate boundaries of Appalachian State University.

“When I was in high school, I wanted to be a veterinarian,” Albright said. Albright said she changed her mind while playing basketball at ASU.

“I knew I enjoyed the people aspect (of basketball), (and) setting goals,” Albright said.

To the delight of Huskie basketball fans, Albright has found herself at home as the guiding force behind the impressive development of women’s basketball at NIU.

Albright became the Huskies’ head coach in 1984, and has since compiled a record of 97-74. Last year Albright lead the Huskies to their first-ever NCAA tournament apperance, and she was named North Star Conference Coach of the Year for the second year in a row.

Albright said the accolades are well intended, but they don’t transcend the importance of her team.

Albright said, “My team means the most to me. All of those are honors to my team and staff.

“One of the biggest honors was when I watched Carol (Owens) and Gena (Stubbs) graduate,” she said. “That was like winning the national championship.”

It comes as no real surprise that Albright lists Owens’ and Stubbs’ graduation as one of her biggest thrills as head coach at NIU.

Albright said she makes it a point to recruit not only quality basketball players, but quality people as well.

Athletically, Albright said she wants “someone who can run the floor.” But more importantly, Albright said, “You want someone interested in their total person-hood. Someone where hard work doesn’t scare (them) off.”

Albright’s recruiting approach is appreciated by her players.

NIU point guard Denise Dove said she chose to attend NIU because the school felt like home, and because of what Albright stressed during recruiting.

“Coach Albright stressed three things different from other coaches: me as a person, school, (and) basketball,” Dove said. “That meant a lot to me. She cared about me first, and my basketball skills second.”

Homage paid to Albright’s success as NIU head coach has been well-earned. She has carefully and dutifully nurtured women’s basketball to the point where it has turned into a main interest at NIU and in the DeKalb community.

But like most coaches, Albright had to pay her dues first.

After spending time as an assistant coach at the Universities of Tennessee and Cincinnati, Albright became NIU’s head coach six years ago. Largely by inheriting an experienced team her first year, Albright managed to end her rookie campaign as a head coach with a record of 15-13.

The next year Albright saw her promising record plummet, as her team finished 8-19. However, it was when Albright’s team went 11-16 the next year that she said she experienced her most trying times.

Albright said her second year record didn’t extensively bother her because she knew “we’d be starting from scratch.” But she thought she would see better results in 1986, the following year.

“That was the year Carol (Owens) got hurt. That was the year we were going to be a lot better,” she said.

When that season ended, Albright’s total record as Huskie head coach was 34-48. Yet, she said she didn’t worry about job security.

“I think there is a reason why I’m here, (but) I’m smart enough to know things change quickly,” Albright said.

Albright saw her team rebound the following season, and finish at .500. Since then Albright has gone 49-12, but she insists she learns more about coaching every day.

Albright said she is still in the learning process, “Because coaching is your total day. Coaches wear a lot of different hats,” she said. “(There are) so many different categories I need to grow in.”

Albright said she is still learning to cope with defeat. For example: “(A) loss in the middle of the season, you don’t have time to carry it for a long time,” she said.

But the season ending loss to Purdue in the NCAA Tournament last year still lingers in Albright’s mind. “(There is) still part of that in me every day.”

Nevertheless, Albright’s zeal for coaching isn’t diminishing. To the contrary, it appears to be increasing.

“(When) everybody feels good about what you’re doing, that feels good,” Albright said. “(Coaching is) the opposite end of boredom. Nothing (is) the same.”