Iowa Basketball Camps at Drake: Iowa Girls Basketball Camps High School Drake

Head Women’s Basketball Coach

University of Nebraska, BS in physical education (1991)

University of Nebraska-Kearney, MS in educational administration (1998)

Coaching Experience

Head Coach: Drake University (2003-Present)

Assistant Coach: University of Nebraska (2002-03)

Head Coach: University of Nebraska-Kearney (1994-2002)

Assistant Coach: Iowa State University (1992-94)

Assistant Coach: Omaha South High School (1991-92)

Student Assistant Coach: University of Nebraska (1990-91

Playing Experience

University of Nebraska (1985-1989)

United States National Team (1989)

Women's Basketball League-Wuppertal, Germany (1989-90)

First-team All-Big Eight (1988-89)

Kodak All-District V selection (1988-89)

Ranks third at Nebraska in scoring (1,976) and steals (280)

Ranks fourth at Nebraska in assists (444) and three-pointers made (129)

Amy Stephens is in her seventh campaign as head women's basketball coach at Drake University after guiding the Bulldogs to a 19-12 mark and a third-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2008-09.

Stephens achieved two milestones during the 2008-09 campaign, recording her 300^th career coaching victory as well as her 100^th victory at Drake.

The NCAA Tournament is nothing new to Stephens, who in her 14 seasons as a head coach has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances. Stephens has won 70 percent (.703) of her games as a head coach and carries an impressive 300-127 career record. In home contests, her teams have posted a stellar 175-32 mark. In her first six seasons at Drake she boasts a trio of WNIT berths in addition to an NCAA Tournament appearance.

The 2007-08 squad went 23-11 and won the program's first regular season Missouri Valley Conference title since the 2000-01 campaign. The team was selected for the second straight year as the preseason favorite to win the MVC and surpassed the 20-win plateau for the first time since registering 25 victories during the 2001-02 campaign. The Bulldogs advanced to the title game of the MVC Tournament for the second consecutive season before falling to Illinois State, 70-62. Drake garnered its initial postseason tournament victory in six years with a 65-56 triumph over Green Bay in the opening round of the Women's NIT.

During the 2006-07 campaign, despite losing several key players to injury and illness, Stephens sparked the Bulldogs to the 2007 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and the school's first NCAA Tournament berth since 2002.

Stephens may have done her best coaching job during the 2006-07 season as the preseason MVC Conference favorite was decimated by injury and illness, which caused Drake players to miss 74 games. Through this adversity came triumph as she helped lead the Bulldogs to one of the more remarkable runs in Valley Tournament history.

Seeded eighth and playing the tournament without first team All-MVC performer Brandy Dahir, who was diagnosed with mononucleosis, Drake won its opening round contest versus Wichita State, before dispatching regular season champion Southern Illinois in the quarterfinals. The Bulldogs followed suit with a 61-58 win over Evansville and then earned The Valley's NCAA Tournament berth with a thrilling 65-64 overtime triumph over Creighton.

The Bulldogs advanced to their 10th NCAA Tournament and fought valiantly with eventual national champion Tennessee before falling to the Lady Volunteers in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Academics have been a source of pride for Stephens, during her tenure at Drake, eight Bulldogs on 12 occasions have garnered academic All-MVC laurels.

On the court, Drake student-athletes have earned 17 all-conference citations, including first team honorees Martin (2005, 2006 & 2008), Dahir (2007), Whorton (2008) and Plummer (2009), honorable mention recipients Linda Sayavongchanh (2004, 2005, 2006), Whorton (2007) and All-Freshman team members Martin (2004), Erin Dohrmann (2004), Dahir (2005), Whorton (2005), Plummer (2006), Jones (2007) and Hackbarth (2009).

After opening the 2005-06 Missouri Valley Conference season with a road split, Drake rattled off three consecutive home victories over Missouri State, Wichita State and Creighton. Drake went on to win nine of its final 10 games en route to earning the second seed in the State Farm MVC Tournament with a 13-5 mark. Drake dropped its MVC quarterfinal contest to Missouri State. The Bulldogs' season concluded with a 62-59 loss at Nebraska in the opening round of the WNIT.

During the 2004-05 season, Drake produced a 14-15 record and earned the No. 6 seed in the MVC Tournament. The Bulldogs upset No. 3 seed Creighton in the quarterfinals, before falling to Indiana State in the semifinals.

In her first year at the helm of the program, the Bulldogs recorded a 16-15 mark and were selected to the 2004 WNIT. Stephens, the fifth coach in the then 29-year history of Drake basketball, guided the Bulldogs to an 11-7 third-place finish in the MVC and a runner-up finish in the 2004 State Farm MVC Tournament.

Before her appointment at Drake on April 21, 2003, Stephens served as an assistant women's basketball coach at the University of Nebraska.

Prior to her stint at Nebraska, Stephens spent eight seasons as the head coach at Nebraska-Kearney. She built Nebraska-Kearney into one of the most successful NCAA Division II programs in the nation, while becoming the school's all-time winningest coach with a 197-43 (.821) record.

A four-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Stephens led Nebraska-Kearney to five RMAC titles while the team averaged nearly 25 victories per season. UNK earned seven straight trips to the NCAA Tournament and also set an NCAA Division II record with an 87-game home-court winning streak that lasted from January of 1995 through November of 2001.

During the 2008-09 season, Stephens was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Time Top Women's Basketball Coach to celebrate the RMAC's 100th anniversary.

Stephens was the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) District 7 Coach of the Year and a finalist for national coach-of-the-year honors in 2000.

Before beginning her career as head coach at UNK in 1994-95, Stephens served as an assistant coach at Iowa State from 1992-94. She spent one season as an undergraduate assistant coach at Nebraska (1990-91), before becoming an assistant coach at Omaha South High School in 1991-92.

Stephens was one of the most prolific scorers in Nebraska school history. The 5-foot 6-inch guard from Alliance, Neb., ranks third on Nebraska's all-time scoring list with 1,976 points as a four-year starter from 1985 through 1989. She also ranks third in career steals (280) and fourth in assists (444). She is one of the top three-point shooters in Nebraska history, ranking in the top five in career three-point percentage (second, .399), career three-point baskets (fourth, 129) and career three-point attempts (fifth, 323), despite only having the shot at her disposal for just two seasons.

Stephens started 113 games during her Nebraska career and earned Kodak All-District V and first-team All-Big Eight Conference honors as a senior in 1988-89. As a junior in 1987-88, Stephens helped the Huskers to their only Big Eight title and the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history.

In February of 2000, Stephens claimed one of five spots on Nebraska's All-Century Team as part of the school's celebration of 25 years of women's intercollegiate athletics. Stephens also was inducted into the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame in 1999.

Stephens earned her bachelor's degree in physical education from Nebraska in 1991 and completed her master's degree in educational administration from Nebraska-Kearney in 1998.

Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach

The 2009-10 campaign marks the third season for Allison Pohlman on the Drake women’s basketball staff.

Her primary responsibilities for the Bulldogs are serving as recruiting coordinator, tutoring the Drake off guards, scheduling and assisting with the preparation of opponent scouting reports.

No stranger to the Missouri Valley Conference, Pohlman joined the Bulldog staff in 2007 after spending seven seasons as a coach at Northern Iowa, including serving as the Panthers’ associate head coach during the 2006-07 campaign.

“It's been wonderful to have Coach Pohlman on our coaching staff,” Stephens commented. “She’s relentless in her pursuit of excellence and we like the way she fits the philosophy we strive for at Drake. She has a strong work ethic, an uncanny ability to recruit and an inside edge with the Missouri Valley Conference. She’s built a great reputation in the state of Iowa, and we have capitalized on her strengths as a coach, a recruiter and a relationship builder.”

While at Northern Iowa, she was in charge of academic monitoring, summer camp operations, served as facility liason, and coached UNI’s perimeter players. She also aided in recruiting, scouting, fund-raising and public relations events in the community.

Pohlman began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northern Iowa during the 2000-01 campaign before being elevated to an assistant coach for the following season, a position she held until being promoted to associate head coach in 2006-07.

One of the best all-around players in Northern Iowa history, the former Allison Starr competed from 1996-2000 as the centerpiece in the rejuvenation of Panther basketball under retired head coach Tony DiCecco.

In 1997 she was named to the MVC’s All-Freshman team. Her final three years, she was named All-MVC first team and to The Valley’s All-Defensive Team.

Pohlman arguably had one of the finest single seasons in UNI history in 1999-2000, leading the Panthers in steals and assists while setting school records for points and rebounds in a season. A runner-up to Jackie Stiles for the league’s player of the year award, she was named The Valley’s defensive player of the year, as well.

Pohlman capped her career by ranking second in UNI history with 1,463 points, third with 711 rebounds, second with 274 steals, fifth with 278 assists and as the school record holder for free throws made, free throws attempted, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, double-doubles and steals per game.

The Wellsburg, Iowa, native and her husband, Kirk, have triplet daughters, Quinn, Rubie and Sidny

Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach

Todd Voss is in his fourth year with the Bulldog Basketball squad. He is involved in player development, tutoring the Drake post players, all phases of practice, game preparation, recruiting, as well as serving as camp director of the Bulldog All-Star basketball camps.

Voss came to Drake after posting a 108-32 record in four years (2002-06) as head women’s basketball coach at Concordia (Neb.) University. There he led Concordia to NAIA Division II Final Four appearances in 2003 and 2005.

“I am extremely excited to have Todd Voss on our staff,” said Drake head coach Amy Stephens. “Todd brings a wealth of winning experiences to our staff and his track record with post players is second to none.”

Voss joined Drake in June 2006 after spending seven seasons at Concordia University of Nebraska. He spent three years as an assistant women’s coach prior to his appointment as head women’s coach in 2002. During the 2002-03 season, the Bulldogs finished 36-2 en route to earning the No. 1 national ranking in the final NAIA poll. They established NAIA records for wins in a season (36) and most consecutive victories (33).

Concordia reached the Elite Eight of the NAIA tournament in the 2003-04 campaign, while turning in a 28-8 record. In 2004-05, the Bulldogs finished at 31-5.

Under his guidance the women’s basketball program also earned a sixth consecutive NAIA academic national championship as awarded by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). He also coached 15 Academic All-Americans and four All-Americans. He was named the 2005 Lincoln Journal Star coach of the year, and the 2003 Great Plains Athletic Conference coach of the year.

Prior to his college coaching career, Voss amassed a 75-19 (.797) high school coaching record while leading the girls program at Davenport High School (Neb.), from 1995-1999. Under his guidance, Davenport earned four consecutive state tournament appearances, winning a state title in 1999.

Voss played basketball for Concordia College (now Concordia University) from 1988-1992, where he was a four-year letterwinner. During his last two seasons, Concordia advanced to the NAIA National Tournament, including the 1991-92 team which earned a conference championship and advanced to the NAIA Final Four.

In 2001, Voss was inducted into the Concordia University Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 1990-91 team, which was the first in school history to qualify for the NAIA National Tournament.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Concordia College in December of 1992. Voss earned a masters degree in education administration from Concordia University in 2001.

Voss and his wife Amy have a 12-year old daughter, Karlee.

Linda Sayavongchanh

Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach

Former Bulldog women’s basketball standout Linda Sayavongchanh returns to the Drake staff in 2009-10 as full-time assistant coach.

"It's great to have Linda back at Drake University,” said Head Coach Amy Stephens. “She will be an excellent addition to our coaching staff, she knows Drake and has played under our leadership. Linda is an excellent teacher & has become one of the up and coming young coaches around."

Sayavongchanh spent 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Minnesota-Duluth.

Prior to her stint at Minnesota-Duluth she spent the 2006-07 season as a student assistant coach with the Bulldogs, helping the team to the Missouri Valley Conference tournament title and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

One of Drake’s top all-around competitors, Sayavongchanh played for the Bulldogs from 2002-2006 and was part of the Drake squads that advanced to the 2004 and 2006 Women’s National Invitational Tournament.

A three-time All-MVC selection, Sayavongchanh finished her career with 1,129 points, ranking 17^th all-time at Drake. Named to the MVC All-Defensive team twice, she ranks second in career steals (266) and first (105, 2003-04) and fifth (76, 2004-05) in single-season steals for the Bulldogs. She is also in the record books with 379 career assists, ranking ninth.