Heather Ezell Explained

Heather Ezell
League:Mountain West Conference
Team:Wyoming Cowgirls
Position:Head Coach
Birth Date:15 February 1987
Birth Place:Springfield, Missouri
Nationality:American
Height Cm:177
High School:Kickapoo
(Springfield, Missouri)
College:Iowa State (2005–2009)
Draft Year:2009
Draft League:WNBA
Career Start:2009
Career End:2010
Career Number:10
Career Position:Guard
Coach Start:2010
Years1:2009–2010
Team1:Haukar
Cyears1:2010–2011
Cteam1:Fairfield (assistant)
Cyears2:2011–2015
Cteam2:Southeast Missouri State (assistant)
Cyears3:2015–2019
Cteam3:Wyoming (assistant)
Cyears4:2019–2022
Cteam4:Wyoming (associate HC)
Cyears5:2022–present
Cteam5:Wyoming
Highlights:As player:
Stats League:Úrvalsdeild kvenna
Stat1label:Points
Stat1value:597 (29.9 ppg)
Stat2label:Rebounds
Stat2value:213 (10.7 rpg)
Stat3label:Assist
Stat3value:597 (5.8 apg)

Heather Dawn Ezell (born February 15, 1987) is an American basketball coach and former player. She played college basketball for the Iowa State Cyclones[1] and later professionally for Haukar in Iceland where she won multiple awards and accolades.

Early life and college career

Born and raised in Springfield, Missouri, Ezell graduated from Kickapoo High School in Springfield in 2005. Despite missing most of her junior season with a knee injury, Ezell scored 1,074 points during her high school basketball career and helped Kickapoo win two state championships. As a senior in 2005, Ezell was the Missouri girls' basketball player of the year and a McDonald's High School All-American nominee.

At Iowa State University, Ezell played at guard for Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball from 2005 to 2009. She finished her career tied for the Cyclones' career record with 287 made three-point field goals and finished 10th in program history with 1,339 points. In her senior season, Ezell earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors. Ezell also earned a spot on the 2008 Big 12 All-Tournament Team and helped the Cyclones to three NCAA appearances including the Elite Eight in 2009. Ezell graduated from Iowa State in 2009 as a double major in management and marketing.

Iowa State statistics

Source:

YearTeamGPPointsFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2005–06Iowa State3130934.1%32.2%79.4%3.63.41.60.110.0
2006–07Iowa State3526337.6%32.1%76.1%3.22.31.20.17.5
2007–08Iowa State3435735.8%33.6%71.4%3.13.11.40.310.5
2008–09Iowa State3541036.6%35.3%80.4%3.33.51.80.111.7
Career135133936.0%33.5%77.1%3.33.11.50.29.9

Professional career

After graduating, Ezell signed with reigning Icelandic champions Haukar prior to the 2009–2010 Úrvalsdeild season.[2] [3] In her first game with the team, she posted a quadruple-double with 24 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals in a victory against Njarðvík in the Icelandic Company Cup.[4] In December 2009, she was selected to the Icelandic All-Star game[5] where she was named MVP after posting 29 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in her team's victory.[6] In January 2010, she was named as one of the five best players of the first half of the season.[7] [8] On 9 January 2010, Ezell again achieved a quadruple-double when she posted 25 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists and 10 steals in a victory against Valur.[9] [10] Four days later, she scored a season high 40 points while also contributing 10 rebounds and 13 assists in a victory against Njarðvík.[11]

On 17 January, she helped Haukar to the semi-finals of the Icelandic Cup after posting 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a victory against Snæfell.[12] On 31 January, she led Haukar to the Cup finals after posting 16 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists in a victory against Njarðvík in the semi-finals.[13] In the Cup Finals, Haukar faced Keflavík, led by former University of Iowa rival Kristi Smith[14] In the game, Haukar came out victorious with Ezell posting the first triple-double in the Cup finals history with 25 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists.[15]

In the Úrvalsdeild, Ezell led all players in scoring during the regular season, averaging 29.9 points per game[16] and was named the best player of the second half of the season.[17] On 8 March, she led Haukar to the Úrvalsdeild semi-finals after scoring 19 points in the series clinching game against Grindavík in the first round of the playoffs.[18] In the semi-finals, Haukar where swept by eventual champions KR.[19] After the season, Ezell was named as the Úrvalsdeild Foreign Player of the Year.[20]

The following season, Ezell retired from playing basketball and went into coaching.[21]

Coaching career

On March 25, 2022, Ezell was named as the head coach of University of Wyoming women's basketball team.[22]

National team career

Ezell played for the United States national team at the 2006 William Jones Cup where she averaged 8.7 points and two assists per game.[23]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Travis J. Cordes . Senior guard Heather Ezell becomes 19th Cyclone to reach 1,000 career points . 11 October 2020 . . 11 December 2008 . 19 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220719190859/https://www.iowastatedaily.com/sports/womensbasketball/womens-basketball-senior-guard-heather-ezell-becomes-19th-cyclone-to-reach-1-000-career-points/article_f9407ff2-62e5-5643-bdf2-b8287470d9f3.html . dead .
  2. News: Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson . Ezell til Hauka: Þarf örugglega ekki að læra 200 kerfi eins og hjá Iowa State . 11 October 2020 . . 7 September 2009 . Icelandic.
  3. News: Sigurður Elvar Þórólfsson . Miklar breytingar hjá meistaraliði Hauka . 11 October 2020 . . 17 November 2009 . Icelandic.
  4. News: Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson . Frábær frumraun . 11 October 2020 . . 25 September 2009 . 46 . Icelandic.
  5. News: Henry Birgir Gunnarsson . Vel heppnaður Stjörnuleiksdagur . 11 October 2020 . . 14 December 2009 . 34 . Icelandic.
  6. News: Ezell og Dabney voru best . 11 October 2020 . . 14 December 2009 . 8 . Icelandic.
  7. News: Þurfum að halda áfram á sömu braut . 11 October 2020 . . 8 January 2010 . Icelandic.
  8. News: Sigurður Elvar Þórólfsson . Hef ekki náð að villast . 11 October 2020 . . 8 January 2010 . 4 . Icelandic.
  9. News: Er Heather Ezell að senda valnefndinni skilaboð? . 11 October 2020 . . 14 January 2010 . Icelandic.
  10. News: Skúli Unnar Sveinsson . Sigurganga KR-inga heldur áfram . 11 October 2020 . . 11 January 2010 . 3 . Icelandic.
  11. News: Ezell fór á kostum . 11 October 2020 . . 14 January 2010 . Icelandic.
  12. News: Þreföld tvenna . 11 October 2020 . . 18 January 2010 . 8 . Icelandic.
  13. News: Haukar í Höllina í fjórða sinn á sex árum . 11 October 2020 . . 1 February 2010 . 27 . Icelandic.
  14. News: Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson . Góðar vinkonur utan vallar . 11 October 2020 . . 20 February 2010 . 60 . Icelandic.
  15. News: Heather fyrst til að ná þrennu í bikarúrslitaleik . 11 October 2020 . . 22 February 2010 . 20 . Icelandic.
  16. News: Birna best en tvíburarnir skora jafn mikið . . 4 March 2010 . 23 . Icelandic.
  17. News: Kristján Jónsson . Heather Ezell í sérflokki . 11 October 2020 . . 12 March 2010 . 2–3 . Icelandic.
  18. News: Skúli Unnar Sveinsson . Haukarnir fóru bakdyramegin í úrslitin . 11 October 2020 . . 9 March 2010 . 4 . Icelandic.
  19. News: Stefán Stefánsson . Skotfælni varð Hauku að falli . 11 October 2020 . . 20 March 2010 . 2 . Icelandic.
  20. News: Gullið tímabil hjá bæði Hlyn og Signýju . 11 October 2020 . . 3 May 2010 . 22 . Icelandic.
  21. News: Kristján Jónsson . Þetta er hörkupúl . 11 October 2020 . . 20 November 2010 . 4 . Icelandic.
  22. News: Heather Ezell Named New Cowgirl Basketball Head Coach . 25 March 2022 . gowyo.com . 25 March 2022.
  23. Web site: Heather Ezell – Women's Basketball . cyclones.com . . 11 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20090525195016/http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46670&SPID=4253&DB_OEM_ID=10700&ATCLID=344267&Q_SEASON=2008. May 25, 2009. live.