192:
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game was against the unbeaten host team China, and the USA team won 89–78. The USA team won their next two games to set up the gold medal game; a rematch against the host team. China would stay close early, but the USA team prevailed and won the gold medal with a score of 87–67. McElhiney averaged 1.6 points per game.
265:, from 1999 to 2003 and was awarded the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2001, 2002, and 2003 at the position of guard. During that same time period, she was named as Tennessee State Amateur Athlete of the Year for 2002. She was also named as her team's 2001 co-MVP, along with her friend and teammate
292:
held in
Beijing, China. After winning the opening game easily, the USA team faced Canada and lost a close game 68–67. The USA team defeated Japan to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. The USA team fell behind by 12 points against undefeated Russia, but came back to win the game by 11 points. The next
741:
The Rhythm finished with a 21–10 record, qualifying for the playoffs and the chance to host a first-round playoff game. However, the team's owners chose to withdraw the team from the postseason, stating, "We've lost several players and felt we were not ready for the playoffs." McElhiney resigned as
671:
McElhiney has served as a teacher and assistant girls basketball coach at her alma mater, Gleason School, at both the junior high and high school level. Her husband, Joel Ayers, was the head coach. She also served as an assistant at the
1147:
737:
after
Anthony insisted that Freije be benched. McElhiney nevertheless finished coaching the game, which the Rhythm won. She was reinstated as coach by decision of the team's other two co-owners before the team's next game.
721:
player then with the Rhythm, was quoted as saying, "It's going to go a long way toward how women succeed from here on .... If I can help her continue to raise that bar, then I’m doing my job." Another Rhythm player,
1107:
839:
1152:
1157:
676:
at
Chattanooga. She was hired as assistant coach of the Lady Mocs in July 2007. UTC was 29–4 with McElhiney on its bench. In July 2015 she was hired as an assistant girls basketball coach at
713:
Her coaching career got off to a good start, with the Rhythm achieving a 9–2 record at the start of the season and McElhiney being reported to have the support of the male Rhythm players.
927:
787:
251:. As a senior, she averaged 17.7 points and 4.0 assists a game. She was the all-time leading scorer at Gleason School with 2,073 points and all-time assists leader with 604.
849:
1047:
703:
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1117:
1112:
770:
McElhiney is married to Joel Ayers, formerly the head girls' basketball coach at
Gleason School and Dyersburg High School. They have three children together.
198:
80:
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227:
coach and former college player. She is best known for having been the first female coach of a male professional basketball team, as the coach of the
232:
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791:
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McElhiney became the first female coach of a male professional basketball team in 2004, when she was hired to coach the
685:
897:
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342:
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183:
733:, fired McElhiney in the middle of a game on January 29, 2005, on the grounds that McElhiney was playing
254:
McElhiney was honored for her high school performance in 1999 as the
Tennessee State 1A Miss Basketball.
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884:"Joel, Ashley Ayers set to take over USJ girls basketball after resigning at Riverdale"
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The Rhythm's season was marred by an incident in which one of the team's co-owners,
813:
288:
McElhiney was selected to be a member of the team representing the USA at the 2001
1017:
988:
963:
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726:, commented, "She comes in, and it's just normal. It's just a coach coaching."
351:
224:
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88:
840:"Former Nashville Rhythm coach Ashley McElhiney content in high school ranks"
883:
723:
905:
247:, to parents Danny and Sandra McElhiney, she attended Gleason School in
750:
In June 2005, McElhiney joined the athletic department staff at the
1065:
1043:
Gleason School, 92–99 State
Championship Drive, Gleason, Tennessee
1148:
FISU World
University Games gold medalists for the United States
993:
754:
as the director of women's basketball operations. Her former
928:"'She's fired': ABA owner dismisses fires first female coach"
684:. In May 2021, she was hired as the assistant head coach for
1082:
1108:
American
Basketball Association (2000–present) coaches
276:, she was drafted as the third round selection of the
1153:
Summer World
University Games medalists in basketball
1054:
NPR: Woman Coach Stirs Up Men's Pro
Basketball League
904:. Associated Press. December 19, 2004. Archived from
128:
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118:
108:
87:
76:
64:
59:
51:
28:
23:
1077:Ashley McElhiney Director of Basketball Operations
1158:Vanderbilt Commodores women's basketball players
191:
964:"Anthony doesn't know co-owners, GM's 'deal'"
762:also joined as the graduate assistant coach.
280:, but was released before playing any games.
8:
983:
981:
18:
1048:Sports Illustrated: Jumping through Hoops
898:"Female Coach Making Mark in Men's League"
303:
148:
17:
1018:"Owners decide not to play in postseason"
788:"Twentieth World University Games – 2001"
163:
1163:Medalists at the 2001 Summer Universiade
415:
1071:Ashley Earley Joins Teammate at Alabama
1020:. ESPN. Associated Press. March 1, 2005
989:"McElhiney: 'It's best that I move on'"
779:
223:; born July 16, 1981) is an American
7:
1118:American women's basketball players
1113:American women's basketball coaches
1060:Gleason: Welcome Back Ashley Mac!
940:. January 30, 2005. Archived from
14:
1123:Basketball players from Tennessee
55:5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
790:. USA Basketball. Archived from
190:
168:
838:Organ, Mike (October 6, 2013).
704:American Basketball Association
233:American Basketball Association
96:: 3rd round, 35th overall pick
1:
1138:People from Martin, Tennessee
239:Early life and playing career
686:University School of Jackson
742:coach later the same week.
1179:
1083:McElhiney Family Genealogy
695:
1133:Indiana Fever draft picks
182:
155:
151:
140:
136:
100:
966:. ESPN. January 31, 2005
814:"NCAA Career Statistics"
674:University of Tennessee
235:in the 2004–05 season.
290:World University Games
184:World University Games
1128:Female sports coaches
873:, July 19, 2005, p.2c
756:Vanderbilt University
752:University of Alabama
746:Administrative career
678:Dyersburg High School
316: GS
297:Vanderbilt statistics
259:Vanderbilt University
794:on September 7, 2015
682:Dyersburg, Tennessee
263:Nashville, Tennessee
24:Personal information
1066:NashvilleRhythm.com
908:on October 19, 2012
852:on October 10, 2013
306:
20:
343:3-point field goal
304:
267:Chantelle Anderson
249:Gleason, Tennessee
217:Ashley Renée Ayers
70:Gleason, Tennessee
60:Career information
944:on March 17, 2007
664:
663:
414:
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325:Minutes per game
245:Martin, Tennessee
214:
213:
208:
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204:Team Competition
45:Martin, Tennessee
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848:. Archived from
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810:
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801:
799:
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708:Nashville Rhythm
698:Nashville Rhythm
692:Nashville Rhythm
416:
400:Points per game
397: PPG
388: BPG
377: SPG
368: APG
359: RPG
348: FT%
339: 3P%
330: FG%
322: MPG
307:
229:Nashville Rhythm
201:
194:
193:
178:
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132:Nashville Rhythm
101:Selected by the
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38:
36:
21:
19:Ashley McElhiney
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998:. March 3, 2005
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667:Coaching career
310: GP
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274:2003 WNBA draft
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1037:External links
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871:The Tennessean
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845:The Tennessean
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119:Career history
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1103:Living people
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818:web1.ncaa.org
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766:Personal life
765:
763:
761:
760:Ashley Earley
757:
753:
745:
743:
739:
736:
732:
731:Sally Anthony
727:
725:
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715:Dontae' Jones
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313:Games played
312:
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308:
302:
296:
294:
291:
283:
281:
279:
278:Indiana Fever
275:
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257:She attended
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176:United States
164:Representing
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103:Indiana Fever
99:
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58:
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52:Listed height
50:
46:
41:(age 43)
39:July 16, 1981
31:
27:
22:
16:
1143:Point guards
1079:(2005-06-02)
1073:(2005-05-26)
1056:(2005-02-05)
1050:(2004-05-19)
1022:. Retrieved
1012:
1002:November 21,
1000:. Retrieved
992:
968:. Retrieved
958:
948:November 21,
946:. Retrieved
942:the original
931:
922:
910:. Retrieved
906:the original
901:
892:
878:
866:
856:November 23,
854:. Retrieved
850:the original
843:
833:
821:. Retrieved
817:
808:
796:. Retrieved
792:the original
782:
769:
749:
740:
728:
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701:
670:
611:
606:
560:
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545:
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524:
513:
410:Career high
404:
300:
287:
271:
256:
253:
242:
220:
216:
215:
199:2001 Beijing
15:
1098:1981 births
1062:(2005-02-05
798:October 13,
735:Matt Freije
717:, a former
630:Vanderbilt
588:Vanderbilt
542:Vanderbilt
498:Vanderbilt
460:Vanderbilt
354:percentage
345:percentage
336:percentage
83:(1999–2003)
65:High school
1092:Categories
902:NBC Sports
774:References
696:See also:
352:Free throw
334:Field goal
225:basketball
158:basketball
89:WNBA draft
81:Vanderbilt
35:1981-07-16
758:teammate
724:Adam Sonn
394:per game
383:per game
374:per game
365:per game
221:McElhiney
129:2004–2005
124:As coach:
68:Gleason (
1024:June 10,
970:June 10,
912:June 10,
585:2002–03
539:2001–02
495:2000–01
457:1999-00
363:Rebounds
243:Born in
156:Women's
109:Position
823:May 11,
627:Career
428:Points
407:
372:Assists
305:Legend
301:Source
272:In the
231:of the
77:College
933:SI.com
403:
392:Blocks
381:Steals
173:
144:Medals
47:, U.S.
645:80.5
642:40.8
639:43.2
636:1093
603:76.6
600:41.2
597:40.1
565:81.4
510:40.8
507:45.4
475:75.6
472:34.7
469:40.2
422:Team
419:Year
219:(née
113:Guard
1026:2013
1004:2022
996:.com
994:ESPN
972:2013
950:2022
914:2013
858:2022
825:2016
800:2015
660:8.3
657:0.0
654:0.8
651:5.1
648:2.1
633:132
622:9.7
619:0.0
616:0.9
594:290
580:8.5
574:0.9
571:4.3
568:2.3
561:43.3
556:46.1
533:10.0
529:0.0
521:6.2
518:2.1
514:86.3
504:309
490:5.3
484:0.5
481:3.1
478:1.4
466:179
452:PPG
449:BPG
446:SPG
443:APG
440:RPG
437:FT%
434:3P%
431:FG%
405:Bold
166:the
94:2003
29:Born
719:NBA
706:'s
680:in
612:7.3
607:2.6
591:30
551:315
525:1.0
501:31
463:34
425:GP
261:in
1094::
991:.
980:^
938:AP
936:.
930:.
900:.
842:.
816:.
710:.
688:.
577:–
546:37
487:–
269:.
37:)
1028:.
1006:.
974:.
952:.
916:.
886:.
860:.
827:.
802:.
72:)
33:(
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