Former University of Nebraska-Kearney Head Coach Amy Stephens returned to her alma mater as an assistant coach when she joined Coach Connie Yori's first Husker staff on June 27, 2002.

Although Stephens was one of the most successful head coaches at the NCAA Division II level for the past eight seasons at Nebraska-Kearney, she jumped at the opportunity to join Yori's Nebraska staff.

"I?m so excited. It feels great to be home," Stephens said. "Coach Yori is a terrific person and a tremendous basketball coach. It?s just a great opportunity to work on her staff at my alma mater."

Stephens was the first assistant coach hired to Yori?s staff at Nebraska, just one day after Yori officially began her coaching duties as the ninth head women's basketball coach in school history on June 26.

Yori said the opportunity to get a coach with Stephens' impressive credentials made her an obvious first choice to help build the NU program.

"I?m thrilled to have Coach Stephens become part of the Nebraska women?s basketball staff," Yori said. "She was the first person I contacted about a position, and I?m excited that she accepted my offer because many people around the state considered her one of the top candidates for Nebraska?s head coaching position.

"I think Coach Stephens has a great reputation as a coach throughout the state of Nebraska. She was one of the greatest players in school history, and I know she is excited to get here and get started building this program."

The 35-year-old Stephens returns to Lincoln after spending eight seasons as the head coach at NCAA Division II Nebraska-Kearney. One of the most successful Division II programs in the nation during her tenure, Stephens ended her career with the Lopers as the school?s all-time winningest coach with a 197-43 record.

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

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 a head coach at UNK in 1994-95, Stephens served as an assistant coach at Iowa State for two seasons (1992-93 and 1993-94). She spent one season as an undergraduate assistant coach at Nebraska (1990-91), before spending one season (1991-92) as an assistant coach at Omaha South High School.

Stephens was one of the top shooters and most prolific scorers in school history. The 5-6 guard from Alliance, Neb., ranks third on NU?s all-time scoring list with 1,976 points as a four-year starter from 1986 through 1989. She also ranks third in career assists (444) and steals (280), while ranking as the top three-point shooter in school history with 129 made three-pointers in 323 attempts (39.9 percent) in just two seasons with the shot at her disposal.

Stephens started 113 games during her Nebraska career and earned Kodak All-District V honors as a senior in 1988-89. She was also a first-team All-Big Eight Conference selection as a senior. 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 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 was also inducted in 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 1997.