Former Syracuse acting head coach Vonn Read named assistant at Houston

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Former Syracuse acting head coach Vonn Read was named an assistant coach for Houston’s women’s basketball program on Friday, the school announced. Read previously served as the Orange’s assistant, associate and acting head coach over 10 years with the program. 

“I am extremely blessed and excited to be a part of the women’s basketball program at the University of Houston under the tremendous leadership of coach (Ronald) Hughey,” Read said. “I believe in his vision of excellence and championships, and I look forward to working with our student-athletes and staff.”

Read joined Syracuse’s program ahead of the 2011-12 season, spending his first two seasons as assistant coach under then-head coach Quentin Hillsman, and was then promoted to associate coach in 2013. He took over acting head coaching responsibilities after Hillsman’s resignation last summer. 

In his first-ever season as a head coach, Read took on a transfer-heavy Syracuse team and finished the season 11-18, winning just four conference games. After finishing the 2021 portion of the schedule at 8-5 overall, Syracuse won just three of its 16 games in 2022 as Atlantic Coast Conference play began.

Once the season ended, Syracuse announced it would undergo a nationwide coaching search, and once Felisha Legette-Jack was hired, Read was left out of her coaching staff.

Read joins a Cougars program that finished 18-16 last season, when they made a run to the American Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals and a run to the third round of Women’s National Invitational Tournament. It was the second time Houston finished above .500 in the last 10 seasons.