NATCHITOCHES – Jennifer Graf, who spent 16 years as a member of the Northwestern State Lady Demon basketball family as a player, graduate assistant coach, assistant coach and head coach, has resigned her post as the team's leader to pursue other endeavors.
 
Graf, one of the nation's youngest head coaches in Division I basketball nearly her entire head coaching career, spent eight seasons at the helm of the Lady Demon program and compiled a 106-131 career record.
 
“I will always be grateful for the opportunity Coach (James) Smith and this university gave me to play basketball and earn a degree from Northwestern State University,” said Graf in a statement.  “Being a part of the Lady Demon family for the past 16 years has been a blessing.  I am so thankful to everyone that has supported me during my time at NSU as both an athlete and a coach.”
 
“Jennifer has been a part of the Lady Demon basketball tradition for 16 years and is appreciated beyond words for the passion and energy that she has dedicated to the program, initially as a student-athlete and ultimately as head coach for the past eight seasons,” said Director of Athletics Greg Burke.  “In fact, I have heard it said 'once a Lady Demon, always a Lady Demon' and that phrase certainly applies to Jennifer, who will always be a part of this program because she has influenced the lives of so many teammates and players over the years.
 
"I join the entire NSU Athletic Department in wishing Jennifer all the best in her future pursuits."
 
As a player, Graf played in 110 games for Northwestern State, winning 74, starting 48 times, including 30 games in her senior season.  She was a three-time Academic All-Southland Conference selection and won the Fellowship of Christian Athletes “Lady Demon of the Year” award as a senior.
 
NSU posted an 86-32 record in her four seasons as an assistant coach, including a 63-15 mark in conference play and a conference regular season and tournament championship in 2003-04 when the team finished 24-7 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
 
She was named the country's youngest head coach in the summer of 2004 and led her first squad to a 17-12 record, third place finish in the conference and a spot in the conference tournament semifinals.
 
Her teams returned to the semifinals in 2008-09 and 2009-10 but failed to make the slate this season when her team finished 6-23 overall and 2-14 in league play.
 
“From both a professional and personal perspective, I have enjoyed working with Jennifer,” said Burke.  “As a coach, she ranks right up there at the top in terms of being easy to work with and being loyal.  Furthermore, she is a quality person with whom I have enjoyed building a friendship from the time that we arrived on this campus at the same time in August of 1996 – Jennifer as a freshman and myself as Athletic Director.  She comes from a good family that emphasizes strong values and has always cared about others.  There is no doubt in my mind that she will continue to be an asset to the women's basketball profession.”
 
Said Graf:  “The Lady Demon family, history, tradition and values will always be near and dear to my heart.  It is what I will treasure and carry with me in my next endeavor.”