By Missy Schrott | mschrott@alextimes.com

Lisa Willis, a Team USA gold medalist in the 2005 World University Games and first round draft pick for the Women’s National Basketball League, has been named T.C. Williams High School girls’ basketball team head coach, Alexandria City Public Schools announced Friday.

Willis joins the Titans with more than 20 years of competitive basketball experience. Her expansive career includes playing for teams in the United States including the New York Liberty, the Los Angeles Sparks and the Sacramento Monarchs, and internationally in Latvia, Turkey, Greece and Russia.

Since retiring from competitive basketball, Willis has coached at the high school and college level, and has implemented programs in middle schools, high schools and universities that empower player and develop leadership skills, according to the press release.

She also founded Willis Hoops, an organization that provides basketball clinics and programs for inner-city youth, and has served as president of Mindful Development Hoops, a basketball training program in the D.C. region.

New ACPS Director of Athletics and Student Activities James Parker said hiring Willis fits in with his overall strategy for the school district, which is to expand the programs that are offered at the high school level and to increase funding through public-private partnerships.

“My goal is to change the caliber of coaches that we are attracting to train our young athletes and this appointment clearly matches that expectation,” Parker said in a statement. “Lisa Willis brings a wealth of experience both on and off the court that will help us to grow not only outstanding basketball players, but women who are also strong leaders and assets to our community.”