2011-12 Women's Basketball Coaches
David Smalley
David Smalley Image
Head Coach - 20th Season
     Smalley is entering his 20th season at the helm of the Rio Grande women's basketball program and carries a career record of 399-217 (.648) into the 2011-12 season. He has guided the women's team to five NAIA National Tournament appearances--four at the NAIA Division I level ('94, '97, '99, & '00) and one at the NAIA Division II level (2008).
     Smalley's team claimed one Great Lakes Region crown and back-to-back American Mideast Conference tournament titles in 1999 and 2000.
     Since 1992, Smalley's teams have won an average of 22 games per season, including a school-record 27 wins twice. During his tenure at the school, Rio Grande also claimed a pair of Mid-Ohio Conference (MOC) championships in 1993 and 1994.
     A 1982 graduate of Rio Grande, Smalley completed his graduate studies at Bowling Green State University, where he also served as an assistant coach on the women's basketball staff, before moving to Morehead State University, also in an assistant's role. He began his coaching career at Warren High School in Vincent, OH as varsity girls' head coach.
     A native of Peebles, Ohio, Smalley resides in Rio Grande with his wife, Margaret, and daughter, Evans.        
 

Courtney Congrove
Courtney Congrove Image
Assistant Coach - 1st Season
     Congrove is in her first season as a varsity assistant coach with the RedStorm. She will also serve as the head coach of the school's junior varsity squad.
     The Chillicothe, Ohio native graduated from the University of Rio Grande in the spring of 2011 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. She is currently pursuing a Master's Degree as a full-time student at URG and also works as an independent provider through the Department of Developmentally Disabled.
     Congrove was a four-year player at Rio Grande, where she earned Mid-South Conference All-Academic honors.
     Prior to playing for the RedStorm, she was a four-year player at Zane Trace High School. She was also a member of the Columbus, Ohio-based "All-Ohio No Limit" and the Logan, Ohio-based "Team Ohio" AAU basketball squads.
     Congrove has previous coaching experience at the youth level.
     Her future plans include working for a Fortune 500 company and owning a small business of her own which would involve the developmentally disabled.
 

Leah Kendro
Leah Kendro Image
Assistant Coach - 1st Season
     Kendro is in her first season as a varsity assistant coach with the RedStorm.
     The Cleveland, Ohio native graduated from Rio Grande in the spring of 2011 with a Bachelor's Degree is Computer Science. She is currently working on a Master's Degree in Business.
     A graduate of Strongsville High School, Kendro was a four-year player at Rio Grande and earned first team All-Mid South Conference honors as a junior. She was a second team All-MSC selection as a senior and was also a MSC All-Academic honoree.
     Kendro surpassed the 1,000-point mark during her career with the RedStorm and led the NAIA in free throw shooting percentage as a senior.
     Prior to her playing days at URG, Kendro played four seasons at Strongsville High and was involved with the SMAC (Score More Athletic Club) for six years.
     She has also served as a youth basketball coach in her hometown, as well as in Rio Grande.
     Kendro's future plans include becoming the owner of her own gym.
 

Joey Hoover
Joey Hoover Image
Student Assistant - 3rd Season
   Coach Hoover is a 2010 graduate of South Gallia High School and the Buckeye Hills Career Center.
   Hoover played six years of Special Olympics basketball for Buckeye Hills Career Center in Rio Grande.
   He resides in Gallipolis, Ohio.