Leading the Wolf Pack

When North Carolina State Kellie Harper was hired to take over the Wolfpack women's basketball team in 2009, she had her sights set on a few players to begin her coaching tenure in Raleigh. 

And one of the first players she targeted was Lorton's Myisha Goodwin-Coleman. 

"I had seen her play when she was 14 or 15 and absolutely loved her," Harper said about the Edison High School grad. "I continued to recruit her and watch her at Edison when I first came to N.C. State and she's one of the kids I wanted to go and see early."

Goodwin-Coleman and the Wolfpack are off to a 3-0 start following a 85-76 win at TCU on Saturday, with her 11.3 points and 3.3 assists per game ranking among the team leaders in the early going.

"I feel as though I'm playing very consistently," Goodwin-Coleman says, "and doing well at getting my other teammates to where they are supposed to be on the court and getting each of them comfortable to play offensively or defensively."

But it wasn't the smoothest of transitions in her first year on campus. Myisha, likely every other freshman was adjusting to life as a college freshman. But unlike the others, she was learning in a new system with new teammates. 

"I hit a few speed bumps but things are really starting to smooth out for me," Goodwin-Coleman says. "Whether I play two minutes or 20 minutes, I showed what I could do and gave it my all. I had to get used to the style of play but I'm in it now."

She took over as the team's point guard for the final 11 games of the season, something Harper knew was just a matter of time.

"We actually expected that from her from Day 1," Harper says. "She was lacking some confidence early in the season and comfort within our offense. Sometimes it just takes some reps and games to find that. I think once we put her in the starting lineup, she started to get better each and every game."

The next step for her is becoming a more vocal leader. Harper describes her as even-keeled, which is both good and bad for floor general. 

"That's good because she never gets too high or too low," Harper says, "but it's going to require her to speak up. Technically she understands and has a good feel for the game but learning how to be a leader would be the biggest growth for her this year."

Academically, the sophomore just declared her major as sports management. Her career path is undecided but she knows she wants to continue to work in sports. 

The trip from Raleigh for her family is just about four hours, which allows her parents to make the trip regularly for games. Family has played a big role in her life, and that same feeling is what led to her joining the Wolfpack.

"The family atmosphere of N.C. State is the biggest thing for me," Myisha says. "I really wouldn't want to be anywhere else due to the coaching staff and my teammates."

And Harper in turn, has no desire to have anyone else leading her team.

"I think I just like Myisha as our point guard," Harper says. "She will be much better player her sophomore year than her freshman year. I know she had some growing pains as a freshman but in preseason practices, she's been our most consistent player.

"We are expecting big things."