Braden River names new girls basketball coach

The Braden River High girls basketball team has new leadership.

On May 29,  Stephanie Smith was announced as the team’s head coach next season.

Smith was a four-year letter winner at Northern Illinois University from 2001 to 2004, where she earned her master’s degree in adult and higher education.

After coaching at the high school level, Smith returned to Northern Illinois. She coached at Burlington Central from 2009 to 2011, South Elgin High School from 2008 to 2009 and Marian Catholic High School from 2005-2008.

She returned as a graduate assistant at Northern Illinois in 2011 and was director of operations from 2013-2015.

“Braden River High School thanks Kristen Fulmer for the years of dedicated service and hard work she put forth moving the girls basketball program in a positive direction,'' Braden River Athletic Director Matt Nesser said in the statement. “We are very excited to bring on Coach Stephanie Smith. The future looks bright for BRHS girls basketball to move to even bigger heights. Coach Smith has both college and high school experience which bodes well for our student-athletes moving forward.”

As a Huskie, Smith played in 113 games and made 36 starts as a guard, the statement said. She scored 475 points and held a career 35% 3-point shooting percentage.

Former coach Kristen Fulmer stepped down in April after three years.