| Fred Applin |
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Fred Applin is in his third year as associate head coach. Applin is a highly-regarded recruiter who spent the last decade honing his recruiting and coaching techniques at several major universities, including a stint at Wake Forest from 1997-98.
Since returning to Wake Forest two seasons ago, Applin has already brought in a pair of freshmen classes that have been regarded among the best in the nation.
"Coach Applin is as good as it gets at his job in the entire country," said head coach Mike Petersen. "He is one of the most respected recruiters in the country. He does a phenominal job locating and recruiting prospects. He has also been around a ton of success during his career, including Final Four appearances. We are lucky to have him on our staff."
Applin returned to Winston-Salem following six years on the University of Texas women's staff. Together with Longhorn associate head coach Karen Aston, Applin was responsible for Texas' day-to-day recruiting efforts. In 1998-99, Women's Basketball Journal recognized Applin as one of the nation's top assistant coaches in its annual coaching poll. During his tenure at Texas, the Longhorns made the NCAA Tournament every year, captured the 2003 Big 12 regular season and tournament crowns. In addition to the 2004 Big 12 regular season title, the Longhorns reached the Sweet 16 three straight years (2002-04) and reached the 2003 NCAA Final Four.
Among the standout student-athletes that Applin helped signed while at Texas were consensus high school All-Americans Stacy Stephens, an All-American at Texas who was a 1999-2000 Parade and USA Today All-American and rated the nation's No. 5 power forward coming out of Winnsboro HS in Winnsboro, Texas; Heather Schreiber and Kala Bowers - who were high school All-Americans and the Players of the Year in their respective states as high school seniors; guard Nina Norman, who earned elite Parade, Nike and McDonald's All-America honors as a senior and a pair of highly-touted players, both consensus HS All-Americans, Tiffany Jackson and Kalee Carey. In the last two years, Applin and Aston signed three prestigious McDonald All-Americans in the first two years of the honor (Norman, Jackson and Carey) and four WBCA/Nike All-American (Norman, Jackson, Carey and Erneisha Bailey).
Prior to his first stint with the Demon Deacons, Applin was the head women's basketball coach at Hampton University from 1995-97. With the Lady Pirates, he signed two Nike High School All-Americans (Danielle Dawson and Felecia Bryant) and his recruiting classes were ranked among the nation's top 30 by the Blue Star Report. Additionally, 13 of his student-athletes attained Dean's List status, while his teams maintained the highest team grade-point average in school history.
Applin spent two seasons as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Houston (1993-95). He was responsible for bringing in a pair of top 25 recruiting classes.
Prior to Houston, Applin was a women's basketball assistant coach at North Carolina for five years (1988-93), serving as recruiting coordinator for the nationally-ranked Tar Heels. At UNC, he signed All-America standouts and 1994 NCAA National Champion performers Sylvia Crawley, Tonya Sampson and Charlotte Smith. Applin also signed All-America two-sport superstar, U.S. Olympic and World Championship sprint and long jump gold medalist, Marion Jones. Crawley, Sampson and Smith all played in the former American Basketball League (ABL), while Smith and Crawley have gone on to stardom in the WNBA. Applin was also a volunteer UNC men's basketball junior varsity coach (1987-88).
Off the court, Applin is a noted speaker and champion of community service. He has initiated numerous promotional and service endeavors surrounding his basketball programs. While at Hampton, he founded the "Professors for Women's Basketball" and the "Friends of Hampton Basketball" organizations while also developing the "Think Ahead" and Women's Basketball Alumni Outreach programs. At Texas, Applin was heavily involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Champions for Christ.
Applin is a 1985 graduate of Elon where he earned a bachelor's degree in recreation and was a member of the NAIA National Championship football team. He also competed in track & field and lacrosse at Elon. Applin also served as a student coach and manager for the Elon women's basketball team. He received his master's degree in therapeutic recreation from North Carolina Central University in 1989. Applin was a commissioned officer in the North Carolina National Guard. He completed his U.S. Army Quartermaster Officer School Training at Ft. Lee, Va., in 1986.
Applin, a Roseboro, N.C. native, and his wife Cora, have two daughters, Anaiah and Hillary, and one son, Michael.
