Chartiers Vally’s second-year coach Ashley Battle, is a North Side Manchester, native who attended high school at Linsly School in Wheeling, W. Va., and played professionally in the WNBA and Europe. She won three national championships at UConn and was Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2002-03.
The former first round draft choice in the WNBA has played at the highest level and with and against some of the sport’s greatest players and the game has taken her all over the world.
“I first heard about Ashley Battle from Carl Kohlman, who ran the Ozanam Basketball League and AAU teams,” said sports historian Eddie Jefferies. “One year Carl had Guards Karen Hall and Suzie McConnell Serio on the same team and opposing coaches complained that their teams couldn’t get the ball across half court.”
In high school Battle played on an undefeated team and she set school records in points, rebounds, assists, steals and was named to the All-American team.
In college she won three national championships and was part of a core of freshmen that was dubbed the “Fab Three” made up of Battle, Marla Conlon and Diana Taurasi.
It was defense that earned her playing time as a college freshman.
“When I came into Connecticut, they were coming off a national championship in 2000 with everybody coming back,” Battle said. “And we had the No. 1 recruiting class coming in that next season (which included Diana Taurasi). Everybody can score, so what are you going to do to make yourself stand out? I knew I could play defense, so that’s what I did.”
In 2002, the Huskies went undefeated. She was named Defensive Player of the Year and was selected in the first round of the WNBA draft.
Battle, played four seasons at UConn and shared her Huskies knowledge with the Colts. As a result, the team has borrowed some ideas from the nine-time national champions.
Coach Battle can draw from her years with Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma.
And when your coach has “defensive player of the year” among her accomplishments, playing defense isn’t optional.
“We play tough defense and had a great season and made it to the state quarter finals and finished with a 22-6 record,” said coach Battle. “We graduate 4 seniors and I think all four will play in college.”
Part of being a pioneer is having to watch as others try to follow in your footsteps and eclipse your accomplishments. And to be sure, there has been much to emulate about UConn women’s basketball program built by Geno Auriemma over the past three decades.
The bigger the athlete, the bigger the target to point a finger at.
Kentucky was 38-0, and presumably unbeatable, until Wisconsin beat them over the weekend and dropped them to 38-1.
“I know what Kentucky was going through,” said coach Battle. “I played on an undefeated team in college and have a target on your back and get the opposing teams best effort every night because they want to make history by beating you. So I’m not shocked that Kentucky got beat.”
Coach Battle was presented with the Willie “Pops” Stargell MVP Award meant to recognize an accomplished athlete whose success on the court has been surpassed only by their work off it. What she found was a legacy that she works to this day to strengthen and uphold.
“When I was 12 years old my AAU team won a national championship and the next 3 years we were ranked in the top five,” said coach Battle. “I was a Parade All-American in high school and won three national championships in college and have been inducted into several Hall of Fame’s but winning the Willie Stargell Award ranks near the top.”
Much of coach Battle’s life has been defined by the game she played, but perhaps her greatest mark has come with her efforts in the classroom.
She received two degrees from UConn. A Marketing degree and a Economics degree and works for Fifth Third Bank.
Coach Battle inspired and touched the hearts of basketball players like no other. There were two main factors to her unique effect on the hoop community. One, her beauty and personality; two, her relentless defensive efforts.
If there’s one word that sums coach Battle up, it is “passion.” Passion is what drives her in the gym, fueled her on the court, guides the way she lives his life and prepares for the next one. Passion defines her.
Now, arguments might rage about who had the best-ever jump shot, the best-ever rebounder, etc. but when it comes to discussion of best ever defenders—and even though it is now two years since she last competed—there is only one candidate: Ashley Battle of Manchester!
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