BREAKING NEWS: Pokey Chatman resigns at LSU

In what is certainly the biggest jolt to come in the world of women's college basketball coaching in years, LSU Head Coach Pokey Chatman announced her resignation from the SEC program effective at the end of the NCAA Tournament season. Chatman is in her third full season as head coach and her 18th season overall with the Tiger Program. She played for the late Sue Gunter and then served as Gunter's assistant before taking over for the ailing Gunter in 2004. Gunter passed away in 2005 shortly after the Tigers made their second consecutive NCAA Final Four.

"I have notified the university today that I will step down as head coach of the women's basketball program in order to allow me to pursue other career opportunities," Chatman said in a prepared statement that did not give details about those other opportunities.

The resignation came as a surprise to Athletic Director Skip Bertman, but thanked Chatman for her years of loyalty to the school and to the women's basketball program.

"We respect the decision that Pokey Chatman has made regarding her future career opportunities," athletic director Skip Bertman said in a news release. "On behalf of LSU, I thank her for her athletic accomplishments as a player and as a coach, and for the community service work she has performed for Baton Rouge and Louisiana."

Chatman has a record of 105-19, including the wins and losses from her season as acting head coach in Gunter's absence. She was known for her feisty sideline behavior and meticulous coaching. Her recruiting efforts are said to have brought in LSU's most notable players including Marie Ferdinand, Sylvia Fowles and the two-time Player of the Year Seimone Augustus. She led the Lady Tigers to the final four the past three seasons, each time losing in the semi-finals. This year, LSU stands at 26-7 overall and recently upset Tennessee in the SEC semi-finals before falling to Vanderbilt in the championship game. Chatman is a native of Louisiana, which makes the decision that much more unexplainable. Stay blogged-in and up-to-date on the situation here on galhoopsavenue.blogspot.com and email us your thoughts on this big story at galhoopsavenue@gmail.com.