Latoja Schaben - Women's Basketball Coach - Iowa State University Athletics

Latoja Schaben

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
laharris@iastate.edu
Phone:
515-294-8129

Latoja Schaben, who played for head coach Bill Fennelly at Toledo, is in her 29th season on the Cyclone staff. During her tenure in Ames, Iowa State has compiled an overall record of 599-303 and made 24 postseason appearances.

Just as she helped Fennelly propel Toledo into the national spotlight as an All-American center for the Rockets, she joined her mentor on the sidelines at ISU to build a nationally recognized program. In her first season, the Cyclones recorded their first 25-win season (25-8).

Schaben has been part of many ISU women's basketball milestones, celebrating a trio of Big 12 Championship titles (2000, 2001, 2023), a share of the 2000 regular-season conference crown and two trips to the NCAA Championship's Elite Eight. She saw the Cyclones win over top-seeded Connecticut in 1999 to shock the women's basketball world and send ISU to its first NCAA Elite Eight. She was on the sidelines 10 years later when ISU used a come-from-behind victory to knock off Michigan State in 2009 for its second Elite Eight berth in school history.

In addition to the two Elite Eight appearances, Schaben has coached ISU in four more Sweet Sixteens, including its most recent trip in 2022, and has been part of the Iowa State coaching staff during all 23 NCAA Tournament victories in program history.

Schaben's primary assignment is working with the Cyclone post players. Schaben helped coach Audi Crooks to All-America honors in each of her first two seasons as Crooks became the first Cyclone freshman to earn All-America status. As a sophomore, Crooks reached a new level, leading the Big 12 with 23.4 points per game and becoming the third-fastest league player to reach 1,000 career points (49 games). Crooks and fellow sophomore post Addy Brown have led Iowa State in scoring in each of the last two seasons. The post presence was crucial to Iowa State's success in 2023-24 as Iowa State out-rebounded 28 of its 33 opponents while posting the sixth-highest field goal percentage in program history (.468). Crooks led the charge, recording the highest shooting percentage by NCAA Division I freshman in 2023-24 with a .577 (258-447) mark.

Schaben also helped coach Chelsea Poppens to All-America honors twice in her career. Poppens was the only player to average a double-double in the nation's toughest conference in 2011-12 and went on to become just the 14th player in Big 12 history to record 1,000 career points and rebounds.

Poppens and fellow post player Anna Prins were second-round WNBA draft picks in 2013. Forward Hallie Christofferson followed suit earning All-Big 12 First-Team honors as a junior and senior, en route to back-to-back All-America honors. Forward Stephanie Soares became the program's highest draft pick in 2023, going fourth overall to the Washington Mystics before being traded to the Dallas Wings while teammate Ashley Joens was drafted 19th overall to the Wings.

Schaben coached Kristin Scott and Joens. Scott earned multiple All-Big 12 nods in her career, finishing her senior season with Second-Team All-Big 12 honors. She was also frequently named to Lisa Leslie Award Watch lists, honoring the nation's top post player. Joens developed into one of the nation's premier small forwards, with her unique inside game and ability to control rebounds earning All-America honors by numerous outlets and becoming the three-time defending recipient of the Cheryl Miller Award. Joens also earned unanimous All-Big 12 honors for the fourth-straight time in 2022-23.

Early on in her career, she tutored Angie Welle, who posted 54 career double-doubles and earn nine All-America honors in her career. She also played a role in developing Brittany Wilkins, who went on to a professional basketball career both in the WNBA and overseas. Schaben has also coached Nicky Wieben, ISU's most prolific shot blocker. Prins earned Big 12 All-Freshman accolades and all three 2009-10 newcomers won Big 12 Freshman-of-the-Week accolades at some point during the season. Christofferson also earned Big 12 All-Freshman honors in 2010-11.

Off the court, Schaben has made an impact on the entire Iowa State Athletics Department, playing a prominent role on the department's Cultural Humility Committee. Her efforts saw her named to the Women Impacting ISU calendar for 2023.

Prior to arriving in Ames, Schaben joined the professional basketball ranks for three years. She played in Portugal, Italy, Finland and Turkey, averaging double-figures in both scoring and rebounding her entire professional career and leading all of her teams to the finals for the first time in the programs' history.

At Toledo, Schaben was an honorable mention All-American center, lettering three years and earning 1993 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year honors. Schaben graduated from UT in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in communications.

The Mansfield, Ohio, native was inducted into the Toledo Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Mansfield Senior Hall of Fame in 2003. Schaben, who married Scott in 2007, has a daughter (Jasmine).