ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington women's basketball head coach Krista Gerlich announced the promotion of Talby Justus to the position of Associate Head Coach during the offseason. Justus has been with the Lady Mavericks as an assistant coach since 2013. The Lady Mavs also announced Amanda Miller as the team's graduate assistant for the 2018-19 campaign. 

Under Justus' leadership, the Lady Mavs have found themselves as one of the top teams in the Sun Belt Conference, as well as being a part of a coaching staff that has had its recruiting class named the top in the Sun Belt two times in since 2013. 

"Talby has provided our staff and program with a good balance of fundamental, on the court coaching and a strong work ethic on the recruiting trail over the past five years," Gerlich said. "He's a big reason for the level of players we have been able to sign year in and year out. He has great relationships with our players, staff members and administration on campus and his leadership within our program and out in the community has grown every season that we have been at UTA. This elevation on our staff seems natural and very well deserved. We wouldn't have the success we have had at UTA without Talby playing an instrumental role on our coaching staff."

Joining the program for the 2013-14 season, Justus has seen the Lady Mavs go from a four-win program, to finishing near the top of the league standings as well as a postseason berth to the Women's NIT. Justus has had a part of coaching Rebekah VanDijk, a four-time SBC All-Conference selection and Mid-Major Freshman All American who is now a student coach on the squad. UTA saw a 14-win improvement between the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, one of the largest in NCAA Division I. UTA put together a 22-win season in the 2016-17 season and finished No. 2 in the league. The Mavs were eighth nationally in turnovers forced per game and 17th nationally in steals per game. 

With a focus on defense, UTA has been one of the toughest to score against under this coaching staff. In 2014-16 the defense was 20th in field-goal defense, and 34th nationally in 2015-16 in allowing just 56.5 points per game, second in the Sun Belt. 

Prior to joining the UTA staff, Justus spent three seasons as a member of the New Mexico State Junior College coaching staff. 

In his first year assisting with the women's basketball program, the Lady Thunderbirds set four new program records. In 2012 the Lady Thunderbirds went 32-5, won their first ever WJCAC Conference Championship, then went on to win one of the toughest Region tournaments in the Nation. Winning The Region 5 Tournament qualified them for the NJCAA Div. 1 National Tournament in Salina, KS.

At the National Tournament, the Lady Thunderbirds went 3-1 and finished fifth in the country. These accomplishments were new benchmarks for the rising program.

In 2013 the Lady Thunderbirds split the WJCAC Conference Title and went 23-5. Justus' combined record at NMJC is 55-10. In his final season, he helped coach the Lady Thunderbirds to their fourth-straight regional berth.

Prior to his move to the collegiate level, the Stillwater, Oklahoma native worked in the high school ranks, most recently at Ripley High School. He built the girls program at Ripley into a respected program by going 68-18 the past three seasons with a trip to the Area Tournament and two conference championships.

He spent three years previous at Glencoe High School where he led that program to the first state championship in school history in 2006 and in 2007 led them to the State Runner-up. He finished his tenure at Glencoe with a record of 76-17 and led the state in points allowed per game for three straight years.

Justus was one of four finalists for Oklahoma's Boys Basketball Coach of the Year in 2006 and named by his peers the District II Basketball Coach of the Year in 2007.

About Amanda Miller
Miller has been a staple of the team's student staff over the last few seasons. A hard worker for the program, Miller helped lead a group of student coaches during the 2017-18 season. Miller is a product of Duncanville High School and has a strong basketball mind that stretches through experience on and off the court. Miller helps in the day-to-day assistance for the team's Director of Operations, as well as helps with special projects for the Lady Mavs.