Joyce Ekworomadu is a Nigerian-American born August 6, 1986 in Edmond, Oklahoma and raised in Dallas, TX. She attended Texas State University where she averaged 18.9pts/gm, was Southland Conference Player of the Year, led the team to the school’s first ever Conference championship​, became the 5th player in Texas state history to record over 1500 points and 600 rebounds, voted on the all-Decade team, ESPN CoSIDA All-academic team, 3rd Place – ESPN 3PT Shootout (2008), was Nominated for Female athlete of the year and graduated with a BBA in Marketing.

Post college, she played in the WNBA, Poland, Italy and is a current member of the National Nigerian Basketball Team. She has traveled to over 40 countries playing the game of basketball.

Rachi Wortham, the former director of player personnel at Oregon State, has been selected to join the Montana men’s basketball staff as an assistant under Grizzly head coach Travis DeCuire.

 

Rachi (pronounced Rah-shee) comes to Montana after spending two seasons at Oregon State working under former Griz head coach Wayne Tinkle.

 

No stranger to the Big Sky Conference, Wortham served as an assistant coach at Eastern Washington from 2007-2011 under Kirk Earlywine. Wortham is also an EWU alumnus, where he was a standout guard from 2003-05, and was part of the Eagles’ first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2004.

 

“I know Montana. I was at Eastern Washington for a long time, and I’ve seen the way they hold themselves, the way they prepare, the way they compete. They compete like winners, so I’m excited to be part of that mentality,” says Wortham.

 

Wortham and DeCuire’s prior relationship dates back to the mid 90’s when he played AAU basketball under DeCuire at the age of 15 in his hometown of Tacoma, Wash.

 

“We go back a long way,” says Coach DeCuire. “I’ve watched him grow, I’ve watched him kick in doors for opportunities. We’re talking about a young man that has always had leadership qualities, but has developed into a strong leader and a strong mentor of young men, and we need more of that.”

 

In addition to coaching at the collegiate level, Wortham has used basketball as a means of outreach and leadership development for organizations such as TEAM ACCESS, the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties, the Boys & Girls Club, the Isaiah Thomas Basketball Camp and Lids Team Sports-Nike Team.

 

Wortham’s duties for the Grizzlies under Coach DeCuire will include academic advising, player mentoring, recruiting and community outreach.