Former West Virginia Associate Head Coach George Porcha Joins Ole Miss Women’s Basketball Staff

Coach Matt Insell at SEC Media Days / Photo courtesy of Joshua McCoy Ole Miss Athletics

Head coach Matt Insell announced the addition of George Porcha to his coaching staff on Monday (May 23). Porcha comes to Ole Miss from Woodbridge Senior High School where he was the head boy’s basketball coach. Porcha also has extensive ties to the AAU ranks where he has helped run the highly successful Boo Williams Summer League. Porcha most recently served as the associate head coach at West Virginia and has also spent time at Virginia Tech.

“I am excited to have George and his family joining the Rebel Nation,” said Insell. “I have known George for a long time and I have always had so much respect for him as a coach and a person. He brings a wealth of experience recruiting at the highest level and is one of the best skill development coaches in the country. He is a perfect fit for our program and I am glad that he’s an Ole Miss Rebel.”

Porcha spent five years on staff at West Virginia and played an integral role for the Mountaineers. During his time at West Virginia WVU made four consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament and recorded the best record in program history in 2009-10, finishing with a 29-6 mark. Porcha was instrumental in the day-to-day coaching of the team, including the post players. He helped Liz Repella and Takisha Granberry earn All-BIG EAST second team honors and assisted in Sarah Miles obtaining the BIG EAST Most Improved Player Award.

“I am very eager and excited to join Coach Matt Insell’s staff here at Ole Miss,” said Porcha.  “I have so much respect and admiration for the energy and passion that Coach Matt has put into restoring this proud program.  Coach Alex (Simmons) and Coach Brittany (Hudson) are two of the brightest young assistant coaches in the business and I look forward to helping them carry out Coach Insell’s mission of bringing an SEC championship to Ole Miss”

Prior to his stint at Virginia Tech, Porcha, a Spring Valley, N.Y., native, spent 2004-07 at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va., where he served as head varsity girl’s basketball coach. While at T.C. Williams, Porcha led the team in 2006 to a second-place finish in the Northern Region and to the Virginia State Elite Eight tournament.

He guided the squad to an undefeated Patriot District Championship and was named the District Coach of the Year for his efforts. Porcha’s 2007 squad also captured the Patriot District title. Several of his players at T.C. Williams later played at the collegiate level. Academically, Porcha served as a special education teacher for two years and was the assistant athletic director in 2007.

Prior to T.C. Williams, he was the head varsity girls coach at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Va., for five years leading his team to the regional playoffs each year while compiling a 62-43 record. He was named the 2001 National District Coach of the Year and coached seven players who went on to college playing careers. Porcha’s teams compiled an average GPA of 3.2 during his tenure. He also served as head junior varsity girl’s coach (1997-1999), head freshman girl’s coach (1995-1997), varsity track assistant coach (1995-1999) and varsity football coach (1995-1999).

Porcha also has a wealth of AAU coaching experience where he has coached 20 players who received Division I scholarships. He worked in the Boo Williams Summer League in Hampton, Va., for the past three years. His 2005 and 2006 teams were the Boo Williams NIKE Elite tournament champions with his 2007 team finishing second. Porcha also guided his team to the End of the Trails NIKE Elite tournament championship in 2005 and a runner-up finish in 2006. His team captured the Virginia State Championship in 2006 and 2007.

Additionally, he attended the Villa 7 Consortium in May, 2010, in Beaverton, Ore., which comprised the most-talented group of men’s and women’s basketball assistant coaches from college basketball’s most storied programs and focused on the next generation of rising head coaches. Participants were exposed to a variety of topics designed to help familiarize coaches with the on-and-off the court challenges they may not be familiar with.

Additionally, Porcha has also served as a camp counselor at several universities including Virginia Commonwealth (2005), Richmond (2003-05), UNC Greensboro (2002) and Virginia (2000-01), as well as being the Camp Facilitator at the T.C. Williams Camp for four summers.

Porcha earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from New Haven. While at New Haven, he played safety on the football team. He garnered his master’s degree in education from George Mason in 2006.

Porcha and his wife Robyn have three sons George Jr., Jalen, and Quincy.

For further ticket information go to OleMissTix.com or call the Ole Miss Ticket Office at 1-888-REB-TKTS (732-8587). For all Ole Miss women’s basketball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com, and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWBB and on Facebook at Ole Miss Women’s Basketball. Fans can also follow Ole Miss women’s basketball head coach Matt Insell on Twitter at @minsell.