Stacy Cantley was promoted to Associate Head Coach in June 2021 and enters her seventh season overall with the Milwaukee women’s basketball team in 2024-25.
Cantley has played an integral part of Milwaukee’s success, helping the team to 92 victories during her first six seasons with the program. The team put together a 20-win campaign in 2020-21, when the Panthers clinched the Horizon League regular season championship, and a trip to the postseason WNIT.
Since joining the program, Cantley has overseen five All-Conference selections including a pair of All-Conference First Team honorees. Four players have also made the All-Defensive team, and a trio of Panthers have been selected to the All-Freshman team since Cantley’s arrival in 2018.
Prior to joining Milwaukee, Cantley spent three seasons at Western Carolina and brings over 20 years of coaching experience to Milwaukee.
Prior to her time with the Catamounts, Cantley spent four seasons at Wisconsin. While with the Badgers, she spent her first season on the bench alongside current Rechlicz in 2010-11. She also coached former Panther assistant Anya Covington for two seasons, helping her earn All-Big Ten honors as a senior.
Before her time in Madison, Cantley was part of a long run of success at Virginia Tech. She helped the Hokies rack up 110 wins in her seven years in Blacksburg, advancing to three postseason tournaments, including two NCAA Tournament appearances. While with the Hokies, Cantley coached two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference honoree Kerri Gardin and Nare Diawara, the highest WNBA draftee in Virginia Tech history.
Cantley had an earlier run at Western Carolina from 2001-04. The Catamounts won 21 games in 2002-03 behind first-team All-Southern Conference selection Jennifer Gardner. Prior to Western Carolina, Cantley coached at her alma mater, UNC Wilmington, for three seasons, aiding the Seahawks to the championship game of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament in 2000 with an 18-12 record.
A native of Beckley, W.V., Cantley earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1999 from UNC Wilmington, where she was a four-year letterwinner in basketball. She finished her career at Wilmington on the school’s top 10 all-time list in rebounds.
