Lions add four to women's hoops staff

COMMERCE — Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball coach Valerie King has rounded out her coaching staff for the 2023-24 season, her first as the Lions' coach.

Brechelle Beachum, Trevor Moyer, and Tad Wedel are appointed as assistant coaches, while Jaedyn De La Cerda is named Assistant Coach/Director of Basketball Operations.

BRECHELLE BEACHUM

Beachum comes to A&M-Commerce after serving as an assistant coach at Tarleton for the past two seasons. Beachum started her coaching career at Louisiana Christian College shortly after graduating from Illinois State in 2017. After spending one season in Louisiana, she transitioned back to her junior college alma mater, Western Texas College.

She played collegiately for the Westerners and rounded out her career at Illinois State, where she ranked fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference in both steals per game and total steals during her senior season. She also had 16 double-digit scoring games in 2016-17.

Originally from Mexia, Beachum won a 3A State title at Mexia High School. She was named an all-state player and Super Centex Player of the Year her senior season.

Beachum graduated from Illinois State in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and corrections.

King said, 'I am thrilled to add Brechelle to the Lion Family. She is high-energy & a great relationship builder on the recruiting trail. Coach B will be a great mentor for the young women in our program.'

JAEDYN DE LA CERDA

De La Cerda reunites with King after playing at New Mexico, while King was on the coaching staff.

She appeared in five seasons for the Lobos and ended her career as the winningest single player in UNM women's basketball history. She played in 130 games, scoring 1,409 career games, which is 10th all-time. De La Cerda was named an all-Mountain West Conference player twice in her career.

After her college career, De La Cerda played professionally for the Central District Lions and Southern Tigers in the National Basketball League 1 in Australia.

De La Cerda graduated from New Mexico with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Family Child Studies.

'We are thrilled to add Jaedyn as our Director of Basketball Operations. Along with her professional playing experience, she was an integral piece to our success at New Mexico. She will have an immediate impact on our student-athletes on & off the court,' said King.

TREVOR MOYER

Moyer spent the last two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Missouri Western State.

The Griffons posted 24 wins each in his two seasons in St. Joseph, including in his first year, Moyer helped lead the Griffons to a historic season reaching the Elite 8 for the first time in over two decades. Missouri Western finished 2410 overall and 14-8 in the MIAA.

He began his career at MWSU after graduating from Oklahoma State. He was the manager of the Cowgirl women's basketball team for three seasons and earned the Kurt Budke Scholarship in 2020. Moyer also gives private basketball lessons during the summers, and he played college basketball for one season at the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Moyer received his masters in sport & fitness management from Missouri Western State and received his bachelors degree in sport management from Oklahoma State. He is married to Katy Moyer.

'I'm super excited that Trevor will be a part of our coaching staff,' said King. 'He has worked for two high-level women's basketball college coaches & has an unmatched work ethic. He will be a huge asset for our post-play development.'

TAD WEDEL

Wedel comes south to Commerce after being on the staff at Austin Peay for the last two seasons as an assistant coach as well as doing double duty helping fill the role of Director of Basketball Operations during the 2022-23 season.

During his two seasons with the Governors, Wedel assisted the program to 37 wins, which stands as a school record for a staff in their first two years. He also helped the program secure its first ever post season win in 2022.

While at Austin Peay, Wedel served as a position coach for Shamarre Hale, who set the school field percentage record on her way to being named the ASUN Sixth Woman of the Year and earning second team all-conference honors. Hale was ranked as the 2nd most efficient offensive player in all of women's college basketball during the 2022-23 season. Wedel also mentored Yamia Johnson, a first team all-conference player.

Prior to Austin Peay, Wedel was a video coordinator at Mississippi State and served as Creative Recruiting and Media Coordinator at Colorado, which was a newly created position.

He began his coaching career as a video coordinator at Tulsa, where he also served as an interim scout during the July evaluation period. He overhauled the video processes at Tulsa as well, taking the Golden Hurricane to high-definition capability.

Wedel, a Kansas native, graduated with his bachelors in health/physical education from the University of Kansas where he worked with the Jayhawks' basketball programs.

King commented, 'I am so excited to Tad to our coaching staff. He brings a wealth of experience in recruiting and player development that will be a huge benefit to our program.'