A big step: Cummard named BYU women’s basketball coach
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- Former Cougar standout and assistant coach Lee Cummard greets players at a news conference naming him as the eighth head coach of the BYU women’s basketball team on Monday, March 31, 2025.
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- Former Cougar player and assistant coach Lee Cummard at a news conference naming him as the eighth head coach of the BYU women’s basketball team on Monday, March 31, 2025.
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- Former Cougar player and assistant coach Lee Cummard shakes hands with Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe at a news conference naming him as the eighth head coach of the BYU women’s basketball team on Monday, March 31, 2025.
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- Former Cougar player and assistant coach Lee Cummard at a news conference naming him as the eighth head coach of the BYU women’s basketball team on Monday, March 31, 2025.
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- Former Cougar player and assistant coach Lee Cummard at a news conference naming him as the eighth head coach of the BYU women’s basketball team on Monday, March 31, 2025.
Lee Cummard was the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year in 2008, earning his reputation as a tough, all-around player with a multiple skill set while helping BYU to a conference title.
Those same attributes have led him to his first head coaching job.
Cummard was named the new BYU women’s basketball coach on Monday, replacing the departed Amber Whiting after serving on her staff as associate head coach.
“I am extremely grateful and honored to be given the opportunity to serve as the head coach of BYU women’s basketball,” Cummard said. “BYU is a special place that changes lives, and I am grateful for the impact it has had on my life. This program has a tremendous history of winning and doing things the right way, with great people. I am committed to continuing that tradition, and I look forward to helping our current and future student-athletes excel both on and off the basketball court.”
Cummard referred to his arrival in Provo 20 years ago, a skinny freshman from Arizona playing for Dave Rose. Now, he’s responsible for building a program that can compete in one of the country’s best conferences. Whiting was 45-51 overall and 19-35 in conference play in her three years at the helm, one year in the West Coast Conference and the past two in the Big 12.
“I told the players earlier today that excellence is the expectation,” he said. “That’s how we do everything. It’s in our mindset, it’s in our approach to things, it’s in our preparation, it’s how we work. They know that, and they’re wanting that. The way that this place has shaped my life has been tremendous. I’ve grown in every aspect of my life as a person, in my spiritual walk, and I’ve grown tremendously in my relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I want everybody to know that. I want everybody to know that that’s where we’re going with this program. We want everybody that comes here to be who they are supposed to be.”
BYU Deputy Athletic Director Brian Santiago said there was a lot of interest in the job but the focus from the athletic department, BYU President Shane Reese and Advancement Vice President Keith Vorkink was recognizing what they had in Cummard and acting quickly so he could begin to build his program.
“Lee has been an important part of our BYU Athletics family for many years,” Holmoe said. “His time as a star player on the men’s team, and a member of both the men’s and women’s basketball coaching staffs, gives him valuable experience and connection in this important position. He has displayed a loyal commitment to BYU and understands the valuable mission of our university. He will be able to retain key players and recruit those that will fit, excel and align at BYU.”
Cummard, who was named the interim head coach when Whiting left, said, “Everybody on the team currently wants to be here” and added he’s had some great conversations with Big 12 Freshman of the Year Delaney Gibb about her future with the program.
“We know we have to add a couple of things in the portal, but we want this place to be about development, coming here and working and earning your stripes,” Cummard said. “Delaney is a fantastic human being and player, and she wants to be with the group, and that’s what’s most special about her.”
Whiting’s daughter, Amari, has already announced her transfer to Oklahoma State and Kailey Woolston, who is currently serving a church mission, has put her name into the transfer portal according to reports.
While on staff as associate head coach from 2022-25, Cummard helped the Cougars to back-to-back postseason appearances, the WBIT in 2024 and the WNIT in 2023. The coaching staff helped develop the 2025 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Delaney Gibb as well as BYU’s all-time leading rebounder and 2023 WCC Defensive Player of the Year, Lauren Gustin.
During this time, four players earned All-Conference honors with Gustin (2023 – WCC, 2024 – Big 12) and Nani Falatea (2023 – WCC) earning First Team Honors, Gibb (2025 – Big 12) selected to the second team and Kailey Woolston (2024 – Big 12) being named honorable mention.
Prior to serving on Whiting’s staff, Cummard spent the 2019 through 2022 seasons as an assistant to Jeff Judkins. Cummard helped the Cougars to two NCAA Tournament appearances (2021 and 2022), reaching the Round of 32 in the 2021 Tournament before falling to Final Four-bound Arizona.
With the assistance of Cummard, the Cougars took home the 2022 WCC regular season title with a program-best 25 wins and went undefeated at the Marriott Center (14-0) including five ranked victories. In 2022, BYU finished with a No. 20 final ranking, spent a program-record 16 weeks in the AP Top 25 poll and set an attendance record for regular-season average and single-game attendance with 6,289 fans cheering the Cougars on to a 63-39 victory over Gonzaga.
Due to COVID-19 sidelining Judkins for a stint during the 2021-22 season, Cummard assumed the role of acting head coach for a three-game stretch. While fulfilling head coaching responsibilities, Cummard went 3-0, including a win over in-state rival Utah State and two ranked wins over No. 17 Florida State and No. 22 West Virginia to win the St. Pete Showcase.
Cummard also helped five players garner 12 All-Conference honors between 2019-22, including two-time WCC Player of the Year Shaylee Gonzales, WCC Defensive Player of the Year Sara Hamson and three-time First Team All-WCC honorees Paisley Johnson Harding and Brenna Chase Drollinger.
Before coaching the women, Cummard spent three seasons on staff with the BYU men’s basketball team, one year as an assistant (2018-19) and two as a graduate assistant (2016-18) under head coach Dave Rose. While serving on the men’s staff, Cummard helped the Cougars to three-consecutive 20-win seasons and two trips to the NIT. Those teams saw four players earn a combined seven all-conference honors.
Cummard suited up for the Cougars from 2005 to 2009, when he earned All-American status as a junior and senior. The 6-foot-7 guard was named an AP All-American Honorable Mention in 2008 and was named a Fourth Team All-American by FOXSports.com in 2009. Cummard was a three-time All-Mountain West Conference honoree, earning third-team honors as a sophomore in 2006-07 and receiving first-team nods in his final two years with the Cougars in 2007-08 and 2008-09.
At the close of his four-year BYU career, Cummard ranked in the top 20 of 28 statistical categories. He ranks second in effective field goal percentage (.608), third in consecutive games played (131), fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (.431) and free throw percentage (.842). He also sits sixth in consecutive games started (102), 10th in offensive rebounds (202), blocks (106), total victories (97) and 5-steal games, 12th in games played (131), games started (116) and 3-block games.
The new head coach also ranks 13th in made threes (153), steals (129), minutes played (3,602), points per field goal attempt (1.4957), 14th in blocks per game (.809), 15th in made field goals (561), double-figure scoring games (77), 16th in points (1,569), 17th in field goal percentage (.5348) and 20th in rebounds (686).
Following his playing career at BYU, Cummard played professionally from 2009-16 in France (2009-11), Japan (2011-12) and Belgium (2012-16).
Cummard and his wife Sarah have three sons. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tennessee.
