FACS Memphis Women Basketball

Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing dads, grandfathers, and father figures!

Thank you for your love, sacrifice, guidance, and unwavering support. We appreciate everything you do for your families and for the Lady Crusaders community.

Enjoy your special day—you deserve it! 💚💛

The FACS Lady Crusaders finished summer team camp play undefeated with a perfect 5-0 record. The Lady Crusaders went 3-0 at the Ole Miss Team Camp and 2-0 at the Dyersburg State Team Camp. Along the way, they earned victories over St. Mary's (27-10), Brandon (35-8), DeSoto Christian (42-16), Millington (34-30), and Halls (50-16). We are proud of the growth, effort, and teamwork these young ladies have displayed throughout the summer. This group continues to build a strong foundation for the future of Lady Crusaders Basketball.

The FACS Lady Crusaders are excited to welcome Coach Sheffield to our coaching staff!

Over the past five seasons, he has served as the girls' basketball head coach at Eastland ISD in Texas, leading the program to two playoff appearances, including a 25-8 record and a Bi-District Championship in 2023-24. In 2024-25, Eastland again reached the postseason as a Bi-District Qualifier.

Before entering the high school ranks, he spent several years coaching at both the NCAA and NJCAA levels, serving as an assistant coach at Texas A&M International University, Tarleton State University, Walters State Community College, East Central University, and Ranger College. His responsibilities included player development, recruiting, academics, discipline, and program administration. His most successful coaching tenure came at Walters State, where the team reached the NJCAA National Tournament twice and more than 25 student-athletes advanced to four-year institutions.

As a player, he enjoyed a distinguished collegiate career at Tarleton State University from 2004-06. During his two seasons, the Texans compiled a 52-16 record, won back-to-back South Central Regional Championships, reached the NCAA Division II Final Four in 2005, and earned a No. 1 national ranking in 2005-06. The 2004-05 team was inducted into the Tarleton State Hall of Fame in 2026.

Individually, he earned Division II All-American honors, was named Lone Star Conference Newcomer of the Year as a junior, earned Second Team All-LSC honors, and followed that with First Team All-LSC and First Team All-American recognition as a senior. He was also selected to the Lone Star Conference's 75th Anniversary Team, recognizing the top players and coaches who have impacted basketball in the conference's history.

Before Tarleton State, he starred at Walters State Community College, where he earned NJCAA All-American honors and helped lead the program to the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas, while playing under Hall of Fame coach Bill Carlyle.

Following his collegiate career, he played professionally for five years in Ireland and Germany, winning championships with BBC Bayreuth and Nördlingen.

He is a 2002 graduate of Houston High School in Germantown, Tennessee, where he played under Coach Chad Becker.

The Lady Crusaders are headed to Ole Miss Team Camp this Saturday as we continue building the foundation of our program.

After two years without a girls' basketball team, every practice and game is a step forward. We may be young, but we have faith, heart, and God on our side.

🕘 9:00 AM – Mary’s Episcopal
🕚 11:00 AM – Brandon
🕜 1:30 PM – DeSoto Christian

Please keep our team in your prayers as we compete, grow, and build a legacy for future Lady Crusaders.





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Day 1 of the FACS Lady Crusaders Basketball Camp is in the books! 🏀💚💛

What a great start to an exciting week. Our campers brought incredible energy, enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn as they worked on basketball fundamentals, skill development, teamwork, and character building.

We are thankful for every player and family who chose to spend part of their summer with us. The future is bright for these young athletes, and we’re looking forward to seeing their growth over the next two days.

As we remind our players, success starts with faith, hard work, and a positive attitude.

Day 2, here we come!

We see you, Briar! With the Hall of Famer, Scottie Pippen!

Lady Crusader Briar Pope with Justin Pippen at the Scottie Pippen Skills Camp in Bryant, Arkansas. Great opportunity to learn, compete, and grow alongside some of the game’s top young talent. Proud of you, Briar!

🔥 LADY CRUSADERS CAMP JUST GOT BETTER 🔥

We’re bringing in college-level talent to pour into our girls:
🏀 Briah Hampton – University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
🏀 Mikiya House – Missouri Western State University
🏀 ReMya King – Belhaven University
🏀 Sihirah Reese – Southern Arkansas University Athletics
🏀 Jerrilyn Richardson – University of Montevallo

This is more than a camp… this is EXPOSURE, DEVELOPMENT, and INSPIRATION all in one gym. If you want to grow your game, learn from those who’ve been there, and get a glimpse of what it takes to play at the next level...

Register: https://shorturl.at/LDFSn

Coach Autumn Pope is excited to join the girls' basketball program at First Assembly Christian School. This past year, she founded Team ICONIC as an extension of the work she began while coaching in JayLo Sports' elementary program. She has also served as an assistant coach with the Mississippi Lady Mambas.

Although she played basketball as a youth and throughout high school, Coach Pope's passion for player development grew as she watched her older brother mentor an aspiring professional athlete and later launch a college recruiting program that was ahead of its time. Grounded in her faith in God, she believes basketball is a powerful platform to build character, discipline, confidence, and purpose in young athletes. As both a parent and coach, she is committed to helping players develop strong fundamentals, gain a deeper understanding of the game, and apply those lessons to life beyond basketball.

Outside of basketball, Autumn Pope serves as Regional Vice President of Sales for HealthJoy, a benefits technology platform focused on improving healthcare navigation and member engagement. She and her husband, Tyler, are proud parents of two young athletes, Briar and Mack, and reside in Hernando.