DENTON, Texas - North Texas head women's basketball coach Shanice Stephens has announced that Jimmy Stellato and Margaret Richards will join the Mean Green coaching staff. The pair brings a wealth of experience to the coaching staff as Richards has two years of head coaching experience and Stellato has been in the coaching ranks for nearly a decade.

"I'm excited about the announcement of my new staff with the additions of Coach Stellato and Coach Richards," said Stephens. "I'm excited about how this new alignment will pay dividends in our upcoming season with a roster full of very talented young women."

Stellato will work with the post players and be in charge of the North Texas offense while Richards will be the new recruiting coordinator and work with the guards.

Stellato spent the past season as an assistant coach at Stephen F. Austin and was also an assistant coach at TWU the previous year. In 2009-10, SFA was the regular season co-champions of the Southland Conference. During his time as an assistant coach at Texas Woman's University, Stellato helped guide the Pioneers to their second-best season in school history, and their most wins since 1989-90.

During his one season in Denton, Stellato coached three All-Lone Star Conference selections, three LSC North Division Commissioner's Honor Roll selections and one Daktronics All-Region team selection.

Prior to his move to TWU, Stellato spent six seasons as the associate head coach at Panola College. He helped produce one of the most explosive offenses in the nation during his first five seasons at Panola; the Fillies led the nation in scoring. 

Panola recorded two top-20 finishes under Stellato's guidance, including a No. 6 national ranking in 2005, when the Fillies posted a school-best 29-5 record. During his six seasons in Carthage, Stellato coached 26 athletes who went on to four-year schools, including 13 NCAA Division I athletes, eight NCAA Division II signees and five NAIA athletes.

Richards spent the last two seasons as the head coach at Saint Augustine College. She guided the Falcons to an 18-10 record last season and a CIAA Western Division title. In her first season as the interim head coach she guided Saint Augustine to a 15-14 record and a win over the defending conference champion.

Richards spent the 2007-08 season at the University of Louisville where she served as a graduate assistant coach for the women's basketball team. In the 2007-08 season, the Lady Cardinals reached the Sweet 16 for the first time in the school's history.

As a basketball player, Richards was a four-year guard at the University of Nebraska where she was team captain her last two seasons. During her time at Nebraska, Richards helped the Lady Cornhuskers reach the NIT Tournament and earn a spot in the Top 25 national rankings.