LSU Legend Quianna Chaney Leaves Southern Lab to Join Grambling Women’s Basketball Staff

After leading Southern Lab to three state titles, former WNBA player accepts assistant coaching role under longtime friend and teammate Courtney Simmons

Former Southern Lab High School and LSU Lady Tigers basketball star Quianna Chaney is moving on as girls basketball coach at Southern Lab to become an assistant at Grambling State University. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Chaney Accepts College Coaching Role After Historic Run at Southern Lab

Former LSU basketball standout and WNBA draftee Quianna Chaney is making the jump to college coaching. As reported by The Advocate, Chaney will leave Southern Lab, her high school alma mater in Louisiana, to become an assistant coach at Grambling State University, joining the staff of head coach Courtney Simmons — her former Southern Lab teammate.

“She (Simmons) asked me once, and I turned it down,” Chaney told The Advocate. “And when she asked a second time, it felt like it was a sign for me. I have thought about coaching on the college level … it just feels like the time is right."

A Winning Legacy at Southern Lab

Chaney departs Southern Lab after a dominant run that included three LHSAA Division IV select girls basketball state championships and a runner-up finish over the past four seasons. Her overall record as head coach was 102-35, highlighted by a semifinal appearance in her first year, coaching just six players.

She took over the program from her former coach, Henry Combs, and helped rebuild it from the sub-varsity level.

Beyond Basketball: A Community Pillar

“Quianna was my first hire,” Southern Lab athletic director Herman Brister told The Advocate. “She’s been invaluable in all aspects of the school. She's our elementary P.E. teacher, and I believe those kids will miss her as much or more than her players.”

Brister credited Chaney with bringing stability to the program and sparking renewed interest among student-athletes and the school community.

Reuniting with Simmons for a New Chapter at Grambling

Simmons, who played at Tulane, Trinity Valley, and Louisville after high school, called the hiring process a “recruitment.” She was persistent in bringing Chaney on board.

“It’s not often that I get told no twice by the same person,” Simmons said. “I need people with a like-minded mentality. I want people with that championship pedigree, and I've already won championships with Quianna."

From Miss Basketball to the WNBA

Chaney’s playing résumé is as impressive as her coaching record. She was named Louisiana Miss Basketball in 2004 and helped LSU reach four consecutive Final Fours. She scored 1,345 points for the Tigers and was selected No. 19 overall in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky.

Following her time in the WNBA, Chaney played professionally overseas for a decade before returning home to coach at Southern Lab.