News Releases 2010
Terri Deike Named New LETU Athletic Director
New LETU Athletic Director Terri Deike
Fri, Mar 19 2010
Just four months after Terri Deike was named LeTourneau University’s senior woman administrator for athletics, she has now been named as the new YellowJacket athletic director, according to Executive Vice President for Business and Administration Bill McDowell. Deike’s promotion is effective immediately.Deike, who came to LeTourneau from the University of Texas in Tyler,
will keep the title of senior woman administrator in addition to her promotion to athletic
director.
“We are excited to have a person with Terri’s abilities, experience
and passion,” McDowell said. “Terri Deike is genuine. She’s the real thing. She loves people, loves
athletics and knows what it means to build winning programs. I am delighted to have her lead the
athletic department for LeTourneau University.”
Prior to coming to LeTourneau, Deike was the head women’s basketball
coach at UT-Tyler where she amassed a 90-61 record, including guiding her teams to ASC East
Division Championships in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2007-08. She earned the ASC East Co-Coach of the
Year after the 2005-06 season.
While at UT-Tyler, Deike was responsible for leading the school
through the four-year NCAA provisional membership process. That helped gained active membership
status as a result of reports, policies and procedures created and instituted under her
leadership.
Deike, a veteran of the East Texas high school basketball ranks,
coached at Whitehouse, Hallsville, Belton and Overton, spending 22 years as varsity head coach
before becoming UT-Tyler’s first head coach. She spent 11 years at Whitehouse, where she guided the
school to the District Championship in 1990-91 and 1993-94. Her 1991-92 team was District
Runner-Up. Deike’s 1995-96 and 1997-98 teams won the Bi-District Championships.
“I am honored to be named Athletic Director for LeTourneau
University and look forward to working with the staff to move the department into a new era,” Deike
said. “We have a great coaching staff dedicated to the overall educational and athletic experience
of student-athletes. President Lunsford has a vision and passion for athletics that will enable us
to reach new heights.
“I believe God has prepared me for this role after 30 years of public
school coaching, teaching, and athletic administration duties and I am grateful for the
opportunity,” she said.
Deike and her husband, Dale, have two children, Dylan and
Taylor. Deike’s husband works for Anadarko Production Company. They live in Tyler.
