Lady Cougars Basketball - Bloomington North High School

Bloomington North Lady Cougars Basketball

Coaching Staff

Alana Harrington, Head Coach

Alana (Hancock) Harrington was announced as Head Coach of the Lady Cougars program in June 2007. A 1996 graduate of Ball State University, Harrington has amassed an accomplished resume.

As a prep star for Valparaiso High School, Harrington, a four-year letter winner, led a team that amassed a 94-8 record. Harrington's prep accomplishments include being ranked the #17 Girls’ Basketball Player in the Country by USA Today: 1991.

Harrington's Prep Accomplishments Include:
• Overall Record: 94-8
• 4 Year Letter Winner, 3 Year Starter
• #3 Ranked Team in the Nation by USA Today: 1991-92 Season
• #1 Ranked Team in the State: 1991-92 Season
• 17th Ranked Girls’ Basketball Player in the Country by USA Today: 1991
• 4 Undefeated Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) Titles: 1988-1992
• 4 Sectional and Regional Championships: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992
• 2 Semi-State Championships: 1991 & 1992
• 2 Final Four Appearances: 1991 & 1992
• All-Tournament Team for Final Four: 1991
• 1st Team All-Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC): 1991 & 1992
• Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) MVP: 1991
• Team MVP: 1991
• Hall of Fame Classic All-Tourney Team: 1991
• Warsaw Tournament All-tourney Team: 1990
• Final Four Team and Individual Record Holder for Free Throw Percentage-100%
• VHS Career Leader in Rebounds, Steals, and Games Played
• Top 5 in Career Assists and Points
• Post-Tribune and Times Player of the Year: 1991
• ICGSA All-State Award: 1991 & 1992
• East/West All-Star: 1992
• Northwest Indiana vs. South Bend All-Star MVP: 1992

Harrington's prep accomplishments landed her a scholarship to Ball State University where she was Team Captain from 1994 - 1997 and a Presidential Scholastic Athlete four times.

Harrington's Collegiate Accomplishments:
• Captain: 1994-1997
• Presidential Scholastic Athlete: 1994, 1995, 1996 & 1997
• Mid-American Conference All-Academic First Team: 1996-1997
• Team Academic Award: 1994, 1995, 1996 & 1997
• National Student-Athlete Award, presented by the NCAA: 1996
• Student Marketing Activities Committee, representing all women athletes: 1994-96
• Dean’s List: Fall 1994, Spring 1995, Fall 1995, Summer 1996 & Fall 1996
• Team Most Valuable Player: 1994-1995
• Mid-American Conference All-Freshmen Team: 1992-1993

Harrington's Coaching Experience:
• Bloomington High School North, Varsity Girls Basketball Coach: 2007 - Present

Overall Record: 13-8; Conference Indiana Record: 4-3

• Valparaiso High School, Freshman Girls Basketball Coach: 2001 - 2007
• Valparaiso High School, Junior Varsity Softball Coach: 2001 - 2007
• Pike High School, Freshman Girls Basketball Coach: 1998 - 1999

Coach Harrington is married to Bloomington native Jeff Harrington (Edgewood High School, 1988). The couple have two children, Parker (6) and Kaiden (4).

Curt Simic, Assistant Coach

Coach Simic began coaching at BHSN in 1994. He has been a part of the Lady Cougar program since 2003. During his career he has helped develop more than a dozen Division I players, including 9 Indiana All-Stars and 2 Mr. Basketball honorees.

A native of Bloomington, Coach Simic graduated from Monte Vista High School (Danville, California) in 1986. His playing career included one year at the University of California at Davis. While at UC Davis, he also coached seventh grade basketball.

After transferring to Indiana University, he spent four years as a student manager under coach Bob Knight. During this time the Hoosiers won two Big Ten championships and reached the Final Four in 1992.

In 1994, he joined the North boys’ basketball staff under Hall of Fame coach Tom McKinney. Among his responsibilities was the development of post players. In 1997 the Cougars captured Indiana’s last single-class state championship, finishing with a record of 28-1.

Following that season, he was named Head Coach, Athletic Director and Physical Education Teacher at Washington Catholic High School. In 1999, he led the Cardinals to their best record in 6 years.

Coach Simic returned to North in the summer of 1999 as Assistant Athletic Director and Physical Education Teacher. He coached the junior varsity boys’ team to a 49-19 record over next four seasons as the Cougars won 3 sectional championships, 2 regional titles and 1 semi-state crown. The 2000 team was undefeated (25-0) before losing in the state championship game.

He joined the Lady Cougars’ staff in the fall of 2003. Since then, they have captured 2 Conference Indiana championships along with a sectional title and regional runner-up finish in 2006.

Coach Simic holds a bachelor’s degree in recreation and a bachelor’s in kinesiology from Indiana University. His sister Julia is a 1989 graduate of BHSN. He is the sponsor of Bloomington North’s chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

Eric Oxender, Assistant Coach

High School

Native of Lagrange County, Indiana and 1989 graduate of Lakeland High School. Varsity Letter winner in Basketball and Baseball.

Member of 1987 and 1988 Baseball Sectional Champions.

College

1999 graduate of Indiana University, B.S. in Kinesiology

Indiana University Football Strength and Conditioning Assistant- 1997-1999

Coaching

Tri-North Middle School Boys Basketball Coach, 1997-2003

Tri-North Middle School Football Head Coach, 1998

BHSN Football Varsity Assistant, 1999-2000

BHSN Boys Basketball Freshman Head Coach, 2004-2005

BHSN Boys Basketball Varsity Assistant, 2006

Personal

Married to Bloomington native and 1990 BHSN graduate Dana (Johnson) Oxender and have two daughters, Lauren (7) and Emily (3).