Peru State athletic director Steve Schneider announced Wednesday that Joan Albury has been hired as the new head women's basketball coach. Albury, who has been serving as the interim head coach, will continue in that role and officially begin her new position on July 1.

For the past three years, Albury has been serving as a math instructor at Peru State and this past year, served as the academic advisor for the women's basketball program.

Schneider said, “Albury's passion is basketball and that has been demonstrated through seven years of successful head basketball coaching experience at high schools in the states of Florida, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Her high school coaching record was exemplified in terms of turning programs around. She has nine years of collegiate coaching experience serving as an assistant basketball coach, head volleyball and head softball coach. She understands the importance of recruitment and the teaching of skills as evidenced by her successful collegiate record in volleyball and in softball. She was named Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year in 1998 and 1999 while at Lambuth (Tenn.) University. She holds the career win record in the sport of volleyball at Union (Ky.) College.”