Liberty Brittain has been named head coach of St. Mary’s girls basketball program, St. Mary's athletic director Greg Fahrendorf said on Tuesday.

Brittain was a three-time, all-state basketball player at Tempe Prep. She replaces Curtis Ekmark, who resigned late last spring after guiding St. Mary's to three straight big-school championships 

Brittain played basketball at Tempe Prep from 2005 through 2008 leading the Knights in scoring in 2007 and 2008. Brittain teaches English at St. Mary’s and has coached previously at her alma mater, last year serving as junior varsity basketball coach.  In addition to basketball, Brittain competed in track and was the 1A discus champion in 2008.

St. Mary's thought it had  replaced Curtis Ekmark with former WNBA player Coco Miller the first week of July, but Miller changed her mind and the position was open again the past six weeks until Brittain's hire.

St. Mary's will make a fresh start in girls basketball with the graduation of a senior-dominated, D-I laden lineup. The Lady Knights also won't have Courtney Ekmark, the last remaining key player to the title runs Courtney Ekmark has opted to be home-schooled and not play basketball her senior season while preparing to attend UConn.