As All-Star Girls Report moves into the future, it’s reaching into its past.
With National Director of Scouting Bret McCormick, an iconic figure with high school, travel teams and women’s college basketball coaches, moving into an Emeritus role, his duties will be two ASGR veterans with deep ties to all levels of the game.
ASGR Founder Michael T. White has been focused on marketing and events in recent years, but he will take on additional duties going forward. White will be the Director of Scouting in addition to the duties he already carries.
But White recognizes that McCormick’s role can’t be filled by one person. That’s why he has brought back Nate Altenhofen, who has deep ties to ASGR. Altenhofen will take over as ASGR’s National Director of Scouting.
“I’ve known Mike and Bret for 25 years, back when I was coaching a travel team in Minnesota,’’ Altenhofen said. “Bret leaves huge shoes to fill because he’s a legend in the game. But I want to do the same kind of thing that Bret did as far has helping find the right girls for the right schools. I want to find perfect fits for both sides.’’
McCormick thinks Altenhofen is the perfect fit for ASGR.
“Nate has been on all sides of it,’’ McCormick said. “He’s a good coach. He’s also a great scout and he has relationships with the coaches from his tournament experience.’’
Altenhofen, a native of Springfield, Minn., graduated from Arkansas State. He worked as a high school and AAU coach in Minnesota in the 1990s and helped send more than 40 players, including Lindsay Whalen, to Division I programs. He got his start in women’s college basketball as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Arkansas State from 1999 through 2002.
Altenhofen then worked for ASGR as a scout in 2002 and 2003. After his first stint with ASGR, he resumed a lengthy climb up the women’s college basketball coaching ladder with a two-year stop as an assistant at Murray State.
Altenhofen’s first job as a head coach came at Odessa, Texas, which is best known as the setting for the book and movie “Friday Night Lights’’, which were based on the real-life football program at Permian High School. But Altenhofen made sure there was more than football to watch during his time in Odessa.
Odessa Junior College won the NJCAA national championship in 2007. From Odessa, Altenhofen went onto become the head coach at St. Ambrose an NAIA school in Davenport, Iowa. In Altenhofen’s three seasons at St. Ambrose, the Bees finished with a 73-25 record.
After his stay at St. Ambrose, Altenhofen left to become an assistant coach at Indiana University in the prestigious Big 10 Conference. His duties also included handling scheduling for the Hoosiers.
Altenhofen returned to work for ASGR in Talent Evaluations and Event Marketing from 2018 through 2020. He said the marketing part was fun, but he’s looking forward to getting back to his roots.
“I’ve always leaned toward the game side of it,’’ Altenhofen said. “I’m really excited about getting back into the game side of things.’’