CHARLESTON, Ill. – Invoking a quote from Abraham Lincoln one of Illinois most famous figures, Lee Buchanan spoke before a packed room in the Lantz Arena Club Room on Monday morning as he was officially introduced as the seventh head women's basketball coach in the history of the Eastern Illinois University program.

Buchanan stated that Lincoln once said, “I will prepare and someday my opportunity will come.” 

For Buchanan that opportunity to become a NCAA Division I head coach has been a 26-year endeavor including the last five spent as an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois. 

“I have prepared a long time for this opportunity.  26-years in this business,” Buchanan said.  “I'm excited and elated for the opportunity to be the head coach at Eastern Illinois.  I would like to thank EIU President Dr. William Perry, Dr. Dan Nadler (VP for Student Affairs) and Athletic Director Barbara Burke.  I also would like to thank my two biggest supporters, my wife of 30-years Lisa and our son Austin.”

Buchanan came to Eastern Illinois in 2007 as an assistant coach leaving a head coaching job at Pfeiffer University, where he had been the head coach at the North Carolina based NCAA Division II school for only three months.   During his first season on head coach Brady Sallee's staff, Buchanan helped the Panthers break through for an upper division finish in the Ohio Valley Conference race as the team lost in the OVC Tournament Championship game.

The Panthers continued to build upon that success over the next four seasons as Buchanan was promoted to associate head coach.  EIU would win 20-plus games in three of the next four seasons including reaching post-season play in each of the last three years.  EIU won its first OVC regular season title in 2010 playing in the Women's NIT.  The program has played in the Women's Basketball Invitational in 2011 and the Women's NIT in 2012.  Over the past five seasons EIU has amassed 106 wins with three appearances in the OVC Tournament Championship game, the most successful five-year run in program history.

“Eastern Illinois has become a very successful brand of women's basketball over the past five years and Lee Buchanan has been a part of that success,” Perry said.  “He has been a winner as a head coach and a winner as an assistant coach.  He has been part of the success here at EIU.  Those were all major factors in having Lee take over this program.”

“This national search allowed me to really get to know and evaluate Lee and hear his vision for the Eastern Illinois women's program,” Burke said.  “We have a solid foundation that Lee has been part of building.  It is now time for this program to take that next step and reach a new level.  We should have that expectation for this program and Lee is the right person to help Panther women's basketball take that next step.”

When talking about his passion for coaching Buchanan stated, “I can teach this game.  I love the X's and O's of basketball.  I love the preparation for games.  I'm excited to lead this team to new heights and that tournament championship we have all dreamed about.”

Winning has been part of Buchanan's career as a successful head coach at the NCAA Division II and NAIA level prior to coming to EIU in 2007.  He won 123 games over eight years at the NCAA Division II level as the head coach at Missouri St. Louis (2003-07) and Francis Marion (1998-02).  While at Francis Marion he led the team to three straight NCAA Division II Tournaments from 1999-01 reaching the Sweet 16 each season.  His 1999 team finished the season ranked No. 9 in the nation while leading the country in 3-point field goal percentage. 

Buchanan's first head coaching stop was at Brescia University where he was the program's leader in career wins.  He served 12 years as the head coach winning 230 games from 1986-98.  His teams won three conference championships, advanced to three NAIA Tournaments and won one regional title to advance to the NAIA Final Eight.

In addition to his time as a head coach, Buchanan was an assistant coach for one season at Brescia and the associate head coach at Southern Mississippi for one season (2002-03). 

“I consider myself to be an excellent motivator and communicator,” Buchanan said in summing up his coaching style.  “I believe if you have a head coach who can motivate and communicate, then you can create an atmosphere where dreams no longer seem impossible.  I want to thank the EIU campus and community for their support of myself and this team.”

A graduate of Murray State (1983) with a master's degree from Eastern Illinois (2009), Buchanan must now set upon the task of hiring a new staff as former assistants on coach Brady Sallee's staff – Rachel Galligan and Quacy Timmons – are leaving to explore other career opportunities.

“For the past week since I've been hired as the head coach, I've also been filling role of the second assistant, the third assistant and the fourth assistant,” Buchanan joked.  “Now we move forward with taking this program to the next level.”