FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason women's basketball head coach Nyla Milleson has announced the hiring of Kaci Bailey as an assistant coach.

Bailey spent the previous two seasons at Wichita State and has more than eight years of experience coaching on the collegiate level.

"We were looking for the right fit for our program and we have hit a home run with the addition of Kaci Bailey to our staff," Milleson said. "She brings such passion and energy along with a wealth of knowledge from her playing days and her coaching experience as she learned from excellent mentors. There is no doubt she will help elevate our program to the next level with her work ethic and intensity and the desire for our student-athletes to be the best they can be. We are very excited to welcome Kaci to our Patriot family."

Bailey served as recruiting coordinator for the Shockers the last two seasons. She helped Wichita State finish fifth in the Missouri Valley last year and reach the semifinals of the conference tournament.

She is no stranger to teams coached by Milleson. As a student-athlete at Southern Illinois University, Bailey played against Milleson when she was the head coach at Missouri State.

"I want to thank Coach Milleson and the rest of the Patriot staff for this opportunity," Bailey said. "Having played against Coach Milleson in college, I know what type of team she's capable of putting on the floor. I am excited to work with the student-athletes to help them achieve their goals on and off the court. I am thrilled to join a program that is headed for greatness."

Prior to her time at Wichita State, she spent two seasons at Central Arkansas. The Sugar Bears were 17-14 in 2014-15. In her first season in 2013-14, Central Arkansas went 18-12 and was just a win away from winning the Southland Conference championship.

In her time at Central Arkansas, Bailey helped develop Courtney Duever from a third team all-conference selection in 2013 to the Southland Conference Player of the Year in 2014. She also helped Brianna Mullins earn Freshman of the Year accolades.

Before Central Arkansas, Bailey spent one season as interim head coach at Henderson State University, guiding the Lady Reddies to a 13-14 record in 2012-13 after being named interim head coach in early November. She had spent the previous season as an assistant with the Lady Reddies before assuming the head coaching duties. Prior to her time at Henderson State, she worked for two seasons as a graduate assistant at Arkansas-Monticello.

A native of Dresden, Tenn., Bailey played four years at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill. During her time at SIU, she played in 101 games and started 24. She helped the Salukis win a Missouri Valley Conference championship in 2007 and reach the WNIT.

During her prep career at Dresden, she scored 1,482 points (third most in school history) and broke school records in 3-pointers made (257) and free throw percentage (84.5). She was a first team all-state, all-region and all-district selection during her senior season, averaging 15 points per game.

Bailey is a 2009 graduate of Southern Illinois with a bachelor's degree in recreation with a double minor of business marketing and psychology. In 2011, she received her master's degree in sports management from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.