A four-year letterwinner for UND, Val Sussex (formerly Sannes) was added to the women's basketball staff as an assistant coach on Sept. 15, 2011. She'll serve as the Director of Basketball Operations in charge of team travel and will also serve as UND's Basketball Camps Director beginning with the 2012-13 season. 

"Val has taken it upon herself to learn a different role as an administrator in our program, which is vital to our success," said UND head coach Travis Brewster. "Her years of experience as a coach and student-athlete here at UND are a must-have in our program."

A native of Wahpeton, N.D., Sannes played for North Dakota from 2004-08 and was the recipient of the 2008 UND Female Unsung Hero of the Year Award. She was team captain during the 2007-08 season and helped lead UND to an Elite Eight appearance in 2007.

After graduating from UND in 2008 with a degree in elementary education and a minor in coaching, Sannes served as an assistant women's basketball coach at Minnesota, Crookston.

She earned her master's degree in educational leadership from UND in the spring of 2011. Sussex and her husband, Jackson, reside in Grand Forks N.D.