Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma speak on Tomekia Reed's move to Charlotte
03/05/2024 22:51
University of Charlotte women’s basketball coach Tomekia Reed recently received glowing words of support from South Carolina’s Dawn Staley and UConn’s Geno Auriemma, two giants in the women’s college basketball landscape. Reed left for Charlotte after leading Jackson State’s program for the last six seasons.
“Charlotte got a great hire in Tomekia Reed,” said reigning national champion Dawn Staley. “She is going to be a great advocate for her student-athletes. She is a great basketball mind and uniter of the community. Being this close to Charlotte, I will be paying close attention to her success.”
UConn’s Geno Auriemma, against whom Jackson State played in the NCAA Tournament in Reed’s final season, also had similar sentiments.
“I’m so excited that Tomekia Reed has been named the head coach at Charlotte,” he said. “After coaching against her team, I came away super impressed with how hard they work and how disciplined they are. Congrats to Coach Reed and to Charlotte for reaching out of the box and getting a terrific coach.”
High praise for @CoachTReed from two coaching legends! #GoldStandardpic.twitter.com/Z2bNho84yN
— Charlotte Women’s Basketball (@CharlotteWBB) May 3, 2024
Reed couldn’t help thanking both coaches in her post on X.
“This means EVERYTHING!!!” she wrote. “Two people that I have GREAT respect for. Thank you @dawnstaley and @UConnWBB Geno!!! I greatly appreciate what you do for the game and how you uplift coaches like myself advocating for change and opportunities.”
This means EVERYTHING!!! Two people that I have GREAT respect for. Thank you @dawnstaley and @UConnWBB Geno!!! I greatly appreciate what you do for the game and how you uplift coaches like myself advocating for change and opportunities. https://t.co/1maYmw6JKI
— Coach Tomekia Reed (@CoachTReed) May 3, 2024
Charlotte announced their hiring of the four-time SWAC Coach of the Year and three-time HBCU National Coach of the Year on April 25. The university welcomed her with open arms as the team tries to improve on a 16-15 season that ended in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament against Tulane.
“Tomekia Reed is a proven winner whose passion for developing young people through the game of basketball is inspiring,” said Charlotte Athletic Director Mike Hill. “Her enthusiasm is contagious and will translate into even more success for her on the recruiting trail and in the community. She shares our vision for greatness, and we are ecstatic to have her lead our program!”
Hill was certainly right about Reed’s success on the recruiting trail. A week after being announced as the head coach, Reed made her first splash as a recruiter by signing Texas A&M transfer Kay Kay Green.
It's HAPPENING!!!! It's a GREAT DAY to be a NINER!!! #RushtotheGOLDpic.twitter.com/E6qNnxIbgz
— Coach Tomekia Reed (@CoachTReed) May 2, 2024
Charlotte 49er fans can expect immediate results from Reed, given her level of success at Jackson State. She signed on with the Lady Tigers in 2018 and led them to five straight regular season titles after her first season. JSU won three SWAC titles, including this past season. The Lady Tigers went 18-0 in conference play (26-7 overall) and matched up against UConn in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Reed also sent two of her players to the WNBA. In 2022, Ameshya Williams-Holliday broke a 20-year drought of HBCU players selected in the WNBA Draft when the Indiana Fever selected her with the 25th overall pick. Two years later, in 2024, the Las Vegas Aces scooped up two-time SWAC Defensive Player of the Year Angel Jackson with the 36th pick.
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