Tomekia Reed left Jackson State University women's basketball on Thursday to become coach of the Charlotte 49ers.
Athletic Director Ashley Robinson faces the challenge of finding a coach who can continue the success the Tigers have enjoyed under Reid, who went 125-54 in six seasons and led the program to the NCAA Tournament three times. ing.
Here are the candidates to keep an eye on throughout the Jackson State University investigation:
dawn thornton
Current task: Alabama A&M head coach
Thornton checks a lot of boxes for Jackson State. She is from Jackson State and played at Callaway High School and Jackson State University. She has extensive experience coaching at Southwestern Athletic in the Prairie Conference she coached nine seasons at the View and at Arkansas Pine she coached five seasons at the Bluff. She also has shown a knack for pulling off upsets, including last season when UAPB upset the University of Arkansas.
And then there's something like this:
“Jackson State University has always been my dream job,” Thornton told the Clarion Ledger in December 2023. Who wouldn't want to go back to their alma mater and coach? Where I won championships, where I’m from, where my family is from…”
Thornton was hired by Alabama A&M on April 6th, and while a quick transfer to a SWAC rival may be difficult depending on the contract, a coaching hire this quickly would be unprecedented.
tangela banks
Current task: Mississippi Delta Community College Head Coach
Banks also has ties to Jackson State University, where he was an All-SWAC selection and MVP of the track and field team, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees.
A high school track and basketball standout at Yazoo City, she began her coaching career at the high school level. She won two state championships at Forest Hills and one at Murrah.
She just completed her second season as a coach at Mississippi Delta, where she has a record of 32-22.
Pauline Love
Current task: assistant coach at alabama
Love was an NJCAA All-American at Jones County and a three-time All-Conference USA selection at Southern Miss, where he averaged 16.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.
Love was hired by Alabama on April 19 after seven seasons at Arkansas, where he developed a reputation as an excellent recruiter. She also served as an assistant at Southern Miss State University and McNeese State University.
Like Thornton, Love was expected to move on shortly after accepting the job, but from an assistant position to a head coaching position.
hope adams
Current task: Head Coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Adams just completed his seventh season at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. She led the Bulldogs to the NJCAA Region 23 semifinals last year.
Adams has high school coaching experience and was an assistant coach at Oxford University earlier in his career. She helped her Chargers reach the state quarterfinals in 2016. Adams has recruiting experience at Mississippi State.
Tomekia Reed leaves for CharlotteTomekia Reed leaves Jackson State University women's basketball team to coach at Charlotte University
muriel page
Current task: Mississippi State University Assistant Coach
Paige, a Bay Springs native, joined Mississippi State head coach Sam Purcell's staff in April 2022. Page also served as an assistant coach at Georgia Tech, Central Michigan and Florida.
She played 11 seasons in the WNBA with the Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks. Paige was a member of the Mystics' first Hall of Fame class.
Paige was a two-time first-team All-SEC player and a two-time All-American at the University of Florida.
Nate Kilbert
Current task: Alcorn State University Head Coach
Kilbert, who has been the head coach at Alcorn since 2020, knows the SWAC inside and out. He also coached his 12 seasons at Mississippi Valley State University and his seven seasons at Arkansas-Pine Bluff University. He won the SWAC Coach of the Year Award in 2012 and 2013, and in 2009 he was inducted into the MVSU Sports Hall of Fame.
Kilbert's wife, Alice Wells-Kilbert, is the vice president and senior female administrator at Jackson State University.
JT Keith is the Clarion Ledger's HBCU sports editor. Email JKeith@gannett.com or find us on Twitter @JTKEITH1.