Reed led Hinds CC to the NJCAA Region 23 title game in 2017. The other technical hurt, though, as JSU would lose 83-78. SLAM: What were the feelings and emotions you had that led to your tweet back in August? "As a young lady, as a woman, as a wife, as a mother. You go over there, you wont have an opportunity to play professional basketball. We caught up with the 2020 Coach of the Year to learn more about her coaching journey, the disrespect that she feels Black female HBCU coaches experience in the industry, and how shes building a championship program at Jackson State. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. She wasn't a big-time coach in need of a center. Named Jackson State University head coach in 2018, Reed joined JSU following a successful three-year stint as coach of the Hinds Community College womens basketball team. A season later, Williams-Holliday who met her husband by beating him in one-on-one basketball, and added his name to hers scored in double figures without fail. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. While there, she served as the top assistant also worked with post players at JSU and served as the teams academic liaison. SLAM: As a Jackson, Miss., native and a former assistant coach for the program, how has this journey come full circle for you after winning the SWAC championship the past two seasons? 3 min read Jackson State women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed is not only a success on the basketball court, but she's a woman of deep conviction and emotions.. SLAM: What has the impact of having JSU football head coach Deion Sanders on campus been like? Design Your Ideal Work Environment & Work Day. $290,000.00. TOMEKIA REED MEETS EMMITT SMITH Jackson State women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed meets Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith Reed knows that Black people have created immense. Why arent we important to this game of basketball that we love and study and have been a part of for so long, just as much as the others have? During its 27 NCAA Tournament appearances, LSU (26-5) has only. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, not only will her Lady Tigers play at Texas Southern, but she will carry a heavy heart into the game. Coach Reed and her staff have done a great job recruiting and I expect her to continue to raise the bar.The 2019-20 JSU womens basketball season will go down in program history as one of the most dominant. Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Forensics Laboratory. LSU coach Kim Mulkey spoke the truth on JSUs rising coaching star, HBCU Gameday x Protect Your Skull Player of the Year, Saturdays 83-77 win over the SWAC champions marked the second time in as many seasons as shes had to go through JSU. Jackson State is turning to a Jackson native to lead its women's basketball program. Head WBB Coach, Jackson State University . And I would like to say our Athletic Director has opened the gate to level the playing field for HBCUs by bringing Deion on board. All rights reserved. The 2007-08 JSU squad captured the SWAC Tournament championship and made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Jackson, Mississippi native, who originally joined the program back in 06 as a recruiting coordinator, has taken the HBCU program back to prominence after winning back-to-back SWAC regular season championships since being hired as the head coach in 2018. In 2021-22, Jackson State boasted SWAC champions in football, women's basketball, and other sports. She reached out to Williams, "begging her to come play." Always that one that was helping and I put my hands in everything and thats who I am as a head coach right now. Current Role & Salary Review. She grew up in Jackson. WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. This March Madness story, of a player-mother and her caring coach, who almost led Jackson State to an upset of LSU, deserves to be told. Head Women's Basketball Coach JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY 20, '22 SWAC Coach of the Year '20, '21, '22 SWAC Reg Season . Why dont we have any worth? Reed, a Murrah alumna, has spent. Jackson State has extended the contacts of women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed and men's basketball coachWayne Brent. I just wanted to put it out there, I had no idea it was going to reach as many people as it did. SLAMhas partnered with theBlack Coaches Associationon a content series that will spotlight Black coaches from every level. Jackson State University Apply Now! Im doing film, Im cleaning, Im mopping the floor, Im sweeping the floor, Im washing uniforms, I do it all, on top of game strategizing, on top of recruiting. So thats why Im excited about this team. Mulkey will make north of $2.5 million this season. Often, her feelings lay bare in front of fans, friends, and player. Thats why I am still single, Reed joked to the Clarion Ledger when asked about The Scowl. Especially not early in the third quarter on Saturday in Baton Rouge, when third-seeded LSU and its national champion coach led by 17. They took a lead, then extended it and their fans who'd traveled down Interstate-55 roared. "Obviously we didn't win. Neither had its conference, nor any No. Reed plans on posting a social media message and putting it next to one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous quotes, and letting all athletes and HBCU athletes know their voice matters. An anxious Jackson State women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed tried to steal a victory over No. Thirty minutes later, Reed says, Williams sent back a picture of a pregnancy test. Earlier this month it announced another Jackson hometown hero coming in as head coach in former NBA champion Mo Williams. In four seasons as head coach, Tomekia Reed has led Jackson State University women's basketball to the top of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. I think this has opened an opportunity for us to have that national attention. Texas would defeat JSU 75-58 on Dec. 14 at the Mississippi Coliseum. And Saturday she nearly added a monumental 14-3 upset to that resume after leading LSU by double-digits.After the game, Reed said all the right things about JSU, the SWAC and HBCUs as her team made fans of all three entities proud on Saturday afternoon. SLAM: As a former hooper, was there a specific moment that paved the way for a career in coaching? Reed and Jackson State will have an early test in the 2022 Preseason WNIT, where the Tigers will face Colorado, Louisiana and Texas Tech. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a celebration of the civil-rights icon's life, but it's also one of remembering her late mother, Edith Mae Reed, whose birthday is was on that day. We have to continue to knock on walls to get respect. Reed knows that Black people have created immense progress, as a culture, community and country, but she believes that America has a long way to go. Jackson State womens basketball coach Tomekia Reed coaches the game with passion and attitude. I too one day, Reed said. Develop Your Personal Mission Statement & Compelling Vision. "Oh my God," Pointer said, to herself and others, repeatedly. Choose a Staff Member: Tomekia Reed Title Head Coach Phone 601-979-2818 In four seasons as head coach, Tomekia Reed has led Jackson State University women's basketball to the top of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. They stormed back from down 47-30 to take a stunning 10-point lead. We're knocking on walls. Over three agonizing minutes of basketball, it fizzled out. Football is always respected. Jackson State women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed coaches the game with passion and attitude. The announcement was made Monday. 14 seed for Jackson State (23-7) is the program's highest since 1983 when there were only 36 teams. With the Lady Tigers down 15, Reed got T'd up. She's the one who has built this program.". But then the Lady Tigers, led by Tomekia Reed, their inspirational coach, and by Ameshya Williams-Holliday, their star player who doubles as a wife and mother, nearly did the unthinkable. But it is obvious that Reeds star is on the rise, and true to Mulkeys words, her pay will have to rise as well. Yet back in mid-August, the Jackson State womens head coach tweeted out her frustrations with how Black female coaches are constantly overlooked. He holds a lot of credibility, I dont want him to ever feel like he cannot speak up for what is right, and I want him to know that his voice matters. I don't know what y'all say but all I feel is a loss. She said she didn't like to run. She transitioned to online classes while taking care of him, working late at night on a laptop Reed had shipped her, sometimes with Jace in her lap. Ive always been someone who cared dearly about everybody; players, coaches, managers. Year three of my plan happened in year one and two by the grace of GodIm so thankful and I just want to stay in that mercy and in that favorbut going into year four, I mentioned that I wanted to have national prominence. As black female coaches in a HBCU environment we are the most slept on and the most disrespected ever. Founded, monitored, and run by college coaches. The U.S. Census Bureau tracks median household income up to $250,000. Amidst all the shade, the Tigers finished their season with a 18-6 record and a trip to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008, where they faced Baylor in the first round. HBCUs have had great head coaches in the past and there are many good ones around in the present, particularly given what they have to work with. So to be able to do this in my community, it means a lot to me. After leading Southern Miss to a WNIT appearance, she transferred to Hinds Community College for the 2000-01 season and led the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) in rebounds per game, while also posting second in the conference in scoring and earning All-State first team honors. During that time, the Lady Tigers claimed the SWAC regular-season championship (2007), made WNIT appearances in 2006 and 2007, and won the SWAC tournament championship in 2008, making it the program's fourth NCAA Tournament appearance. It won the league in 2021. We have to make a strong statement in the preseason next year. SLAM: What about your latest class has you most excited for this upcoming season? "We're knocking on walls," Reed continued. After transferring to Georgia Southwestern State University, Reed continued her athletic dominance, this time leading the team in scoring and ultimately named team MVP. "Honestly, my message after today's game waswe have to continue to fight for our institution, our conference, we have to continue to fight for our culture," Reed said. "I am extremely thankful and honored that President Thomas Hudson and Vice President and Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson saw fit for me to remain at the helm of the JSU women's basketball program," Reed said in a school release Friday. How they taught her the importance of being proud of being Black and dressing well, along with other life lessons. Tomekia Reed begins her first year as an assistant coach on Teresa Weatherspoon[apos]s staff as part of the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters program. Reed is a two-time SWAC Coach of The Year (2020, 2022). But it is obvious that Reed's star is on the rise, and true to Mulkey's words, her pay will have to rise as well. And then, in 2019, with childcare support from her mother and grandmother, Williams, along with Reed, set out to build the Lady Tigers into one of the best mid-major programs in women's basketball. She's made three of the last four NCAA Tournaments and she almost upstaged Mulkey despite having a fraction of the resources. The SWAC honored Reed as the Coach of the Year after. Amid discussions about the challenges coaches at histocially Black colleges and universities face, two-time SWAC Coach of The Year, Tomekia Reed stepped in to set the record straight in a series of tweets on Wednesday. Jackson State women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed coaches the game with passion and attitude. After graduating from Murrah, she began her collegiate basketball career at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Other responsibilities included strength and conditioning liaison, player development, community service coordinator, and summer basketball camp coordinator. She has guided JSU to four consecutive berths in the SWAC Tournament semifinals, three straight berths in the conference tournament finals, three straight SWAC regular-season titles, and two straight SWAC tournament titles and NCAA appearances. She signed two of Georgias top athletes and one of Mississippis finest Dandy Dozen players. A raucous crowd at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center fell silent. They'd worn shirts to Saturday's game with the phrase. It was tougher this time around than it was last year when she was at Baylor, and she made sure that JSU head coach Tomekia Reed knew so. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); HoopDirt is your source for the latest college basketball coaching news, rumors, and job postings. Lopsided games, such as South Carolina's 79-21 first-round win over Howard, make it easy to see why some view HBCU coaching jobs as a stepping stone to get to other positions. Jackson State womens basketball coach Tomekia Reed is not only a success on the basketball court, but she's a woman of deep conviction and emotions. TR: Im excited because were finally big at every position, now its going to come down to the game strategizing, and just getting them mentally understanding [that] we wake up and get dressed the same way they wake up and get dressedwe have an opportunity, a shot at this thing the same way they have a shot at it. We have to continue to fight for our culture. Off the court, she is classy and elegant. However, Reed spoke with passion aboutof the importance of fighting to make things better at JSU. This season's No. Tomekia Reed always knew coaching at Jackson State was a goal she wanted to achieve. They began corresponding regularly. During that time, the Lady Tigers claimed the SWAC regular-season championship and made a WNIT appearance in 2006-07. Brent has led Jackson State to a 21-18 record in conference play the past two seasons. TR: Coming here to Jackson State as an assistant coach, it was a great experience. SLAM: While youre surrounded by Black peers at the coaching level in the SWAC, how do you juggle the responsibilities and influence you carry as a Black woman in this space? I just know talent and I respect people from afar on a job well done.Mulkey is known for being a humorous, tell-it-like-it-is coach with the media. Reed, who'd recruited her out of high school, texted her, day after day; Williams her name at the time didn't respond. Im extremely tough with my teams as a coach and, you know, have that basketball IQ to be able to teach and lead. In four seasons as JSUs head coach, Tomekia Reed has led JSU women's basketball to the top of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. "Hey, Kim Mulkey got it coming baby!" And most of the end? . She led the program to its first SWAC regular-season championship in over 10 years and has set the foundation for continued success. However, during the early stages of her tenure, there were moments when the direction of the program wasn't always clear. "Coaching at an HBCU is not for the weak," Tomekia Reed wrote on Twitter. ", "She has grown tremendously," Reed said. 9 once. One-hundred and eleven had tried. Saturdays 83-77 win over the SWAC champions marked the second time in as many seasons as shes had to go through JSU to get to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. . She has assisted in bringing several high-ranking recruiting classes, including the 2014 class at Louisiana Tech, which garnered a national Top 50 ranking and was the second-highest ranked class in Conference USA. Tomekia Reed and her intimidating scowl were on full display during the HBCU GO broadcast with legendary Charlie Neal calling the play-by-play, as the Lady Tigers rebounded from Saturday's. And so I said, you know what, Im gonna go for it.. Other transfers and high-school recruits followed. I took jobs all over the place at predominately white institutions, and the Lord afforded me an opportunity to come back. One-hundred and . We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Him and I talk all the time, we meet all the time. The man behind those moves was Ashley Robinson, recently named AD of The Year and the recipient of a new contract himself earlier this month. There was Reed, stalking the sidelines as the architect, the personable and empathetic recruiter, who'd taken the job in 2018 with no prior Division I head-coaching experience. We dont have those things, so you know what, that makes me work harder. Ameshya Williams-Holliday, their star player who doubles as a wife and mother, Reed had screamed when brackets were released, Six months after that, she gave birth to her son, Jace, met her husband by beating him in one-on-one basketball. The upset of LSU was the storybook ending, the tale that would have overtaken the tournament. Theres an undeniable truth behind the words spoken by Jackson States womens basketball head coach, Tomekia Reed. trademarks of Slam Media Inc. All rights reserved. To her mother taking her to practice and games, or just laughing. Jackson State women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed commented about the true commitment it takes to navigate within the framework of the unique environment. I am thankful for AD Robinsons commitment to our program and we will have several more outstanding seasons to come.The Lady Tigers won the 2019-20 SWAC Regular Season Championship and qualified as the No. All had failed. Williams resisted. But still we are walked over and thought less of. The best story of March blossomed. History beckoned. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Get to know Jackson State women's basketball's Dayzsha Rogan. Reed began her coaching career at South Georgia Technical College, where she served as assistant womens basketball coach for three seasons. But I did the dirty work and I think all of that translates to who I am today. Our conference. Hopefully, shell stick around and make JSU into the powerhouse program that it can be but the price will have to be right. During the game, I do not realize I am doing that.. We have to continue to fight for our culture. It was not until Reed received a technical foul that JSU responded with a 10-2 run of its own. Its something I prayed for. LSU's Kim Mulkey has a running diatribe with the referees. TR: For me, I gave a four-year plan when I took this job at Jackson State. Keeping Reed and Sanders will become his priority. She cited personal reasons. Save on iPhone 14 Pro and more Apple products. Follow them on Twitter@BCAWORLDWIDE. Reed knows what it takes to lead a program to success, both as a player and a coach. I am extremely thankful and honored that President Thomas Hudson and Vice President and Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson saw fit for me to remain at the helm of the JSU womens basketball program, Reed said. Jackson State extended Reed back in 2020 as she quickly put the program from the SWAC cellar to among its elite. The words of the LSU coach may sting to some JSU and HBCU supporters, but they are valid in the capitalistic society we live in. 22.5K followers. Why are we not valued? University of Colorado football coach Deion Sanders is facing backlash over comments he made about recruiting players. Reed led Hinds CC to the NJCAA Region 23 title game in 2017. She earned an associates degree in sports medicine from Hinds in 2001 and a bachelors in exercise science from Georgia Southwestern in 2003. Coach Reed and her staff have done a great job recruiting and I expect her to continue to raise the bar. Reed's extension is four years. To learn more about the past and present of the BCA, and to register as a member of the BCA, clickhere. This was way back when I got the job [in 2018], we wanted to be nationally known. They're still ongoing. Often, her feelings lay bare in front. He does a lot of social media marketing for myself and our program and for other sports as well. The team has instituted a watch for negative displays of emotions during practice and games. LSU coach Kim Mulkey said Tomekia Reed wont be at Jackson State long if they dont pay her. #RiseTheUnderdog, You know, that was something Ive been feeling for a very long time, Reed says over a Zoom call in August. It hadn't materialized, but it's the scene Jackson State had envisioned too, the scenario that would have made them March darlings. It turned a close game into a 15-3 run by Texas. $300,000.00. Im going to have it in my mind and in my thoughts, and Im always carrying myself as such. "I'm glad he called it," she later said of the ref. And we're gonna keep knocking until the respect is there., 662 S. President Street, Jackson, MS 39201662 S. President Street, Jackson, MS 39201. 4 among non-AQ programs) in 2010 and the No. Not with leaders like Reed; and players like Crump, who had 21 points Saturday, and who's just a junior. The Blue and White finished conference play with a 16-2 mark which tied the program record. In JSU's game against Texas, Longhorns coach Vic Schaefer chewed on areferee until he received a technical. At Southern Miss, Reed also assisted in signing the 42nd-ranked recruiting class in the country (No. 1 ranked recruiting classes in the state of Mississippi in both 2010 and 2011. This season, Jackson State ranked in the top three in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in nearly every major category. Martin Luther King Jr., Reed said, I often think about all of the things he fought for. But the message she gave to her team after they came closer than any other JSU team to advancing in the NCAA Tournament was to fight for HBCU culture, not run away from it. You've accomplished some things that hadn't been accomplished in this program and in this conference, but now it's time to come back and knock the walls down. For Reed, not all technical fouls are bad, some are about gamesmanship to get a call later in the game. And when the change starts, it's going to go across the board. Learn more about the BCAhere. She'd decided she was done with hoops, with college. They were 15.5-point dogs, but on cue, they rose early in the second half. ", POSTGAME COMMENTS: Jackson State women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed after loss to LSU: 'We're gonna keep knocking', WHAT HAPPENED IN BATON ROUGE: Jackson State women's basketball falls short of historic upset of LSU in NCAA Tournament, PLAYER OF THE YEAR: How a game of 1-on-1 basketball changed Ameshya Williams-Holliday's last name. Lee made a deep 3-pointer and the basket went viral and the moment brought Jackson State its first ESPY in school history. We have to fight for our institution. A couple months later, Williams enrolled at Jackson State. All great coaches have their signature way to work officials during a basketball game. As much as Jackson State University women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed knows that now, her journey to this moment has been one of twists, turns and potholes. If you can reach 100,000 people with a tweet or with a post, thats phenomenal, and it helps us in so many ways. Reed won Coach of the Year. Reed and her brother were. 14 seed in the NCAA women's basketball tournament. "I don't care," Reed told her. NAME, HT, YRPPGRPG C Maya Peat, 6-6, Jr.9.46.2 F Maori Davenport, 6-5, Jr.9.16.5 G Coriah Beck, 5-11,. Copyright 2023 SLAM Media Inc. SLAM, SLAMTV, SLAM MEDIA and the SLAM logo are registered "We have to continue to knock on walls to get respect.". Off the court, she is classy and elegant. After nearly upsetting LSU in a first-round NCAA Tournament game on March 19, 2022, Coach Reed was asked what her message to her team was following the tough loss: "Honestly, my message after today's game was, we have to continue to fight for our institution. And, she very well may endup coaching elsewhere. - Jackson State University is pleased to announce a four-year contract extension for head women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed. Now hell have to work to make sure shes comfortably compensated because schools with more resources to put into womens basketball than JSU will definitely be taking note of Reed in a new light.Yes, HBCUs deserve great coaches that recognize their importance to not only their institution but the culture as well. Tomekia Reed, a native of Jackson, is a longtime coach with a successful career at the junior college and university levels. That passion has cost and inspired her team at times: In last year's NCAA opening-round tournament game against LSU, Reed received a technical foul and the bench one as well. Others are about getting her team going. Under terms of that contract, he wouldn't owe a buyout for leaving Michigan State at this time. Jackson State football will play in 2021 Orange Blossom Classic in Miami, Jackson State men's basketball manager 'Snacks' wins ESPY, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. TR: For me, its just really important to stay classy, stay professional, be a model and just to show we can do this. Jackson State lost to Prairie View 69-65 at the William Nicks Building on Saturday. This year's mark of 23 wins is the highest in program history, including a historic 18-0 record in SWAC play, surpassing a program-best 16 wins in 2020. The No. Mississippi State Personnel Board. Coach Reed has done a tremendous job and has elevated the program in her two short years on the job, Robinson said. "We're going to keep knocking until the respect is there. Tomekia Reed. Neither had its conference, nor any No. Jackson State women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed after loss to LSU: 'We're gonna keep knocking', Jackson State women's basketball falls short of historic upset of LSU in NCAA Tournament, How a game of 1-on-1 basketball changed Ameshya Williams-Holliday's last name, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Jackson State had three players on the all-conference team, including Ameshya Williams, who was the SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. Reed believes we are on the right track, and if King were alive today, he would be fairly impressed and happy with where African Americans are positioned today, compared to his liftetime. All rights reserved. Reed comes to Jackson State following a successful three-year stint as coach of the Hinds Community College women's basketball team. Jackson State had never won a March Madness game. She thinks back to seeing MLK's famous moments and seeing his speeches and what he believed in and for the reality for Black people to be living in it right now, and the feeling is great. 14 seed in the NCAA women's basketball tournament. Reed, who signed a four-year contract extension with JSU in 2020 after only two seasons as head coach, has taken the program to great heights in a short amount of time. That I believe in them.. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A familiar face will head the Jackson State women's basketball program as Tomekia Reed has been selected as the new head coach for Lady Tigers. You don't have to run, we'll figure that out, Reed told her. When were going against Power Five institutions, or even high mid-majors or mid-majors, they always down us for what we dont have. 22.5k Followers, 2,973 Following, 848 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Tomekia Reed (@coachtomekiareed) coachtomekiareed. I hope it has encouraged everybody," Reed said. its time to come back and knock the walls down.. 3-seeded LSU in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament by ignoring it and managing the game . Yeah, football is doing a great job. They earned plenty of it Saturday, even if they didn't quite earn history. Coach. She has guided JSU to four consecutive berths in the SWAC Tournament semifinals (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), three straight berths in the conference tournament finals (2019, 2021, 2022 after 2020 tournament canceled), three straight SWAC regular season titles (2020, 2021, 2022), and two straight SWAC tournament titles and NCAA appearances (2021, 2022). REED BALANCES CHRISTMAS AND HER SONJackson State women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed balances sport, Christmas for her son, We want to use our emotions as a positive, Reed said. Six months after that, she gave birth to her son, Jace. 3 seed escaped. And of course, you know, Jackson, Mississippi is my hometown. We are doing the same thing other coaches are doing with less resources and sometimes a lot less talent. Sanders may be more . Monisha Nealadded to Grambling Womens Basketball Staff, Anderson named Womens Basketball Head Coach at MVSU, Skeete named Womens Basketball Head Coach at Texas Southern, Graduate Assistant Lawrence Technological University, Head Womens Basketball Coach Defiance College, Head Womens Basketball Coach University of Wisconsin River Falls.