With the new addition of a brand new coaching staff and only four returning players, the Lady Lions are looking to change the culture of Langston basketball. The Lady Lions, who were coached by head coach Elaine Powell and assistant coaches Hollis Giles and Terry Palmer, went 19-11 overall and 13-9 in conference.
Even though coach Powell and her staff had back to back winning seasons, ultimately Langston said it was time for a transition. This transition involved the hire of new Head Coach, Kevin Herod and assistant coaches Kimiere Hawkins and Mercedes Gillon-Gantt.
Coach Herod coached at Talladega College for eight seasons and had a 171 wins and 68 losses on his record. This record give coach Herod the most wins in NAIA women’s basketball over the past eight years.
“The NAIA selected coach Herod as a current member of the NAIA’s top 50 most influential coaches in women’s basketball list.” said Athletic Director Donita Drain-Rodgers.
“I am looking forward to seeing the impact Coach Herod is going to have on Langston University Women’s basketball and SAC conference play this year. He has assembled a very talented group of young ladies that are sure to help us pack Gayles Field House.”
Herrod also has five conference championships and made a few appearances in the national tournament. Herrod has been on the big stage and knows what it takes to make it there.
Coach Herrod made instant moves for his new chapter at Langston, bringing in 12 freshman/transfer students and only bringing back four players from the previous season. One of the returning players, Jada Spence had high praise for her new coach saying, “He’s a great coach, I feel he really is in tune with every single one of us, and he pays attention to our mental and physical health.”
The 12 new players are challenged with developing team chemistry in three months.
Team building has been on the Lady Lions agenda as they prepare for the upcoming season, “We did like a scavenger hunt, where we had to find tickets all over the school. We did the tortilla challenge, like stuff like that. So I think it’s been very successful,” Kameron Shelly, a transfer Junior player from Talladega, said about the bonding she and her new teammates have been doing.
These women want to bring a new culture to Langston sports and community, “The biggest goal for us is winning conference first, and then after that, the national tournament. Like that’s our big goal, we want rings, three of them.” Kameron Shelly response when asked what was their team goal for this season.
Winning is an the minds of the players, but for Coach Herrod it’s more than just winning basketball games and his players can see that.
“We weren’t really involved in too many things that went on in Langston last year, but this year it’s completely different. We have much high expectations from our coaches, for us to be involved in the Langston community. So you’re going to see us at pretty much every Langston event, you’re going to see us supporting every single team that we can… because if we don’t support our Langston community, what makes you think that our Langston community is going to come and supports us when we need it the most?”
The Lady Lions season starts October 28th in Shreveport, Louisiana, but the Langston community can catch them in action on November 5th as they play their first home game of the season.
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The Gazette serves as the student voice of Langston University. It is produced within the Department of Communication as a teaching tool and local news source for the campus community. The views and opinions expressed within are those of the writers whose names appear with the articles and do not necessarily represent the views of Langston University.
