Former HBCU Coach Loses Decade-Long Battle With Cancer
She arrived from Youngstown State University and made history as the school's first bowling head coach.
Gilliam took over Bethune-Cookman's HBCU bowling program during the 2018-19 season, navigating a year marked by roster challenges due to injuries. Her leadership and resilience left a lasting impression on the Maroon and Gold family.
Before her collegiate coaching career, Gilliam was a standout student-athlete at the University of Pikeville. As a 2012 Pikeville women's bowling team member, she helped capture the program's first NAIA national championship. The team's accomplishment earned them induction into the Bears Hall of Fame in November 2018.
That season, Pikeville entered the year ranked No. 1 in the NAIA Coaches Poll and secured the No. 3 seed in the national tournament. Gilliam and her teammates twice defeated Webber International, a team they had previously lost to, to clinch the historic title.
Gilliam graduated from Pikeville in 2012 with bachelor's degrees in mathematics and psychology.
Gilliam's coaching journey began at Union College in Kentucky. From 2012 to 2015, she led both the men's and women's bowling teams. She guided the men's squad to back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Mid-South Conference Tournament and was named the league's Women's Co-Head Coach of the Year in 2014.
Gilliam spent her first year building the program from scratch at Youngstown State. She recruited the inaugural roster and set the team schedule. The Penguins debuted in 2016-17 and quickly rose to prominence, earning Top 25 rankings in her two seasons at the helm.
Gilliam was first diagnosed with breast cancer at just 23 years old in 2013. She fought through treatment, only to be re-diagnosed in May 2016. Her resilience inspired many, both inside and outside the bowling community.
She appeared in a commercial alongside WWE superstar Roman Reigns, sharing her cancer journey and encouraging others facing similar battles. Gilliam also documented portions of her chemotherapy on social media, aiming to inspire courage and perseverance.
Earlier this month, a fundraiser was held in her honor near her home in Ormond Beach, Fla., as she continued her treatments.
Bethune-Cookman University officials, former players, and colleagues across the HBCU bowling community remember Chelsea Gilliam for her coaching achievements and the grace and determination with which she faced life's greatest challenges.
The post Former HBCU Coach Loses Decade-Long Battle With Cancer appeared first on HBCU Gameday.
Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
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