logo
Veteran coach takes on new challenge after 22 years at HBCU

Veteran coach takes on new challenge after 22 years at HBCU

Miami Herald07-05-2025

College Sports Veteran coach takes on new challenge after 22 years at HBCU
ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Veteran and championship coach Cedric Baker has been named the new South Carolina State head HBCU women's basketball coach during a press conference by Interim Athletics Director Oliver 'Buddy' Pough, announced Monday (May 6).
'At this pivotal moment in the future of our women's basketball program, we believe Coach Baker is the right person to lead us forward,' Pough said. 'His experience, vision, and values align with our mission of developing student-athletes who excel on and off the court.'
Baker joins SC State after an extraordinary 22-year tenure at Savannah State, where he built the HBCU program, which was defined by excellence, discipline, and historic achievement.
'I'm excited to join the South Carolina State family and eager to begin building something special with the student-athletes, staff, and supporters here in Orangeburg, 'said Baker.
During his career, his legacy includes guiding three collegiate programs to six national tournament appearances, nine regular season and conference tournament championships, several outstanding Coach of the Year awards, and the development of several elite student-athletes.
Coach Baker's most recent record-breaking milestones:
Producing Savannah State's only WNBA player and women's basketball Olympian, Ezinne Kalu
Recording the most single-season wins (27-3), and a historic 14-0 season start
Achieving two perfect Academic Performance Rating scores of 1000
Achieved the program's highest Division II national rankings in both the WBCA and the NCAA South Region polls
Securing key wins over major programs. Including the University of Florida, Georgia Southern University, University of Central Florida, East Carolina, Troy University, and University of Louisiana-Lafayette
Most Division I wins in Savannah State's program history
MEAC Tournament Ring Recipients of 2015
MEAC Tournament Outstanding Coach of 2015.
Beyond the numbers, Baker brings a proven commitment to academic integrity, player development, and championship-level performance. A leader who builds culture and winning teams. His confidence will have an immediate and lasting impact at South Carolina State.
A 1990 graduate of Voorhees College, he earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics and applied sciences. At Voorhees, he was a four-year basketball letterman and a member of the 1987 Voorhees Men's Basketball EAIC Championship team.
The post Veteran coach takes on new challenge after 22 years at HBCU appeared first on HBCU Gameday.
Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 9:53 AM.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Rockets formally reject Knicks' bid to speak with head coach Ime Udoka
Rockets formally reject Knicks' bid to speak with head coach Ime Udoka

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Rockets formally reject Knicks' bid to speak with head coach Ime Udoka

As expected, the Knicks formally reached out to the Houston Rockets regarding permission to speak with head coach Ime Udoka. New York has been without a coach since deciding to part ways with Tom Thibodeau after its Eastern Conference finals loss. Also as expected, the Rockets denied that request, SNY's Ian Begley reported Tuesday night. He cited people familiar with Houston's stance. Advertisement Udoka remains under contract with Houston for the next two seasons. Coming off a season with the NBA's fourth-best record and a young and improving roster, the Rockets like the course they're on. Moreover, Udoka finished third in 2024-25 NBA Coach of the Year voting. So, there's not much incentive for Houston — even if offered lucrative compensation — to consider letting Udoka out of his contract to speak with the Knicks. It is possible that New York's interest could be mentioned by Udoka and his representation in future negotiations with the Rockets, who are likely planning to give him a contract extension by the 2026 offseason at the latest. But clearly, the plan for both Udoka and the Rockets is for their partnership to continue beyond the current contract. More: 'You couldn't pay us enough': Stephen A. Smith relays Rockets' response to Ime Udoka rumor This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets formally reject Knicks' bid to speak with head coach Ime Udoka

Two Lowcountry natives returning to coach basketball at The Citadel
Two Lowcountry natives returning to coach basketball at The Citadel

Yahoo

time4 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Two Lowcountry natives returning to coach basketball at The Citadel

Courtesy of The Citadel Athletics CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel Head Men's Basketball Coach Ed Conroy is pleased to announce the hiring of Andrew Glover and Brady Schuck as assistant coaches. Conroy, entering the fourth season of this second stint with the Bulldogs, welcomes these two accomplished coaches to the staff, bringing a variety of experiences, local ties and a passion for student-athlete development. 'We feel fortunate that we were able to attract and hire Andrew and Brady as they will be terrific coaches to our staff,' said Conroy. 'I have known them both for a long time and watched them progress throughout their careers. Andrew and Brady are the perfect additions to help us keep building our program to the level we all want for The Citadel basketball.' Glover, a Charleston native and Wando High School alumnus, joins The Citadel after spending the past season as the head coach at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, N.C., where he led his squad to a conference championship and Elite Eight finish while earning Conference Coach of the Year honors. Prior to Myers Park, Glover spent four years as the inaugural Head Boy's Basketball Coach at Lucy Beckham High School, leading the team to the Elite Eight in 2022-23 and Sweet Sixteen in 2023-24, earning Coach of the Year honors along the way. A captain of Wando's 2014 State Championship team, he has a proven track record of success and deep roots in the Lowcountry. Glover's coaching journey includes experience at both the college and high school levels. He spent two seasons as an assistant coach at USC Aiken, contributing to player development and game strategy. Prior to that, he served as an assistant coach on state championship teams in 2018 and 2019 at Grey Collegiate Academy. As a player, Glover competed at USC Aiken, Spartanburg Methodist and Hargrave Military Academy. 'I'm honored and grateful for the opportunity to join The Citadel basketball program,' said Glover. 'As a Charleston native, it means the world to me to be able to represent my hometown and be a part of a program built on discipline, tradition and respect. I want to sincerely thank Coach Conroy for trusting me and welcoming me to his staff. I'm excited to get to work with our student-athletes and our staff, helping to build something special.' Schuck, another Charleston native, brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and leadership to The Citadel. He spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Flagler College, being a part of two winning seasons with the Saints, including a 20-win campaign in 2023-24 that culminated in trip to the Peach Belt Conference Championship game. He broke into the collegiate coaching ranks after two successful seasons as the head coach at James Island Charter School, leading the Trojans to the Sweet Sixteen in 2023 and Region Championship in 2024, earning Region Coach of the Year honors in the process. Schuck played four seasons at Furman University and was a member of the Paladins 2016-17 SoCon Championship team. 'I'm grateful and excited for the opportunity to become an assistant coach at such a prestigious institution as The Citadel,' said Schuck. 'I'm excited to work with a great group of student-athletes and learn from Coach Conroy, someone I have a profound respect for. Getting the chance to do all of this while coaching college basketball in my hometown of Charleston makes it even more special.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Riley Gaines Accepts Simone Biles' Apology, But Slams Her Call For 'Competitive Equity' As 'Nonsensical'
Riley Gaines Accepts Simone Biles' Apology, But Slams Her Call For 'Competitive Equity' As 'Nonsensical'

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Riley Gaines Accepts Simone Biles' Apology, But Slams Her Call For 'Competitive Equity' As 'Nonsensical'

Simone Biles has apologized to Riley Gaines after calling her "truly sick" over comments about a transgender softball player. The Olympian admitted her remarks were too personal and emphasized the need for empathy and fairness in the trans athlete debate. Riley Gaines seemingly accepted the apology while still criticizing Simone Biles' comment about "competitive equity." Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has publicly apologized to Riley Gaines after making a personal remark during an intense debate about trans women in sports. In a lengthy apology posted on X, Biles clarified her comment and admitted she had crossed a line. "I wanted to follow up on my last tweets. I've always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport," Biles said. She continued, "The current system doesn't adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn't help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for." Biles, in her lengthy post, admitted that the topic of trans inclusion in sports is complex and emotionally charged. She emphasized that she doesn't have all the answers but believes the conversation must begin with empathy and respect. "These are sensitive, complicated issues that I truly don't have the answers or solutions to, but I believe it starts with empathy and respect," Biles wrote. "I was not advocating for policies that compromise fairness in women's sports. My objection is to be singling out children for public scrutiny in ways that feel personal and harmful." She concluded: "Individual athletes — especially kids — should never be the focus of criticism of a flawed system they have no control over. I believe sports organizations have a responsibility to come up with rules supporting inclusion while maintaining fair competition. We all want a future for sport that is fair, inclusive, and respectful." Biles extended her apology to Instagram, pairing a snapshot of her statement with a caption featuring three silver heart emojis. Her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens, backed her move by reposting the message on his account. Gaines didn't waste time accepting Biles' apology, noting that while the Olympian had body-shamed her, she appreciated the acknowledgement and expressed respect. She said, "I accept Simone's apology for the personal attacks, including the ones where she body-shamed me. I know she knows what this feels like. She's still the greatest female gymnast of all time." Gaines, however, took the opportunity to criticize certain points made by the athlete in her apology, writing: "A couple of things. Sports ARE inclusive by nature. Anyone can and everyone SHOULD play sports. Competition, on the other hand, and by definition, is exclusive. So the idea of 'competitive equity' is nonsensical." She further claimed that people shouldn't have empathy for "boys" in girls' sports, as they are "publicly humiliating the girls. To suggest that women and girls must be silent or ignore a boy who is PUBLICLY hurting or humiliating them is wrong." Gaines then agreed with Biles that "lawmakers and leaders at the top" are to blame while welcoming her to "the fight to support fair sports and a future for female athletes." As previously reported by The Blast, the fiasco began when Gaines commented on a post by the Minnesota State High School League showing players celebrating their first state championship win in softball. Her remark, directed at transgender pitcher Marissa Rothenberger, read: "Comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy." Biles swiftly reacted to Gaines' post with a heated response on X. "You're truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser," Biles wrote. "You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans people feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! But instead… You bully them… One thing's for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!" Gaines didn't hold back in her response to Biles' harsh criticism. Calling the gymnast's remarks "disappointing." She then made it clear that she believes the responsibility to navigate transgender inclusion in sports does not fall on women. "It's not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces," she said firmly. "You can uplift men stealing championships in women's sports with YOUR platform. Men don't belong in women's sports, and I say that with my full chest." Gaines, before accepting Biles' apology, had criticized the Olympian by referencing her very public battle with former Team USA doctor Larry Nassar, who was convicted of sexually abusing hundreds of young gymnasts, including Biles herself. "All the horrific sexual abuse @Simone_Biles witnessed and spoke out against caused by one man, yet [she] believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man's feelings," Gaines wrote. She closed with a jab at Biles' athletic legacy, writing, "You know how many gold medals you'd have if your 'inclusive' dream came true? Zero."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store