8 hours ago
Former Pac-12 Assistant Joins HBCU Hoops Contender
Alabama A&M just made a power move. Head coach Dawn Thornton announced the addition of veteran coach Paul Reed as the program's new associate head coach. The hire brings high-major experience, a reputation for developing talent, and a Pac-12 résumé packed with postseason success to HBCU women's basketball on The Hill.
Reed, whose coaching stops include Cal, Washington, and Long Beach State, steps into the Bulldogs' program with a clear mandate. To elevate the team's culture and competitiveness in the SWAC.
"We are thrilled to welcome Paul Reed as our Associate Head Coach," said Thornton. "Paul brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of developing talent and building winning programs. His dedication to fostering strong relationships with players and his commitment to excellence on and off the court make him an invaluable addition to our team."
This is more than a résumé hire-it's a statement of intent. A&M is aiming higher.
Reed spent last season in a support role at St. Mary's. Still, his most impactful recent work came at the University of Washington. He helped steer the Huskies to a Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinal appearance. That run included a decisive 68–54 upset of No. 6-seed Colorado. At UW, Reed didn't just collect wins-he developed stars. Three Huskies earned All-Pac-12 honors under his watch, and an impressive 11 players landed spots on the Pac-12 All-Academic Team.
Before Washington, Reed was part of a resurgent Long Beach State program that tallied 69 wins in three seasons, racked up three straight 20-win campaigns, and earned a Big West Tournament title in 2017 to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. The years prior brought back-to-back WNIT berths, showcasing his consistency in keeping programs competitive deep into March.
Before his collegiate coaching climb, Reed dominated the Arizona high school basketball scene. At Cienega High School, he went 45–13 in two seasons and was named Southern Arizona Coach of the Year after leading the Bobcats to a regional title and state runner-up finish in 2014.
Go further back, and the trail continues at Tucson High, where Reed stacked four state tournament appearances, three regional championships, and a 129–63 record across six seasons. He's been building programs from the grassroots up for decades, mentoring McDonald's All-American nominees and directing offseason player development for top high school and college athletes in the Tucson area.
And while most know him for his basketball mind, Reed is also a former USA Today Small College All-American defensive back at Langston University, an HBCU in Oklahoma, where he earned his degree in psychology before adding a master's in education from the University of Phoenix.
This is a high-level chess move for Alabama A&M women's basketball. Reed isn't just a sideline veteran-he's a culture shifter. He's walked the halls of Power 4 programs, coached in packed March Madness arenas, and still has the recruiting chops to bring top-tier talent into the fold. For an HBCU program looking to make noise in the SWAC and beyond, Paul Reed might be the X-factor.
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