PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Cynthia Cooper-Dyke has stepped down as head women’s basketball coach at Prairie View A&M University to accept the vacant women’s head basketball coaching position at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
“Coach Cooper is very deserving of an opportunity to coach anywhere and this will give her the opportunity to showcase her coaching ability in another market,” said Prairie View A&M Athletic Director Fred Washington. “I expect her to take their (UNCW) team several rounds into the NCAA tournament in the next few years.”
Since her arrival at Prairie View A&M in 2005, the Lady Panthers have reached new heights with four consecutive postseason appearances, three straight Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season titles, two NCAA Tournament and two Women’s NIT berths. Cooper also earned SWAC Coach of the Year Honors in 2007 and 2009 in addition to guiding the Lady Panthers to four consecutive winning seasons.
“Coach Cooper has done a lot of great things here in a short period and we’ll appreciate the time she was apart of our athletic staff,” said Assistant Athletic Director for Female Sports Alicia Pete. “She accomplished a lot here during her tenure and I wish her and her family the best of luck in their future endeavors.”
A national search for Cooper-Dyke’s replacement will begin immediately.
