HUNTSVILLE — Comparing her to a rising star, Alabama A&M Director of Athletics Bryan Hicks announced the new head women’s basketball coach at a press conference/meet and greet Monday.
Margaret Richards made her first public appearance as the new coach during the event in the School of Business’s Clyde Foster Auditorium.
“She’s a rising star,” Hicks said. “And the star has landed.”
Last season, Richards was an assistant coach at Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Prior to that, the Louisville, Ky., native was an assistant at Western Kentucky from 2012-15. [lasso align=”right” cart=”y” identifier=”B00QHSESWK” locale=”US” tag=”hbcusports-20″ ref=”amzn-aamu-bulldogs-3×5-college-flag” type=”single” id=”71916″ link_id=”4784″]
“This is just unbelievable,” she said, thanking God, A&M President Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr., and Hicks.
Richards said she is ready to get right to work and has set goals for her and the team.
“Help the girls grow and graduate,” she said. “Get Alabama A&M connected with the community and recruit the state heavily; win the SWAC championship and have the team get a 3.0 GPA or better.”
At Western Kentucky, she helped guide the Hilltoppers to two NCAA Tournament appearances, two Conference USA tournament titles and one C-USA regular-season title. WKU won 20-plus games all three seasons she was there, including a 30-5 record in 2014-15.
Richards also was a head coach at St. Augustine College (2008-10); an assistant coach at North Texas (2010-11); and an assistant coach at Weber State (2011-12).
Richards was a four-year letter-winner at the University of Nebraska and ranked among the nation’s top 25 scorers in her senior season. She received her degree in communication studies from Nebraska in 2003.
“This was an easy choice for me,” Hicks said. “She’s going to be a Bulldog and will embody everything Alabama A&M represents.”
Courtesy: AAMU Athletics
