Jackson State women’s basketball coach Tomekia Reed was shown interest by a mid-major program.
Reed, who led Jackson State to yet another NCAA Tournament appearance, was interviewed for the head coach job at Tulane after the retirement of longtime coach Lisa Stockton, according to a report by New Orleans-Times Picayune columnist Rod Walker.
It is easy to understand why Tulane would be interested in Reed’s services. Reed, a four-time SWAC Coach of the Year, including winning the award the last three years. She has led the Tigers to five consecutive SWAC regular season titles, including three berths in the NCAA Tournament.
Reed has compiled a 125-52 overall record and has never had a losing season, posting no less than 18 wins in any of her six seasons. She has transformed Jackson State into a buzzsaw within the SWAC, recording a 95-10 record in the conference, including undefeated 18-0 runs in league play in the 2021-22 and 2023-24 campaigns.
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, whom the Tigers were defeated by in the first round of this year’s NCAA Tournament, offered high praise for Reed and Jackson State.
“They certainly don’t get on TV enough, and they certainly don’t get enough recognition, and I wanted to let her know that, and I wanted to put myself out there for her,” he said. “I think we need coaches like her to be celebrated.
“We need coaches like her to be celebrated. Bigger schools need to not keep recycling coaches that are let go by other Power Five schools. They should start looking outside the box a little bit because there are a lot of great coaches out there, and she’s one of them.”
Reed’s contract with Jackson State expired on March 31.
