As Tomekia Reed began a new chapter Monday, the previous story she’d written in her hometown and at her alma mater was still very close to her heart.
Reed was introduced as the new women’s basketball coach at Charlotte and credited her years in that same role at Jackson State for her success.
“I didn’t realize how much was accomplished until it was time to leave,” Reed said. “It was very emotional for me and my staff and my team.”
Reed explained her reason for accepting the Charlotte job and leaving the school where she competed as a player and then led the Tigers to four NCAA tournament appearances in six seasons.
“I’m the type of coach who doesn’t look at what we achieve at the moment because if you get comfortable, you don’t grow,” she said. “We quickly move on to continue to be successful.”
Reed said her time at JSU was “amazing,” adding that the experience “made me who I am today – a hustler, a winner at heart, a champion, a resilient and tough person.”
She also acknowledged the HBCU community, expressing gratitude for the success and everything else that came with it.
“I’m grateful for what we were able to do as an HBCU, and that’s putting the Jackson State team on a higher national level.”
