She accepted on Thursday, Apr. 25 and on the following Monday, athletic director Mike Hill formally introduced her as the new head coach at a press conference.

“Charlotte got a great hire in Tomekia Reed,” Dawn Staley commented.  “She is going to be a great advocate for her student-athletes. She is a great basketball mind and uniter of the community. Being this close to Charlotte, I will be paying close attention to her success.”

This means EVERYTHING!!! Two people that I have GREAT respect for. Thank you @dawnstaley and @UConnWBB Geno!!! I greatly appreciate what you do for the game and how you uplift coaches like myself advocating for change and opportunities. https://t.co/1maYmw6JKI

— Coach Tomekia Reed (@CoachTReed) May 3, 2024

Reed has already made her mark with the announcement of landing former Texas A&M guard Kay Kay Green. This strategic recruitment not only strengthens the team’s roster but also demonstrates Reed’s ability to attract top talent to UNC Charlotte.  

UConn’s Geno Auriemma expressed, “I’m so excited that Tomekia Reed has been named the head coach at Charlotte. After coaching against her team, I came away super impressed with how hard they work and how disciplined they are. Congrats to Coach Reed and to Charlotte for reaching out of the box and getting a terrific coach.”   

Auriemma’s words echoed his sentiments about Coach Reed in his postgame interview after UConn defeated 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 put myself out there for her. I think we need coaches like her to be celebrated.”

Coach Geno Auriemma’s comments on Coach Reed and JSU. @HBCULegends @GoJSUTigersWBB pic.twitter.com/DokLl7rTlH

— Kyle T. Mosley (@ktmoze) March 23, 2024

Reed posted humbling words about the commentary from the two coaching legends. “This means EVERYTHING!!! Two people that I have GREAT respect for. Thank you Dawn Staley and Geno!!! I greatly appreciate what you do for the game and how you uplift coaches like myself advocating for change and opportunities.

Geno Auriemma said about Jackson State, “I’m really impressed by them, and they are exceptionally well coached.”

ALSO READ: HUGE DISPARITY BETWEEN HBCUs AND POWER CONFERENCE TEAMS

VIDEO:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9t5jxUmRC8

Cortez Mosley sealed the win with a breakaway dunk, increasing the lead to 56-52 with 10.4 seconds remaining in the semifinal. He led the Lions with 16 points and added four rebounds. D’Monte Brown ended the match, making his five final shots while giving the Lions 12 points and four rebounds. Anthony Roy scored nine points, cleared seven rebounds, and posted five assists in the victory.