BCSP Notes . . .
Stephens earns new pact at Cheyney hoops coach
Cheyney University Men's Basketball Coach Dominique Stephens has signed a three-year contract extension to be permanent head coach.
Last season, as interim head coach, Stephens guided
the Wolves to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference post season
tournament compiling an 18-9 mark along the way.
He also led the Wolves to a victory over Division I Delaware State. It was the first time in more than 20 years that Cheyney had knocked off a DI opponent.
On the signing of his contact Cheyney athletic director China Jude stated, "Coach Stephens has demonstrated his commitment not only to the athletic department's success but to the University. He is a strong teacher, administrator and role model for our student athletes. We are very proud of his contribution and are happy that he has committed to remain at Cheyney."
Prior to being named head coach, Stephens spent the previous five seasons as an assistant coach under Cleo Hill Jr. The Philadelphia native is the younger brother of Cheyney University women's head coach and former Temple All-American Marilyn Stephens and the father of Cheyney standout Dominique Curry.
As a player, Stephens was a part of championship teams from Philadelphia and Durham, NC. He was a member of the Dobbins High School football team and 1984 basketball team that consisted of Doug Overton, Bo Kimble, and the late Hank Gathers. That famous hoop squad went onto win the Philadelphia Public League Championship.
After high school, Stephens enrolled at North Carolina Central University. As a sophomore, NCCU posted a 26-3 mark. The following year the Eagles won the NCAA Division II national title with a 28-4 season. During his senior year, NCCU went 28-5.
Stephens was inducted into the North Carolina Central University Hall of Fame in 1995.
After college Stephens signed to play professionally in the Philippians Basketball League. He also played with the Lancaster Storm of the Eastern Basketball League.
Stephens earned his Bachelors of Science in Mathematics from NCCU in 1992. He earned a Masters of Science in Human Services from Springfield College in 2002.
Coaching vets added to NCCU women's basketball bench
North Carolina Central University head women's basketball coach Joli Robinson announced the hiring of two former head coaches, Antonio Davis and Leah Frierson, as assistant coaches. Davis and Frierson will join Robinson on the Eagles' sideline this upcoming season.
Davis comes to NCCU from South Carolina
State, where he spent two seasons as an
assistant coach for the women's basketball program.
Prior to his stint at South Carolina State, he spent
seven years as the head women's basketball coach
at Saint Augustine's College.
Davis also had successful careers as a head coach at Kentucky State from 1993-98 and at Livingstone College from 1988-91. He also served as the head coach of the women's team at Morristown College in Tennessee from 1987-88.
As a player, Davis attended Livingstone, where he became one of the best players in CIAA history. He is Livingstone's all-time leading scorer, having scored more than 1,800 points in his career. In the summer of 2005, he was inducted into the Livingstone College Athletic Hall of Fame for his outstanding career with the Blue Bears.
Davis earned a bachelor of arts degree in history and later went on to North Carolina A&T , where he earned a master of science degree in history.
Frierson comes to NCCU from Livingstone College, where she spent one season as head coach of the Blue Bear women's program. Prior to Livingstone, Frierson was an assistant coach at St. Augustine's, where she served under Davis during the 2006-07 season.
Before arriving at St. Augustine's, Frierson took on the position of director of basketball operations at North Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill., where she served as the coordinator and liaison for community service, marketing and facilities for the 2005-06 season.
Frierson played basketball at Belleville Area College. In 1999, she led her team to a 33-3 finish and second place in the NJCAA Championships. The following year, she helped the program earn a 20-10 record and reach their third-straight NJCAA Region XXIV semifinals. She became the school's all-time rebounding leader and earned both All-Region XXIV and Great Rivers Athletic All-Conference honors during both of her final two seasons.
In 2001, Frierson earned a scholarship to continue her basketball career at Austin Peay State University. As a senior, she helped her team capture their second-straight Ohio Valley Conference title, where they went undefeated in conference play.
Frierson earned her associate of arts degree from Southwestern Illinois and went on to earn a bachelor of science degree in communications with a minor in psychology from Austin Peay. In 2006, she earned a master of arts degree in education from the University of Phoenix and is currently pursuing a master's degree in sports administration from the University of North Carolina Pembroke.
"Having two coaches that have had the opportunity to be head coaches on the collegiate level and have experience on the Division I level is great," added Robinson. "Both of them have strong work ethics and knowledge of the game. As I have talked with both of them throughout this process, they have the same philosophies and understanding that a head coach searches for."
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