Custom Search Dover, Del. – Delaware State University Head Women’s Basketball Coach Barbara Burgess has announced the hiring of Kyle Adams and Felicia Kemp as assistant coaches for the Lady Hornets’ staff.
Adams and Kemp combine for more than 20 years of college coaching experience. They fill vacancies left by the resignations of DSU assistant coaches Beverly Lockett and Vanessa Watson.
Adams joins the Lady Hornet staff after one season as associate head women’s basketball coach and recruiting coordinator at Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) rival North Carolina Central University. During the 2016-17 season, he helped lead the program to its most MEAC wins since joining the league in 2012.
Prior to his time at NC Central, Adams was head women’s basketball coach at his alma mater, Cheyney University (Pa.). He was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator his first two seasons before serving as head coach from 2013-16.
I’ve known Kyle for some time and admired the job he did at Cheyney and more recently at NC Central,” said Burgess, who is entering her third season as head coach of the Lady Hornets. “He was one of the top coaches on my list when there were vacancies on my staff. His experience as a head coach and his ability to handle multiple responsibilities makes him an ideal fit for our program.”
In 2016, Adams was honored by the Cheyney University National Alumni Association as Mentor of the Year. The award was presented for his dedication to Cheyney University through his leadership, community engagement, fundraising initiatives, and tireless commitment to student engagement and success.
In June of 2014, Adams was chosen by the NCAA to participate in the prestigious ACE (Achieving Coaching Excellence) leadership development program at NCAA Headquarters in Indianapolis Indiana.
His college coaching experience also includes stints at Community College of Philadelphia (2000-02), Plattsburgh State University (2003-04), Eastern University (2004-05), Lincoln University of Pennsylvania (2008-09) and University of Rio Grande (2009-11).
Armed with almost 25 years of coaching experience, spanning from high school to the collegiate American Athletic Conference (AAC), Kemp comes to Delaware State after spending a year away from coaching.
Her last coaching stint was at Hampton (Va.) High School as an assistant during the 2015-2016 season.
Prior to Hampton High School, she spent two seasons at Temple University from 2013-15 as the administrative assistant /video coordinator for women’s basketball. Kemp returned to the college campus after coaching in the community for two seasons. She previously served as an assistant coach at Fordham from 2008-09. Prior to joining the Fordham staff, Kemp worked as the first assistant coach at Howard for four seasons (2004-08).
Previously, she was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Morgan State from 1999-2003,serving as interim head coach during the 2002-03 season. The Bears' best season during the span was in the 1999-2000 campaign, when the team finished as the MEAC regular-season runner-up. Kemp also had stints at Peninsula Christian School, where she was the head coach during the 1996-97 season, and served as an assistant coach at Christopher Newport University from 1995-99. While at Christopher Newport, the team earned four Dixie Conference regular-season championships as well as the 1998 Dixie Conference Tournament Championship, and made three NCAA appearances (1996-98).
The hiring of Kemp was an easy choice, according to Burgess.
“I’ve known Felicia since she joined the MEAC as a coach in the late 1990s,” Burgess said. “Her knowledge of basketball and the MEAC was a big reason for her hire. She has the coaching experience I need for the position and will fit right in with the transition that’s underway to take our program to another level.”
~ DSU Athletics Communications