College of Arkansas-Pine Bluff has introduced its new girls’s basketball coach after the departure of Daybreak Thornton, who has transitioned to move the Alabama A&M girls’s program.
The Golden Lions have appointed Erica Leak, a former WNBA draft decide and home-state prodigy, as their new head coach.
“First, I want to thank God for orchestrating the proper timing [and] the proper place to start my faculty teaching profession,” stated Leak to start her opening remarks throughout her introductory press convention.
The 2005 WNBA Draftee will start her period with the Golden Lions Ladies’s Basketball as this system’s tenth head coach. With Leak’s being drafted on the highest stage of girls’s basketball within the (WNBA) and several other alternatives to educate on the collegiate stage, Coach Leak felt that the timing was now.
“Upon my arrival to campus, it felt like house, like household, it felt proper.”
Leak was a standout guard who was the primary highschool recruit popping out of Arkansas within the 2001 class. She dedicated to Louisiana Tech to play all 4 years, main the workforce to the NCAA match every year.
The Arkansas-born participant averaged 11.1 factors, 4.3 rebounds, and a pair of.2 steals in 112 profession video games. She was named to 2 All-WAC groups, two WAC All-Defensive groups, and two WAC All-Match groups.
“I’m grateful to Athletic Director Chris Robinson and Chancellor Laurence Alexander for entrusting me with the duty of main the Golden Lion program. I’m excited to deliver my aggressive edge, power, and successful spirit to this workforce and try for achievement each on and off the court docket with my gamers for a few years to return.”
Leak then transitioned to the professional stage, the place she was chosen for the second spherical of the 2005 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics.
Leak was born and raised in Wheatley, Arkansas. Her household has a historical past of manufacturing standout Division I basketball gamers, together with her brother Jason Smith (who performed for Ole Miss) and her nephew Carl Baker (who performed for Arkansas), and my sister Angela Gardner. Moreover, she has 4 siblings who’ve all graduated from the College of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Her most up-to-date teaching expertise got here as the top coach of the West Memphis Excessive College lady’s basketball workforce.
“I’ll take my data and expertise to instill the spirit of excellence into this workforce.”
“Gamers will perceive and respect the wealthy, historic custom, and they’re going to play with pleasure. They are going to perceive what it means to place that jersey on with UAPB throughout their chest, and they’re going to comprehend it’s greater than them. They are going to play for those that got here earlier than them. We are going to try for tutorial excellence and be on the trail for profession success. They may even perceive the significance of giving again and serving their group, realizing that serving somebody apart from your self is essential.”
Leak obtained her Bachelor of Arts diploma from Louisiana Tech College in 2005 and her Grasp of Arts in Athletic Administration from Concordia College in 2023. She is fortunately married to Antonio and has 5 youngsters – daughters Nia, Tyra, Laila, Demi, and a son named Jace.
