Courtesy of Albany State Athletics
ALBANY, Ga. – Georgia HBCU Albany State College and Director of Athletics, Dr. Kristene Kelly, has introduced Akia Stanton to imagine the ladies’s basketball head teaching duties for long-time coach Robert Skinner, efficient June 1st.
ASU didn’t should go far geographically to search out the brand new veteran courtroom common in Coach Stanton, who has been the Talladega School (Ala.) basketball coach, for the previous two seasons and had already put the items in play to show the Girl Twister program round.
“Albany State College is worked up to welcome Coach Akia Stanton as a member of the Golden Rams workers. Her teaching expertise demonstrates a dedication to upholding a typical of excellence, in line with ASU’s mission,” mentioned ASU President, Marion Ross Fedrick. “Coach Stanton’s confirmed management and training expertise embody the ram spirit. Our student-athletes will profit from her steering each on and off the courtroom. We encourage these on campus and in the neighborhood to return out and cheer on Coach Stanton and the Girl Rams for a profitable season forward.”
The energetic and self-motivated new Girl Rams Head Coach brings eight years of expertise directing three completely different HBCU applications, together with Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Convention member Allen College together with two seasons as affiliate head coach of South Carolina State and three campaigns as assistant coach of her alma mater Paine School in Augusta, Georgia.
Stanton performed for and later coached beneath present Paine School Director of Athletics Selina Kohn, who herself was a legendary basketball participant at Albany State beneath Coach Skinner and beforehand served because the Girl Rams assistant coach.
“I’m thrilled to introduce Akia Stanton as our new head ladies’s basketball coach at Albany State,” said Dr. Kelly. “A Georgia native and standout participant at Paine School throughout their SIAC period beneath ASU legend Selina Kohn, who herself educated beneath the esteemed Coach Robert Skinner. Akia’s journey epitomizes #CreatingLegacies, and along with her intimate information of the SIAC and powerful teaching basis, I’m assured she is going to information our staff to unparalleled success, leaving a long-lasting impression on our program.”
Stanton isn’t any stranger to each success and constructing applications into profitable HBCU groups on-and-off the courtroom. Within the final two seasons, Stanton guided Talladega School to a four-game enchancment. The results-driven coach goals to construct upon ASU’s 2023-24 marketing campaign the place the Girl Rams ran off a pair of wins earlier than bowing out within the SIAC Event Quarterfinals.
“I wish to thank Dr. Marion Ross Fedrick, Dr. Kristene Kelly, and the search committee for his or her dedication and diligence all through this course of. I’m honored and humbled to be the subsequent head ladies’s basketball coach at Albany State College,” burdened Stanton. “I’m dedicated to upholding the College’s values, in addition to persevering with the legacy and constructing on the muse Coach Robert Skinner has already laid for this nice establishment. I’m elated and prepared to work with our student-athletes, workers, and supporters. I’m grateful for this chance to steer such an exquisite group of younger women.”
Previous to her stint as South Carolina State affiliate head coach, Stanton guided South Carolina HBCU Allen College (2018-20) to a 16-15 first-year document earlier than she directed this system to its most victories in a season going 23-8 with a staff, which featured 12 first-year freshmen. The pinnacle coach’s two squads additionally posted the best staff grade level common of three.2, which is a staple of her staff.
Coach Stanton’s first head teaching cease got here at Jarvis Christian School the place her groups once more had the athletic division’s highest staff GPA of three.5 for 4 straight years, in addition to student-athletes garnering each All-Convention and All-Educational honors. Most impressively is Stanton’s 100% commencement price.
Whereas as an assistant coach at her alma mater Paine School, Stanton noticed not less than considered one of her student-athletes be voted All-Convention from 2011 by way of 2017.
Beneath Paine School AD after which Head Coach Kohn, Stanton produced a collegiate taking part in profession in each volleyball and basketball the place she shined so brilliant, she earned a 2015 induction into the Girl Lions Corridor of Fame. In basketball, Stanton helped Paine to back-to-back hoops SIAC titles in 2005 and 2006, and journeys to the NCAA DII Event. She additionally recorded the second-best hitting proportion in DII for volleyball the in fall of 2006.
The Milledgeville, Georgia native began her profession in athletics as a three-sport athlete at Baldwin Excessive Faculty and was the college’s solely Regional winner in two years in a row in three completely different sports activities.
At residence, Stanton is a proud mom of Laila and Amari.
Associated
