Serena King-Coleman is coming home. For the first time in 17 years, the new Kentucky State University women’s head basketball coach’s family, friends, church members, old neighbors and classmates can see her in action. Her first day is July 1.
The Mt. Sterling, Ky., native left in 1993 on a basketball scholarship to play for the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. She worked as a student coach her fifth year and graduated in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in English. Then, she moved to Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C., where she worked as an assistant basketball and head cross country coach for three years.
She worked at Division I schools such as High Point University in High Point, N.C., as the recruiting coordinator and Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C., as the associate head coach and the interim head coach. Then, she joined St. Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Va., where she served six years as the women’s basketball coach, senior women’s administrator and the assistant athletics director.
“Coach King-Coleman is a good fit for Kentucky State University, because her core values are in line with the mission of the NCAA Division II, Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference, KSU and our Department of Athletics,” said Dr. Denisha Hendricks, athletics director. “Her experience as a head coach and as an administrator will greatly benefit the Thorobrette basketball program, and her wealth of knowledge will prove to be invaluable.”
While King-Coleman enjoyed the responsibility of her past positions, which developed her leadership skills, she is excited to now focus solely on coaching.