Current:Home > FinancePower Five programs seeing increase of Black men's and women's basketball head coaches -USAMarket
Power Five programs seeing increase of Black men's and women's basketball head coaches
View
Date:2025-04-14 06:55:45
Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey remembers when she was a high schooler being recruited by then Irish coach Muffet McGraw to play hoops for the school. McGraw, like many other head college basketball coaches, then and now, is white. But Ivey noticed something else about McGraw’s staff.
"There were three women of color at Notre Dame on staff, and that was impactful for me," she said. "I had a great relationship with Muffet, but those three Black women, they made me feel very comfortable. I know how important that is, you want to feel like you can relate to coaches and mentors, especially when you’re away from family and what’s familiar to you, knowing there was a diverse coaching staff, it made my decision easier."
Now, Ivey is the diversity for others that she sought for herself. It’s come full circle.
"Having this diversity at Notre Dame, I know how much that matters to these kids I’m recruiting," she said. "A lot of the parents I meet and talk to, it’s something they’re looking for, they talk about it openly. I’ve had thousands of conversations that this is something they look for their daughters, having somebody that can relate to them, speak their language, help them navigate society and especially being away from home and being at predominantly white institutions.
"I wasn’t fortunate enough to have that option of representation, but I am fortunate to be that option now," she said, speaking about Black head coaches. "The fact that there’s so much diversity now, with more African American coaches and recruits who can look up to them, that’s huge. It means something to connect with someone who looks like you."
IT'S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY's NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.
No Caitlin Clark in the Final Four? 10 bold predictions for women's NCAA Tournament
Ivey’s story has another interesting, and even remarkable, aspect to it. She’s part of one of only a handful of Power Five programs that has a Black women’s and men’s head coach. Her counterpart at Notre Dame is Micah Shrewsberry, who just finished his first season.
What’s happened at Notre Dame is becoming more common at Power Five programs. It’s not floodgates. It’s not a huge number. But it’s increasing.
It’s happened this season at South Carolina, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Houston, and the University of Central Florida (Houston and UCF just moved up to the Power Five this year). South Carolina, led by Dawn Staley and Lamont Paris, is the only school sending Black women’s and men’s head coaches to the NCAA Tournament, and both won coach of the year in the SEC.
In Columbia, Staley and Paris frequent each other’s games, and have used every opportunity to praise the job the other has done.
Why does all of this matter? Men’s and women’s basketball has a sizable number of Black athletes and it’s important, as Ivey said, for players to see people who look like them as head coaches throughout the sport.
It’s also important because Black head coaches challenge old, racial hierarchies and stereotypes that have existed in college sports for decades (if not over a century). These challenges are especially needed at predominantly white universities.
How to watch March Madness. TV schedules for all the men's and women's first-round games
The good news is it’s no longer unusual to see Staley as one of the few Black head coaches in the sport, either men or women. She’s been a powerful advocate for diversifying the sport and she increasingly has company which is a good thing.
At Notre Dame, and likely in similar instances at other schools, Ivey and Shrewsberry back each other. “We’re really, really close, we share ideas all the time,” Ivey said. “He’s just genuinely a good person, genuinely wants me to succeed, comes to our games and practice, he’s someone I really trust as a colleague but also as a friend. It can be really hard to build real relationships in this business, but he’s one of the good guys.”
Ivey also credits Notre Dame’s athletic director, Jack Swarbrick, who has held that position since 2008.
"I credit Jack Swarbrick, he’s going to retire soon, and he’s done a lot for college athletics," Ivey said. "He was very intentional in making his mark. He’s done so much for Notre Dame, but the biggest piece of his legacy, to me, is he hired most diverse coaching staff in college athletics. I’m so proud to be a part of that. Leaders, ADs, CEOs, they have to be intentional in putting together diverse candidate pools when they’re hiring but then they also have to have intention in giving those diverse candidates opportunities. HIs decisions are impacting student-athletes on our campus every day."
This type of inclusion and togetherness is the way it’s supposed to be. It is, in fact, the future.
USA TODAY Sports reporter Lindsay Schnell contributed to this report.
veryGood! (583)
Related
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- 2 teen girls stabbed at NYC's Grand Central terminal in Christmas Day attack, suspect arrested
- Widower of metro Phoenix’s ex-top prosecutor suspected of killing 2 women before taking his own life
- Latest MLB rumors on Bellinger, Snell and more free agent and trade updates
- Sarah J. Maas books explained: How to read 'ACOTAR,' 'Throne of Glass' in order.
- The year in review: 50 wonderful things from 2023
- The year in review: 50 wonderful things from 2023
- 49ers' 2023 K9er's Corgi Cup was the biggest vibe of NFL games
- Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
- Manchester United says British billionaire buys minority stake
Ranking
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- Floods in a central province in Congo kill at least 17 people, a local official says
- Tax season can be terrifying. Here's everything to know before filing your taxes in 2024.
- Police investigating incidents involving Colorado justices after Trump removed from state’s ballot
- South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech
- Here's What You Should Spend Your Sephora Gift Card On
- She died weeks after fleeing the Maui wildfire. Her family fought to have her listed as a victim.
- 'Crown' star Dominic West explains his falling out with Prince Harry: 'I said too much'
Recommendation
'Malcolm in the Middle’ to return with new episodes featuring Frankie Muniz
Holiday spending is up. Shoppers are confident, but not giddy
Nick Cannon's Christmas Gift From Bre Tiesi Is a Nod to All 12 of His Kids
Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde's Kids Steal the Show While Crashing His ESPN Interview
Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order
Spirit Airlines Accidentally Recreates Home Alone 2 After 6-Year-Old Boards Wrong Fight
Houston Texans claim oft-suspended safety Kareem Jackson off waivers
Odds for more sports betting expansion could fade after rapid growth to 38 states