Lamont Walker Assistant Coach
Tara A. Owens
Malikah Willis Assistant Coach
Head Coach
COACHING STAFF
2007-2008 Women’s Basketball
HEAD COACH TARA A. OWENS Tara A. Owens enters her first season as the head coach of the Norfolk
Sate women’s basketball team. Previously, Owens served as the head coach at Elizabeth City State University for three seasons, compiling a 58-31 record and leading the Lady Vikings to the finals of the CIAA Tournament on two occasions (2005, 2007).
In 2006-07, Owens led ECSU to a 21-10 record, one of two 20-win seasons during her three-year tenure. After falling to North Carolina Central in the CIAA Tournament championship game, the Lady Vikings earned an at-large berth to the NCAA South Atlantic Regional. That team was led by CIAA Player of the Year Celeste Trahan, a Daktronics Division II second-team All-American.
Tara A. Owens Head Women’s Basketball Coach
Owens got her start in coaching at Division II Cheyney (Pa.) University. She served as an assistant coach for two seasons prior to taking over as head coach from 1998-2004. At Cheyney, Owens also held the title of senior woman administrator and project administrator/activity director for the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP). A 1993 graduate of Virginia State University, Owens played for the Trojans from 1988-1991. She received her bachelor’s degree from VSU in physical education/health and completed her master’s degree in administration and supervision at Cheyney University in 1998. Owens holds memberships in the National Association of Female Executives, Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the Black Coaches Association.
“The rebuilding of a program is a wonderful challenge. I look forward to bringing back the winning attitude to Norfolk State University”.
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NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY | 2007-2008 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE
ASSISTANT COACHES Malikah Willis begins her first season as an assistant on the women’s basketball staff. She serves as the team’s out-of-state recruiting coordinator, team travel coordinator, and will be responsible for the development of the post players.
Willis played at Christ the King High School in Queens, N.Y., where she was the teammate of former Los Angeles Spark and former University of Tennessee All-American Chamique Holdsclaw. At the end of her career, Willis was named Assistant Women’s prep a First-Team Parade All-American. She was a part of the Basketball Coach “Sensational Seven”, Hall of Fame coach Vivian Stringer’s 1994 recruiting class at the University of Iowa that was ranked No. 1 in the country.
Malikah Willis
The “Seven” went on to capture consecutive Big Ten Tournament Championships in 1995 and 1996 and were the regular season champions in 1995. Willis, a four-year letterwinner for the Hawkeyes, earned bachelor’s degrees in Media Studies and African-American studies from Iowa in 1998. During the summer of 1998, she worked as a basketball camp counselor at Division I powerhouses such as Rutgers, Ohio State, and the University of Tennessee. Willis also played professionally for Color Cap Rybnik of Poland and Tapiola Honka of Finland in 1999 and Brazil’s Santa Maria Club in 2000.
Willis spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Elizabeth City State for current Spartans head coach Tara Owens. She helped the Lady Vikings to a 21-10 record, an appearance in the CIAA Tournament championship game, and an at-large berth to the NCAA South Atlantic Regional in the 2006-07 season. Prior to her arrival at ECSU, Willis had assistant coaching stints at the University of Illinois-Chicago (2000-2002) and at Chicago State University (2002-2003). She also assisted Owens at Cheyney University during the 2003-2004 season.
Lamont Walker enters his
first year as an assistant coach with the women’s basketball program. He will be responsible for the development of the backcourt players, in-state recruiting, opponent scouting, and academics.
Lamont Walker Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach
Previously, Walker worked with the girls basketball program at Booker T. Washington High School. He served as an assistant coach from 1997-2002, and then took over as head coach for two seasons (2004-2006).
Before going to Booker T. Washington, Walker had a twoyear stint as head girl’s basketball coach at Maury High School that included an Eastern District Championship in 1996. Prior to coaching at Maury, Walker was an assistant with the girls basketball program at Lake Taylor High School from 1991-1993, where he also coached the defensive backs on the football team.
Walker earned his bachelor’s degree in recreation and interdisciplinary studies from Virginia State in 2004. As a member of the Trojans’ basketball team from 1986-88, Walker was a three-time All-CIAA selection and was named to the CIAA All-Tournament team each of his three years. He helped VSU to the 1988 CIAA championship, the same year head NSU women’s basketball coach Tara Owens helped the Trojan women to the CIAA title. Walker scored 1,197 points during his career, and at one point, held the Division II record for 3-pointers attempted in a game (22). The Norfolk native has two children, Lamont II (14) and Daja (4).
A native of Queens, N.Y., Willis is a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She also holds memberships with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the Black Coaches Association.
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY | 2007-2008 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE
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SUPPORT STAFF
Ruth Jordan
Kristen Phillips
Ruth G. Jordan is in her 14th year as the academic advisor for the Norfolk State women’s basketball team.
Kristen Phillips is in her first year
Academic Advisor
Jordan, a native of Norfolk, Va., helps to keep the women’s basketball players on track academically by making available the school’s tutorial services. Currently, Jordan serves as an instructor for University 101 classes in the new student orientation program at Norfolk State. She is also the program coordinator for money management for Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia, Inc.
Athletics Trainer
as a graduate assistant athletics trainer in the NSU Sports Medicine Department. A native of Stafford, VA, Phillips earned her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and athletic training with a minor in Education at Catawba College in 2007. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in athletic training from Old Dominion University.
Jordan also served as a counselor for the Veterans of Upward Bound program for nine years. Jordan received her bachelor’s degree iin sociology 1979 and her master’s in urban education and administration in 1984. She has taken classes toward her doctoral degree from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY | 2007-2008 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE