DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central has officially named Olivia Gaines as its new head women's basketball coach on Friday, May 8.
An official press conference will be held on Wednesday, May 13, at the William Jones building on campus at 10 a.m.
An emerging coach in the profession, Gaines has produced successful seasons at multiple collegiate programs, most recently at Allen, which recorded back-to-back winning records the past two years.
"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Gaines to the Eagle family," said NCCU Director of Athletics Dr. Louis "Skip" Perkins. "She is a proven winner at every level and has shown the ability to develop and nurture student-athletes while building successful teams. We believe Coach Gaines is the right person to elevate the program."
Allen posted a 36-19 record, including a 29-14 conference mark, in the SIAC from 2024 to 2026. In her first season as head coach, Gaines led Allen to program records in the Division II era for single-season wins (18) and conference victories (13). This year, Allen tied last season's win total while setting a new league mark with 16 victories.
Under Gaines' leadership, Tailah Wesley was named SIAC Player of the Year and Eboni Clay was chosen SIAC Freshman of the Year in the 2024-25 season. It is the first time an Allen player won either award in program history.
Gaines returned to a head coaching role after one season (2023-24) as an assistant at Georgia Southern.
Prior to her time at Georgia Southern, Gaines gained a winning reputation in the junior college ranks. In the 2022-23 season, she guided Richard Bland to a 29-3 record and a trip to the NJCAA national championship game, finishing runner-up in its first-ever season.
Her first collegiate head coaching position was at USC Salkehatchie from 2020 to 2022. Gaines led the Indians to a 20-2 mark and the NJCAA Region 10 Championship in her first season (2020-21). She was named Region 10 Coach of the Year for her efforts.
Gaines became head coach at USC Salkehatchie after stints as an assistant coach at Vassar and Northwestern Oklahoma State. She was a high school head coach at Andrew Jackson, Fort Dorchester and Cross in South Carolina.
Before embarking on a coaching career, Gaines tasted success as a collegiate basketball player, most notably at South Carolina under Head Coach Dawn Staley. During Gaines' two seasons, South Carolina won the SEC Tournament, shared the regular-season title and reached the Final Four in 2015 while claiming the SEC regular-season crown in 2014.
Gaines was a sought-after recruit after two stellar seasons at Louisburg (N.C.). She was named WBCA National Junior College Player of the Year and led Louisburg to the NJCAA Division II national title in 2013. Two years before, she was an All-State high school player as a senior at Chester.
A native of Chester, S.C., Gaines earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from South Carolina in 2015 and an associate degree in sociology from Louisburg in 2013.
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