Antonio O. Davis enters his third season as an associate head coach for the North Carolina Central University women's basketball program. With more than 20 years of coaching experience, Davis brings a wealth of knowledge to the Lady Eagles. Known as a disciplinarian and a master tactician, Davis will be responsible for on the court duties, with an emphasis on defense and player development.
Davis comes to NCCU from South Carolina State University, where he spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the women's basketball program. Prior to his stint at South Carolina State, he spent six years as the head women's basketball coach at Saint Augustine's College.
He took a short break from coaching before heading to Saint Augustine's. Davis was a teacher and athletic director at North Rowan Middle School from 2000-01. Before becoming an educator, Davis was an assistant to the athletic director at Kentucky State from 1998-99.
Before becoming an athletic director and teacher at North Rowan, Davis had successful careers as head coach at Kentucky State from 1993-98 and Livingstone College from 1988-91. During his tenure at Kentucky State, the Thorobrettes became one of the best teams in the country, earning their first NCAA Tournament appearance, claiming consecutive 20-win seasons and earning a national ranking.
The Thorobrettes claimed a tournament championship, grabbed three-straight division titles and won a season-best 26 games under the direction of Davis. He became the first coach in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) history to win conference championships in both basketball and volleyball.
In between his successful campaigns at Kentucky State and Livingstone, Davis served as an assistant coach for the men's basketball team at Livingstone for the 1992-93 season. He also served as the head coach of the women's team at Morristown College in Tennessee from 1987-88.
Before making his coaching debut, Davis made a name for himself on the hardwood. He attended Livingstone College, where he became one of the best players in CIAA history. Davis, an outstanding shooting guard, averaged 35 points per game, which ranked him first in the nation in scoring. He also led the nation in free throw shooting twice during his collegiate career. In 1982, he was selected to the All-CIAA team and received All-American honorst that same year.
Shooting 94 percent from the stripe during his career with the Blue Bears, he earned one of the highest percentages in college basketball history. He is Livingstone's leading scorer, having scored more than 1,800 points in his career.
His outstanding performance on the basketball court during the 1980s earned him a spot in the Livingstone College Athletic Hall of Fame. He was inducted in the summer of 2005.
Davis earned a bachelor of arts degree in history and later went on to North Carolina A&T State University, where he earned a master of science degree in history.
He is married to Nichelle B. Davis and they reside in Raleigh, N.C.
