NC Central introduces former Gamecock Olivia Gaines as new women's basketball head coach
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- North Carolina Central University has hired Olivia Gaines as its new head women's basketball coach, bringing in a rising leader shaped by her playing career under South Carolina's Dawn Staley and a track record of quick turnarounds at every stop.
Gaines was introduced at a Wednesday news conference on campus. She arrives after guiding Allen University to back-to-back winning seasons, a 36-19 overall record, and the program's first SIAC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honorees.
NCCU Director of Athletics Dr. Louis "Skip" Perkins said Gaines is "a proven winner at every level" and the right coach to elevate the Eagles.
A former guard for Staley, Gaines said her coaching philosophy centers on player relationships and a fast, aggressive style of play.
She described her system as transition-heavy, built on quick hitters, man-to-man defense, and full-court pressure, an identity she plans to implement immediately.
Gaines has built winners across multiple levels. She led Richard Bland to a 29-3 season and an NJCAA national championship game appearance in the program's first season, and guided USC Salkehatchie to a 20-2 record and a Region 10 title, earning Region 10 Coach of the Year honors.
She inherits an NCCU team that finished 9-20 last season, but said she expects the Eagles to improve quickly.
"I'm big on manifesting," Gaines said. "I'm definitely going to win."
