Coahoma Community College has announced Shanae Govan-Williams as its new head Women's Basketball coach. Williams comes to CCC from Bryant High School in Bryant, Arkansas, where she has served as the Head Girl's Basketball Coach since 2022. Prior to her stint at Bryant, Williams held positions at Magnolia High School in Magnolia, Arkansas, Crossett High School in Crossett, Arkansas, and Lee Academy in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Williams was the head girl's coach at all locations.
CCC Athletic Director Selina Reid is pleased to welcome Williams to the CCC family. She is excited about what the newly hired coach will bring to a strong Lady Tigers basketball squad.
"On behalf of Coahoma Community College Athletics, I would like to thank all applicants who expressed an interest in our women's basketball program. We are extremely excited to welcome our next head women's basketball coach Shanae Govan-Williams, her assistant coach, and their families to Tiger Nation," said Reid.
After the departure of former CCC women's basketball coach
Stephanie Murphy, who was recently named an assistant coach at Troy University in Montgomery, Reid shared that CCC Athletics underwent a thorough process to identify the next leader of CCC women's basketball.
"Coach Williams has a proven track record of success, program building, and motivating young ladies to become the best version of themselves. She has a very impressive resume, but most importantly, she has a passion for teaching young ladies life skills via basketball. Her connection to the Mississippi Delta as an outstanding former basketball player at Delta State University and a successful head girls basketball coach at various high schools makes her an exceptional addition to CCC Athletics."
Williams is a native of Crossett, Arkansas. She finished high school ranked at the top of her graduating class as a top point guard in the state. She was a four-time All-State Track & Field and All-Conference award recipient in the 5A class and a two-time All-State and three-time All-Conference awards winner. She attended Arkansas Tech University and later transferred to Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi.
Williams is ready to take the lead of the Lady Tigers and is thrilled to begin her collegiate coaching career. She looks forward to positively impacting the lives of young people. For her, success means producing well-rounded individuals who excel on and off the court.
"I am most excited about having the opportunity to coach on the college level because it has always been a dream of mine since I began coaching," said Williams. "To have the privilege to serve student-athletes on a higher level than high school and help guide and prepare them for life through loving the game of basketball."
She was a four-year collegiate basketball player. During her career, she was selected as the Top Newcomer at ATU, a four-year conference champion, and two-time regional champion, with an Elite 8 appearance during her freshman year, two consecutive appearances in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, and led her conference during the last season in steals, assists, and assist to turnover ratio. Williams was also ranked 27
th in the nation in steals per game during her final season at Delta State University (2013-2014).
Williams feels privileged to inherit a team that former coach
Stephanie Murphy built to a championship level. She hopes to insert her brand of holistic support and coaching on and off the court.
"Well, everyone knows Coach Murphy has built this program from the ground up. That goes without saying. We will just continue to build off the foundation she laid but prepare to take it higher by creating an atmosphere and culture that student-athletes will want to be a part of," Williams explained. "We will do this not only because we win on the court but because they know they will be fully invested in as players and young women. At the end of the day, athletes want to play for coaches who care, will help them become better people, and will put them in positions to be successful, and that's what we plan to do."
Williams will be entering into familiar territory as she has roots in Clarksdale with her time at Lee Academy, which is relatively close to the CCC campus.
"The most appealing thing about this opportunity is moving back to Clarksdale after serving at Lee Academy for three years as the first African American Coach and Teacher and it being my first coaching opportunity," Williams shared. The strong ties I have within the community, and the relationships built gave me the desire to want to come back and serve in a greater capacity at an HBCU as well as grow as a coach, mentor, leader, and advocate while helping bridge the gap within the community of Clarksdale."
Williams will assume her duties immediately and expressed that she is energized to begin working and preparing for the Lady Tigers' 2023-2024 campaign.
She is happily married to her husband, Andrew, and the couple has one son, Nash.
