Lakeria Crowder will join the Whitworth University athletics department as an assistant coach in women’s basketball for the 2021-22 season, according to Pirate head coach Joial Griffith.
Crowder comes to Whitworth from Lemoyne Owen College in Memphis, and she takes over for Jessica Kramer who left last fall to become the head coach for the Community Colleges of Spokane.
“Lakeria is a competitor, tireless worker, knowledgeable and passionate, not only in player development, but in people & leadership development,” Griffith said. “I cannot wait for her to get started and get to know the young women in this program.”
Crowder spent four seasons with the Magicians, members of NCAA Div. II and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference. During her stay she served as the top assistant, overseeing both the offense and defensive game plans at different points in her tenure. She was the team’s recruiting coordinator as well.
The Magicians improved from 8-22 during her first season to 16-11 in her second year. Lemoyne Owen went 51-60 over the course of her four seasons.
Crowder and Griffith will coach a team that returns its entire roster from 2020-21, when the Pirates finished 4-4.
