The University of Arkansas at Monticello athletic department named Markell Cox the head coach of the women’s basketball program, Director of Athletics Padraic McMeel announced.
“We had over 65 applications for the women’s basketball position at UAM and several strong candidates. Throughout the process with the committee, we kept coming back to one person – Markell Cox. We are excited to announce Markell as the next Head Women’s Basketball Coach of the Cotton Blossoms,” said McMeel. “As a Memphis, Tennessee native, with family in Mississippi and attending University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff, Markell brings a knowledge of southeast Arkansas and is excited to be establishing roots here in Monticello. We are happy to get Markell to campus and continue building on the legacy of Blossoms Basketball.”
Cox is known as a recruiting specialist, with strong ties in the United States and Internationally. He has helped rebuild programs doubling the win total for the four previous schools he has been with in one-years’ time.
His student-athletes have also been successful in the classroom as they carry a 3.2 grade-point average and a 90 percent graduation rate.
He has five years of head coaching experience in many different levels including the NCAA, NAIA and the NJCAA.
Cox journeys to UAM from Cincinnati Christian University. He was at CCU for two years, joining the program in 2017. There, he helped CCU reach the conference tournament for the first time in 10 years in 2018-19. That season, the team registered the most conference wins in the River States Conference era. They were initially predicted to finish 12th, but ended the year fourth. The team was also first in scoring defense per game allowing 66.1 points per contest in a conference that surrendered an average of 75.0 points per game.
Along with team recognition, Cox helped some student-athletes find their stride and become worthy of individual accolades as he coached two Second Team All-River States Conference players and two first team All-Region athletes.
Prior to CCU, Cox wore many different hats as the assistant women’s basketball coach, assistant facilities manager and the women’s golf head coach at Urbana University in Ohio from 2015 to 2017.
His previous stops before Urbana were at Clark State Community College (2015-17) and Southeastern Illinois College (2013-14). He also has AAU coaching experience with the Dayton Lady Hoopstars and was a Nike U.S. Sports Camp Director.
“I am excited to be back in an area I consider home and to carry on what has been a great tradition for the Blossoms in a storied program. We’re going to continue engagement in the community, raise the team GPA and establish a culture of excellence,” said Cox. “I would like to thank Dr. Doss, Padraic McMeel and the search committee for their selection, and the community for embracing me with open arms. It’s time to get to work.”
“I come from a family of coaches and for my family to have a chance to support my team in person, that means the world to me,” continued Cox.
“I’m looking forward to working with a senior class who has some great experience. I also hope to bring some high-level recruits.”
Cox earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Business Education from UAPB in 2010 and has another Bachelor’s of Science in Physical Education and Business Education from Middle Tennessee State University in 2013.
He is a member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
Photo Courtesy UAM Athletics
https://www.uamsports.com/news/2020/5/11/uam-names-markell-cox-as-womens-basketball-head-coach.aspx
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