Antonio Davis Named Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Elizabeth City State University

The Elizabeth City State University Division of Athletics announced the hire of Mr. Antonio Davis as Head women’s basketball Coach.

Davis is one of the most-respected coaches in women’s basketball. Coach Davis has 24 years of college experience; 14 as head coach.

Known as a disciplinarian, master tactician and motivator who believes in a family atmosphere, Davis has developed programs of well-rounded student athletes and champions. Not only were his teams successful on the court, they are known for their academic prowess, community service and overall good will in their respective areas.

Last season, Davis helped lead the Shaw Lady Bears to an 11-18 overall record and an 8-8 record in conference play; while finishing fourth in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Southern Division.

Davis has been a Division I interim head coach, associate head coach and assistant coach, with successful stints at North Carolina Central University, as well as South Carolina State University.

Davis developed his reputation as a master program builder as head coach at Morristown College (1987-88) Livingstone College (1988-91) and Kentucky State University (1993-98) and Saint Augustine’s University (2001-07). At Morristown College he took over a last place team and took them to a second place finish in his only season. At Kentucky State, Davis took over a program that was at the bottom of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and revived it to one of the best teams in the country. Under Davis, Kentucky State earned consecutive 20-win seasons, made its first NCAA Tournament appearance, won a season-record 26 games, won three straight division titles, won a tournament championship and was nationally ranked. Davis was also the first coach in SIAC history to win both basketball and volleyball conference championships. His teams consistently had the highest GPA’s in the league.

During Davis’ tenure at Saint Augustine’s College, he turned a perennial loser into a consistent competitive team gaining a top 20 national ranking in 2005. His players as always were truly student-athletes as they excelled in the classroom. The Lady Falcons won the CIAA Highest GPA Award for women’s basketball four straight years while consistently contending for CIAA Championship honors on the court.

Davis has coached multiple All Conference, All American and Players of the Year. More importantly during his fourteen years as Head Coach, his graduation rate is 100% with 70% of his graduates going on to various graduate programs. Every team had a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0

Before becoming head coach, Davis an All-CIAA and All-American performer was one of the greatest players in CIAA history as a standout scoring guard at Livingstone College in the 1980’s leading the nation in scoring at 35 points per game and free throw percentage multiple times; his highest free season was 96%. Davis has a career free throw per-centage of 94% which ranks as one of the highest in basketball history and the highest in CIAA history. Davis is consid-ered in many circles as the greatest shooter in basketball history which is solidified by being the only career 50/50/90 player. His career percentages are field goals (56%), three point percentage (53%) and free throws (94%). The gold standard for shooting is a 50/40/90 season, which has been done only a hand full of times; and no player has ever had a 50/40/90 career percentage. In addition, no other player in basketball history has had a 50/50/90 season let alone the career percentages which Davis has. His shooting numbers are unparalleled!

Davis earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Livingstone College and also has a Masters of Science Degree in History from North Carolina A&T. Davis resides in Raleigh and is married to Nichelle B. Davis.

http://www.ecsuvikings.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/051017aaa.html

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