Alabama State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Jason Cable will introduce Johnetta Hayes as the new Bama State Head Women’s Basketball coach at a press conference scheduled at the Hornet Stadium Lounge on Tuesday, April 15, at 1 pm.
“The Alabama State University Hornet Nation is thrilled to welcome Coach Johnetta Hayes as the new head coach of our women’s basketball team,” said ASU President, Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr. “Coach Hayes is a proven winner a two-time SWAC Coach of the Year who brings championship level experience, a relentless drive for excellence, and a passion for developing student-athletes on and off the court. Her leadership will energize our program and inspire greatness in our talented roster of young women. We are confident that with Coach Hayes at the helm, Lady Hornets basketball is poised to rise to new heights. Let’s go, Hornet Nation!”
Hayes spent the 2024-25 season as an assistant coach for Rutgers University. She becomes the third head coach in the history of the women’s basketball program. She replaces Freda-Freeman Jackson, who announced her retirement in March after 27 seasons as the program leader.
Hayes is a veteran coach with 10 years of head coaching experience, including six highly successful seasons as the head coach at Texas Southern University from 2013-19.
“Today, we celebrate Johnetta Hayes as the new head women’s basketball coach at Alabama State University,” Cable said. “Her passion for the game, commitment to player development, and vision for success align perfectly with our vision. I do not doubt that our women’s basketball program will reach new heights under her leadership, fostering both athletic excellence and personal growth for our student-athletes.”
“I am deeply grateful to President Ross, Dr. Cable, and Dr. Lavalais for entrusting me with the incredible opportunity to lead the Alabama State women’s basketball program, Hayes stated. “Alabama State athletics embodies a culture of unwavering dedication, a championship-driven mindset, strong family values, and faith-based principles. It is a true honor to be part of a university that stands firmly behind such core ideals. Now is the time for us to come together, SWARMAS1, and build a legacy of championship-level success for women’s basketball.”
During her tenure at Texas Southern, she posted an 83-24 SWAC Record, winning 78% of her conference games with an overall record of 115-74. She led TSU to two SWAC Regular-Season titles, one SWAC Tournament title, and four overall postseason tournaments (1NCAA tournament appearance, 2 WNIT appearances, and 1 WCBI appearance). In addition, she helped lead Texas Southern to a 2013 SWAC regular-season title and a WNIT appearance as the associate head coach. Haynes’s overall record as a head coach is 197-165 and 130-80 in conference games, with head coaching stops at Wiley College, Texas Southern, and the University of Maryland-Baltimore.
Before Rutgers, Hayes most recently served as the head coach at UMBC for the past four seasons, leading the team to new heights and historic milestones.
In the 2022-23 season, Hayes led the Retrievers to an 11-win improvement, one of the best in the nation. Hayes also led the team to a 10-6 mark in America East play, their second-best record in program history. UMBC defeated NJIT, 82-71, to advance to the America East Semifinals for the first time since 2015.
Under her tutelage, Kiara Bell became the first UMBC player named America East Defensive Player of the Year. Bell was also named the inaugural America East Newcomer of the Year, earning spots on the All-Conference Second Team and All-Defensive teams.
KK White also was named to the All-Conference Second Team, while Ashia McCalla was voted onto the All-Conference Third Team and was named to the Academic All-District Team.
Hayes’ squad excelled in the classroom. The team GPA also reached an impressive 3.32 for Fall 2022, and multiple players earned a 4.0 and Academic Honors, such as Dean’s List.
Before her time in Baltimore and Texas Southern, Hayes spent two years as an assistant on coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke’s staff at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. During the stint, the Seahawks recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons and WNIT appearances.
Before arriving at UNCW, Hayes was an assistant coach at North Texas (2008-10), where she helped mentor Sun Belt Conference Rookie of the Year honoree Jasmine Godbout, who became the second player in program history to earn the honor.
Hayes has also served as the head coach at Wiley (Texas) College (2006-08) and as an assistant coach at Prairie View A&M (2004-06).
The Houston, Texas native was a four-year letter winner at Rice University (2000-04). She earned First Team All-WAC honors in 2003 after leading Rice in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, and field goal percentage. Hayes was ranked 16th nationally in blocked shots per game during the 2002-03 season, averaging 2.46 blocks per game, and is third in program history with 142 blocked shots in her career.
Hayes graduated with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from Rice University in 2004 and earned a Master of Education from Prairie View A&M University in 2006. She has two daughters, Khloe Perry and Zoie Perry.
Tagged with: SWAC
