As the final horn sounded in Morgan State’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament quarterfinal loss to Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) last Thursday afternoon at the Norfolk Scope Arena, it marked the end to the Lady Bears’ 2024-25 season, as well as the tenure of head coach Ed Davis, Jr.
Davis announced his retirement, following the Lady Bears’ 74-67 loss to UMES, marking the end to his legendary 33-year coaching career on the collegiate level. Davis, who concludes his coaching career with 469 victories, spent the last 13 years at Morgan State, serving as an assistant coach for his first five seasons, before taking over as the head coach of the Lady Bears for the past nine seasons.
“On behalf of Morgan State University, we would like to thank Coach Ed Davis for his incredible service to the National Treasure on and off the court,” said Morgan State Vice President/Director of Athletics, Dena Freeman-Patton. “He is a teacher of the game and has made every player he coached better. Coach is a leader amongst coaches and poured his heart into Morgan State.”
“I’ve been in the MEAC since 2000. I had some great teams at Delaware State, had some great teams here [Morgan State] and in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) I had some great teams at Bowie State. My career has been blessed,” said Davis during his final MEAC Tournament postgame press conference.
“I’m not going to lie; this is probably the only HBCU I have not won a [tournament] championship at. All the others I have. I’m going to miss not winning it for them. That’s what I wanted to do.”
Davis joined the Morgan State women’s basketball program for the 2012-13 season under then head coach, the late Donald Beasley, who is the program’s all-time winningest coach.
“I originally came here with Coach Beasley, who I love him to death. I wanted to win it with him,” said Davis. “Unfortunately, he passed. I kept going and each one of the teams, I wanted them to experience what it’s like to be on the other side. Go to the NCAA and be able to pull that banner down on that floor. I wanted them to experience that.”
Davis took over the helm of the women’s basketball program prior to the 2016-17 campaign and ranks third all-time on the career coaching list with 120 wins at Morgan State, two shy of tying former head coach LaRue Fields (122 wins from 1978-85) for second place.
Over the years, Morgan State’s teams began to transform into the identity of previous championship teams Davis had at both Bowie State and Delaware State. They were tough, played hard and played defense, which was a staple of Davis’s teams and a must. The Lady Bears also made Hill Field House a nightmare for opponents.
In his nine seasons at the helm, Morgan State would go a combined 32-7 (82%) at Hill Field House against non-conference opposition. This season the Lady Bears finished a perfect 5-0 at home against non-conference foes, marking the sixth time in nine seasons that Morgan State went unbeaten at home in non-conference action.
From 2019-23, Morgan State would record a 36-5 record (88%) at Hill Field House in four seasons. The Lady Bears set the school record for most home victories in a season in 2022-23, going 11-2, surpassing the previous mark of 10 home wins during the 2019-20 (10-1) and 2017-18 (10-3) campaigns.
Under the leadership of Davis, he had at least one All-MEAC selection in each of his nine seasons at the helm. This season he had three players, as redshirt freshman Naya Ojukwu was named MEAC Newcomer of the Year and freshmen Michaela Bogans and Nia Green were both named to the MEAC All-Rookie Team.
Davis also produced four All-American’s while at Morgan State. Adre’onia Coleman became the program’s first All-American when she was named to the 2019 First-Team BOXTOROW HBCU Women’s All-American Team. The following year Chelsea Mitchell earned 2020 First-Team BOXTOROW All-American honors and Charlene Shepherd also received the honor as a first-team selection in 2023. Ja’Niah Henson was a 2023 Second-Team BOXTOROW Second-Team All-America recipient.
During the 2019-20 season, Davis was named MEAC Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Bears to a 12-4 MEAC mark. It was the second MEAC Coach of the Year honor for Davis, who also received the award during the 2003-04 season, as the head coach at Delaware State.
Davis and the 2021-22 Lady Bears would make history, as they earned a share of the MEAC regular season crown, the program’s first and only MEAC regular season title since joining the conference in 1970-79 and 1984-present.
A year later the Lady Bears finished second in the 2022-23 MEAC standings and reached postseason play for just the second time on the Division I level, when they received the automatic bid to the 2023 Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT).
Prior to coming to Morgan State, Davis spent 12 successful seasons at fellow MEAC foe, Delaware State. While at DSU, Davis would lead the Lady Hornets to the most successful run in the history of the program. He concluded his career at DSU as the program’s winningest coach with 178 wins.
The Davis era at Delaware State was highlighted by a MEAC Tournament championship during the 2006-07 season, which would come against Morgan State in the title game and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2007, a MEAC regular season co-championship (2003-04), five MEAC championship game appearances and the only 20-win seasons (four) in team history.
Before heading to Delaware State, Davis spent eight seasons at Bowie State where he recorded 171 wins.
While at BSU, he turned the Lady Bulldogs into a Division II powerhouse and the class of the CIAA. Davis would capture three straight CIAA Tournament titles and make three NCAA Division II appearances, including two “Sweet 16” appearances.
Davis was named CIAA Coach of the Year in 1995 and garnered CIAA Tournament Outstanding Coach honors in 1997, ’98 and ’99. He was also named Women’s Basketball Coaches Association District II Coach of the Year in 1998 and ’99.
For four seasons, Davis led BSU to an unprecedented run of success in the CIAA. From 1995-99 the Lady Bulldogs posted a remarkable 110-10 record and claimed three consecutive CIAA titles. Davis’s teams would win 40 straight games on their home floor from 1995-2000.
The 1995-96 squad finished 28-2 and advanced to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Tournament. The team also ranked first among all Division II teams in scoring defense. A year later Davis guided the Lady Bulldogs to a 28-game winning streak en route to a 29-2 record, while capturing their first CIAA Tournament championship and their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
The 1997-98 campaign saw Bowie State claim its second consecutive CIAA title. The Lady Bulldogs posted a 28-2 mark and were ranked as high as No. 6 in the national polls. Davis’s 1998-99 team would capture the program’s third straight CIAA championship and advanced to its second “Sweet 16” appearance.
A four-time Hall of Famer, one as a player at West Virginia State (2008) and three as a coach, once at Bowie State (2004) and twice at Delaware State (2017 and 2024), Davis is proud of the impact that he’s had on kids at the three schools he’s coached at.
“For me to see girls out there from Delaware State, Bowie State, that means a lot to me because these girls are now 30 and 40 years old and they still come back to support me, said Davis. “That means a lot to me. It really does.”
Added Davis, “I’ve coached 600 girls and 550 got their degrees. The championships are nice, but those are the things that mean a lot to me.”
