With the national spotlight still shining brightly on women’s college basketball following an exhilarating NCAA Tournament weekend, Morgan State University announces a transformational addition to its athletics leadership. Nadine Domond, an accomplished collegiate coach and former WNBA player, has been selected as the new head coach of the Morgan State Lady Bears Women’s Basketball program.
The appointment, made following a national search, reflects Morgan’s renewed commitment to excellence in women’s athletics and coincides with the debut of the 2025 Women’s HBCU All-Star Game, where Domond served as one of the competition’s inaugural coaches. This milestone moment for the sport marks the beginning of a bold new era for Morgan’s women’s basketball team—one steeped in championship ambition and strategic vision.
Domond comes to Baltimore from Virginia State University, where she has led the Lady Trojans to back-to-back 20-win seasons and historic success, including their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament. Her 2024–25 campaign included a 21-5 regular season record, a CIAA Northern Division title, and a CIAA Championship Game berth. Her defensive-minded teams ranked 16th nationally in opponent field goal percentage (35.1%) and allowed only 60 points per game. In recognition of her leadership, she was named CIAA Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year and the HBCU All-Stars Lonnie Bartley NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year.
“Morgan has always been a place where excellence is not only expected but cultivated—and that is exactly what we see in Coach Nadine Domond,” said Morgan State University President David K. Wilson. “She brings a championship mindset, a proven track record of developing women both on and off the court, and a vision that aligns perfectly with our aspirations for the Lady Bears. We are thrilled to welcome her into the Morgan family.”
Domond’s distinguished basketball pedigree includes being a Second Team All-Big Ten selection at the University of Iowa under legendary Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer, winning the 1997 Big Ten Championship, and making three NCAA Tournament appearances. Domond also earned a USA National Team Silver Medal in 1997.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1998, majoring in African American World Studies and Instructional Design. Following a stellar college career, she was selected as the New York Liberty’s 19th overall pick in the 1998 WNBA Draft and played for the Sacramento Monarchs. In 2019, she was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Her coaching career began in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) as a graduate assistant and then assistant coach at Hampton University. She then moved on to coaching roles at Rutgers, under Coach Stringer, at Grambling State, where she earned SWAC Coach of the Year honors in 2015, and later at Virginia State.
“Coach Domond brings a level of excellence that is consistent with the direction we are taking our athletic programs at Morgan,” said Dena Freeman-Patton, vice president and director for Intercollegiate Athletics. “Her success as both a coach and a player, her ability to recruit and connect within the DMV, and her commitment to building young women into champions on and off the court made her the clear choice. She’s the right leader to guide this program to new heights. We extend our thanks to Renaissance Search and Consulting and the advisory committee comprised of alumni and former captains from the women’s basketball team, for their efforts in a successful search process.”
Domond’s hire marks the fourth major coaching selection Freeman-Patton has made since arriving at Morgan in May 2022. Other coaching hires have included Bears Football head coach Damon Wilson, Wrestling Head Coach Kenny Monday and the head coach of the new Acrobatics and Tumbling program Regina Smith.
Coach Domond becomes the first new head coach of the Lady Bears in nearly a decade, succeeding Ed Davis Jr., who retired following the 2024–25 season, closing a storied 33-year career in collegiate coaching. Under Davis, Morgan captured a share of the MEAC regular-season title in 2022, though the program has yet to make its first NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament appearance.
“I’m incredibly honored to join Morgan State University as the next head coach of the Lady Bears. This opportunity comes at the perfect time—not just in my journey but in the evolution of women’s college basketball and the rise of HBCU programs across the country,” said Coach Domond. “I thank President Wilson and AD Freeman-Patton for presenting me with this opportunity. Morgan represents everything I believe in excellence, legacy, and a commitment to developing student-athletes into champions in every arena of their lives. I chose Morgan because I see the vision, the potential, and the hunger to win, and I’m ready to build something special here.”
An official introductory press conference for Coach Domond will be held on campus in the coming weeks. Details will be announced soon.
Tagged with: MEAC
