SPORTS: TAMIU women’s basketball introduces new coach
By Vicente Mendoza
Sports Editor
Published Friday, Sept. 24, 2024
On June 17, TAMIU athletics announced the newly appointed women’s basketball coach. The new coach follows up after a successful 2023-2024 season led by the former coach.
After a lengthy process, TAMIU selected coach Jaida Williams to lead TAMIU women’s basketball program and to help propel the team forward.
Jaida Williams
women’s basketball coach
A Cal Poly Pomona product, Williams holds a long illustrious career both as a player and as a coach for women’s basketball. As a player, Williams helped lead Cal Poly Pomona her senior season to the NCAA Division II tournament, and reached all the way to the regional final. As a coach, she led numerous teams to success; most recently, she became an assistant coach to the historic 2023-2024 Ole Miss women’s basketball, which defeated Gonzaga and first-seed Stanford to make it to the Sweet Sixteen round for the first time since 2007.
With the resume Williams brings to TAMIU, she plans to be ready to help the team reach new heights in the coming season.
“We are building from the beginning,” she said. “What I hope everyone will see is that we are a defensive-minded, tough, gritty group. I really hope we can make a name for ourselves nationally on the defensive end of the ball.”
During the offseason, Williams and the team work to set up for the coming season, which begins in November.
“As a coach, I don’t try to predict games,” she said. “What I do as a coach is that we try to win as many days as possible. I focus on the process and details for each day, we try to stack up many of these great days we are having and that will put us in a position to be successful in terms of wins and losses.”
Williams expects it to be an exciting season for her and the team.
“I am excited to build this program here,” she said. “Laredo is a beautiful town and everyone here has been so helpful. So, in return, I would like to put a product on the floor that the entire city can be proud of.”
Williams replaces former coach Nate Vogel.
