Nikita Lowry Dawkins - Women's Basketball Coach

Nikita Lowry Dawkins

Title:
Associate Head Coach

Associate Head Coach Nikita Lowry Dawkins has had an immense impact on the Lady Raider program during her first two years in Lubbock. Dawkins has been instrumental in the program’s rapid turnaround, helping guide the Lady Raiders to the most wins for the program in nearly a decade during the 2019-20 season. She was also key to the development of All-American post and WNBA draft pick Brittany Brewer, who led all Power Five players in blocks during the 2019-20 campaign. Since Dawkins arrived on campus, the Lady Raiders have racked up four All-Big 12 selections, the program’s first All-American and WNBA draft pick in 14 years, the team’s first road win over Iowa State in 18 years, the first sweep of Oklahoma in 15 years and the most successful Lady Raider season in recent memory.

A 26-year coaching veteran and four-time gold medalist with USA Basketball, Dawkins joins the Lady Raider staff after four years at Minnesota under Stollings.

Under her watch, Minnesota had two of the best posts in school history. Amanda Zahui B. was named a first-team All-American by WBCA, the Associated Press, U.S. Basketball Writers Association and ESPNW. She was the Big Ten Player of the Year after the 2014-15 season and was a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten First Team.

Shae Kelley also earned a spot on the media's All-Big Ten First Team and the coaches' All-Big Ten Second Team.

Both Zahui B., the No. 2 overall pick by the Tulsa Shock, and Kelley (third round pick of the Minnesota Lynx) were selected in the 2015 WNBA Draft.

In 2015-16, Dawkins' tutelage helped the Gophers break a 34-year-old program record as they averaged 83.6 points per game to rank fourth in the nation. Minnesota's 2,676 points broke the program record set in the first year under Stollings' staff. Rachel Banham earned Big Ten Player of the Year, All-America First Team and Wooden Award Top-Five honors before being selected fourth overall in the WNBA Draft.

Prior to Minnesota, Dawkins was an assistant coach under Stollings for two seasons at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where she played a significant role in orchestrating one of the largest turnarounds in the nation in 2013-14 and helped assemble a six-player recruiting class that ranked 38th nationally and third-highest among non-BCS programs.

Prior to joining Stollings' staff at VCU, Dawkins spent seven seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Old Dominion University under legendary head coach Wendy Larry. Dawkins helped the Lady Monarchs to a 158-67 overall mark, four CAA Tournament titles and four NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2008.

Dawkins is no stranger to West Texas and the South Plains. She was hall of fame head coach Marsha Sharp's top assistant during the 2005-06 season.

Dawkins served as an assistant coach at Michigan as well as her alma mater, Ohio State.

Dawkins' teams have participated in six NCAA Tournaments and won five league championships. She has coached 15 WNBA players during her career, including Katie Smith, who is a seven-time WNBA All-Star and was named one of the top-15 players in WNBA history.

One of the most influential African-American athletes to play at Ohio State, Dawkins helped the Buckeyes to three Big Ten Championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances from 1985-89. During her playing career, she earned Kodak All-America First Team and Street & Smith All-America First Team honors, Chicago Tribune Player of the Year recognition, All-Big Ten First Team accolades and was named the Scarlet and Gray Player of the Year. She is a member of the Big Ten 1980 All-Decade Second Team, the Ohio State All-Century Team and was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000.

Dawkins went on to win four gold medals, three as a player and one as a coach, with USA Basketball. In 2002, she was an assistant with the U.S. 20-and-Under squad that won the gold medal at the COPABA Young Women's World Championships in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil. During her collegiate days, Dawkins was a member of two USA Select Teams (1988 & 1990), the World University Team (1989) and the Junior National Team (1987).

Dawkins graduated from Ohio State in 1989 with a degree in economics. Following graduation, she spent one year abroad playing professionally for the Italmeco Bari Club in Bari, Italy.