This occasional series will highlight Black coaches at all levels of sport.
This week: Virgin Islands WBB Coach Stephanie Cooper and Wilberforce WBB Coach Rachel Naughton
Second of two parts
Stephanie Cooper and Rachel Naughton completed their respective first years as head coaches at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) and Wilberforce (Ohio) University, two HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) member schools.
Both veteran coaches chatted reflectively in separate interviews with the MSR on their just-completed seasons at their schools.
UVI turnaround a challenge
The U.S. Virgin Islands comprise almost 134 square miles, primarily consisting of three islands in the Caribbean — St. John, St. Thomas and St. Croix. The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is a public Black land-grant university with two campuses on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
UVI is the only HBCU Athletic Conference school outside of the U.S. But it wasn’t the nice shady beaches that attracted Stephanie Cooper to St. Thomas, but rather the opportunity to create and sustain a perennial competitive program when she was named the school’s head women’s basketball coach last July.
The Buccaneers haven’t been successful for some time, something Cooper, a 13-year-plus coaching veteran, wants to reverse. Her previous stops include Florida Memorial University, where she was associate head coach, and the team won the 2023 Sun Conference championship. She also taught in high school and middle school for a decade, and was a player development coach for WNBA, NBA and FIBA players.
“I like a program that I can take over and lead and develop because what I like to do is develop players and bring that spark and that motivation,” stressed Cooper after her first season at UVI came to an end at the HBCUAC tournament (3-16 overall, 3-14 conference).
The four-year Black university “has a very rigorous program academically,” the coach pointed out. “They really do field the value of education.”
Now in the Caribbean, “It was a challenge…to try to change the program around,” said Cooper. “Being there, there are so many obstacles we have to overcome being at that school. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” She is determined to “let these young women know that they can do whatever they want to do.’
Changing culture difficult
Rachel Naughton’s coaching experience includes lead and assistant coaching stints in high school and AAU in Delaware, and college (St. Paul (VA) College), and most recently the head women’s basketball coach at Baltimore City (MD) Community College.
An HBCU graduate (St. Paul College), Naughton is fully aware of the challenges of coaching at a small school with limited resources, but wanting to provide a similar experience for her players as she received when she was in school is among the goals the first-year Wilberforce (OH) WBB coach.
“I know this season has been a learning experience for me as their head coach,” explained Naughton after the Lady Bulldogs concluded their 2024-25 season 11-16 overall, 6-12 conference. “There were a lot of returning players from last year, and they won one game and another one by forfeit. It is very difficult to change their culture within months.
“Because I have high expectations and I am a competitor, I wanted to do that,” continued the head coach, trying not to sound too frustrated. But Naughton quickly pointed out, “The season is over and I am exhausted.”
Among the needed resources she hoped to improve for her players is addressing their mental health needs.
“Mental health is a huge challenge for us coaches. They’re young people and away from their families and their parents, people who have given them support.
“Now they are trying to find their way to trust and navigate through their peers on campus, and a lot of things that could get them in trouble. I think mental health is a huge component that we need to really focus on. It’s not just basketball.”
Naughton is ready to get back to work in preparing for her second season at Wilberforce. “I appreciate the effort, and I know what to look for, for next year.”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.