Virginia Commonwealth University

A proven winner and an established, tireless recruiter atevery level, Nikita Lowry Dawkins begins her second season as thetop assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at VCU. 

During her 22-year career as both a head coach and anassistant, Dawkins has participated in five NCAA Tournaments,including a trip to the Sweet 16, and five league championships(four Colonial Athletic Association and one Horizon League). She has also coached five WNBA players, 15 All-CAA honorees, fiveCAA All-Defensive Team selections, two All-Atlantic 10 honorees,three All-Horizon recipients, four Tournament MVPs, eightAll-Academic selections and four Dean’s List recipients,while also signing several top-rated recruiting classes, includingVCU’s 38th-ranked class of 2013.  In 2005, Dawkins wasnamed one of the best Head Coach/Assistant Coach combinations inthe country.

“It is such a privilege to have someone asdecorated as Coach Niki Dawkins on our staff,” said VCU HeadCoach Marlene Stollings.  “Her coaching accomplishmentscoupled with her playing accolades will provide our program withinvaluable insight.  Coach Nik is an experienced andrelentless recruiter with an exceptional ability to interact withstudent-athletes.  She will have an immediate impact on ourability to attract top talent.”

As a player at The Ohio State University, Dawkinsgarnered All-Big Ten First Team honors, Chicago Tribune Player ofthe Year accolades and Scarlet & Gray Player of the Yearstatus.  She is also a member the Big Ten All-Decade SecondTeam, the Ohio State University All-Century squad, and theschool’s Athletic Hall of Fame. From 1985-89, Dawkins helpedthe Buckeyes to three Big Ten Championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances (two Sweet 16’s and two EliteEight’s), while receiving First Team All-America honors fromboth Kodak and Street & Smith.  She is also the recipientof four gold medals (three as a player; one as a coach), a silvermedal, and was named one of the most influential African Americanathletes to ever play at Ohio State.

“It gives me great pleasure to work with one ofthe brightest young minds in the game today,” addedDawkins.  “Coach Stollings has proven at Winthrop thatshe is extremely talented, but more importantly a winner.  Shehas just scratched the surface on the impact she will make onwomen’s basketball in the future.  I am extremelyexcited about being a part of her staff and a tremendous universityin VCU.”

Prior to joining the Rams, Dawkins spent sevenseasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at OldDominion University under legendary head coach Wendy Larry. Combined, Dawkins helped the Lady Monarchs to a 158-67 overallmark, four CAA Tournament titles, which was part of anunprecedented 17 overall league championships, and four NCAATournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2008.Old Dominion remained the dominating force in the CAA during hertenure as Dawkins helped the Lady Monarchs post an astounding105-21 record in league play during her tenure.

Dawkins has extensive coaching and playingexperience, including head coaching stints at New Mexico State andDetroit Mercy, as well as assistant coaching positions at TexasTech, New Mexico State, Ohio State, and Michigan.

Internationally, Dawkins has been active with USABasketball both as a coach and a player. In 2002, she was anassistant with the U.S. 20-and-Under squad that won the gold medalat the COPABA Young Women’s World Championships in RibeiraoPreto, Brazil. During her collegiate days, Dawkins was a member oftwo USA Select Teams (1988 & 1990), the World University Team(1989), and the Junior National Team (1987).

Dawkins and her husband, Tony, a men’s college,NBDL and WNBA official, gave birth to twin girl and boy babies,Amani and Isiah, on Sept. 14, 2011.