COLUMBIA, S.C. (courtesy allenuniversity.edu) — Allen University director of athletics Dr. Jerome Fitch has announced Toccara Tatum as the new head women’s basketball coach.
Tatum, a native of North, South Carolina, is bringing her talents home to South Carolina to lead the Lady Yellow Jackets Women’s Basketball program. She comes to Allen University Athletics after three years at Piedmont International University (Winston-Salem, N.C.), where she served as the head women’s basketball coach. She has 19 years of experience with girls’ basketball spanning across the Carolinas.
“Ms. Tatum has a strong history with women’s basketball on and off of the court,” commented Dr. Ernest McNealey, Allen University president. “Her dedication to student-athletes and her track record of paving new pathways for women athletes will serve our women’s basketball program well as we take on NCAA Division II.”
Tatum earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing from Ferrum College (Ferrum, VA). She holds a master’s degree in sport management with a concentration in athletic administration from Southern New Hampshire University.
“I want to thank Dr. Ernest McNealey, Dr. Jerome Fitch, and the Athletic Committee for the opportunity to lead the Lady Yellow Jackets and be a part of the AU family as we transition into the NCAA Division II,” stated Tatum.
In her collegiate career, Tatum was awarded WBCA Division III All American, 2005 NCAA Division III National Assist Leader, USA South Player of the Year, and VaSID All-State Women’s Basketball First Team. In 2014, Tatum was named to the USA South 50th Anniversary Women’s Basketball Team. Her talents took her on to semi-pro basketball, where she played for the San Jose Spiders in the Women’s National Basketball League before the league’s dismantling.
Allen University currently sponsors 11 intercollegiate programs and was selected as the newest provisional member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II effective for the 2020-2021 academic year in July 2020.