A breath of fresh air: Coach Brown brings an exciting new era for NGU women’s basketball
Blythe Barrineau, Sports and Visual Arts Editor
Photo Courtesy of Lakeisha Brown
When North Greenville University women’s basketball players describe their new head coach, one phrase that comes up often is “a breath of fresh air”.
“She makes you want to be a part of something great,” said Austin Johnson, junior health science major.
This is how players talk about their new head coach Lakeisha Brown.
Brown is stepping into her first year as the head coach of the Lady Trailblazers. She comes most recently from an assistant coach position at Campbell University.
Brown first started her coaching career at Indiana State University before moving to be the assistant for NGU for two seasons. From there she moved to Campbell University for three seasons before accepting the role of head coach at NGU.
Originally from East Tennessee, Brown was first introduced to basketball through her mom who was the head coach at East Tennessee State University.
“I kind of grew up around the game, grew up loving the game, always in the gym,” said Brown.
She also played Division 1 basketball at Austin Peay State University.
If there is one word that drives the NGU women’s basketball this season it’s culture.
“Culture is our thing,” Amiyah Clark-Lamelle, sophomore sports management major said. “That’s what she talked about from day one. We’re building something that’s bigger than basketball.”
This focus has been essential during this season of transition. The trailblazers roster looks very different from last year. The team has six incoming freshmen and a handful of transfers from other universities. Many of the returners were sidelined with injuries last year, meaning that none of these players have played on the court together.
“It’s been a big adjustment,” Julia Edwards, sophomore sport management major, said. “None of us really knew each other, but Coach Brown put a huge emphasis on team bonding. We hang out outside of practice, and that’s helped us get to know each other’s personalities and play styles.”
Brown’s leadership style blends tough love and unwavering support for her team. Her players describe her as “relatable”, “a player’s coach” and “someone who will hold you accountable but also hold you up.”
“If one person stands up during a drill or isn’t going full speed, we’re doing it again,” said Edwards.
Edwards also shared some feelings she had during the pre-season.
“Coach Brown told me ‘If it takes sitting down and doing your homework with you, I’ll do that.’ That’s the kind of coach she is. She is willing to help however she can,” she said.
Even before Brown returned to campus, she made an impression on her team.
“Just by the way she talked to me on the phone I could tell that I could get along with her,” said Clark-Lamelle. “She was just personable.”
Edwards added that she also met Brown over the phone. “We talked about basketball, we talked about things outside of basketball and everything she talked about for team standards was biblical,” said Edwards.
Johnson first met Brown three years ago when she was the assistant coach. She was recruited by her during high school before Brown moved to Campbell.
“When she came back to NGU, we got to rekindle our coach and player relationship. It’s honestly like we picked up right where we left off,” said Johnson.
Brown’s main focus for the team this year is building the culture. The trailblazers are not solely focused on wins and losses this season, but how well they can perform as a team.
“We’re gonna base it off of how hard we are competing. Are we making it difficult for our opponents? We’re giving 100% effort in whatever we’re doing,” said Brown.
Individually, players are focused on learning and executing their roles.
“Whatever you do, whether you are providing on the court or off the court, you’re doing whatever you need to do to put your team in the best position to win,” said Johnson.
The Trailblazers opened their 2025-2026 season on Nov. 3 at Furman University.
