Eatman tabbed to lead SC State Women’s Basketball Program

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Veteran coach and recruiter Timothy Eatman has been named the new South Carolina State head women's basketball coach by Bulldogs Athletics Director Stacy L. Danley. "After an extensive, comprehensive, and efficient national search, during which we had the privilege of speaking with an impressive group of coaching candidates, it became clear to the search committee that Coach Eatman was exactly what we needed in the next leader of our women's basketball program," Danley said. "He has a distinguished pedigree, having spent the last seven years under Hall of Fame Coach C. Vivian Stringer at Rutgers. "A proven recruiter, strong evaluator and an innovative teacher of the game, Coach Eatman has played an integral role in signing several top 10 national recruiting classes," Danley said. SC State introduced Eatman as the new Bulldogs head coach Tuesday at a news conference on campus. He thanked Danley and SC State President Alexander Conyers for the opportunity. "I am so humbled to take on this role at this institution," Eatman said. "I am honored to be returning to my roots at a HBCU. My father was a graduate from Stillman College. My mother graduated from Alabama State University, and I am a proud graduate of Talladega College where I began my coaching career. "I am thrilled to be joining the staff at South Carolina State University. I am excited to build on the past women's basketball success to create the future," he said. "As I take on this role I would encourage Bulldog nation to dream so big that you are afraid to say it out loud, because I am." During the 2018-19 season, Eatman stepped into the role of acting head coach for the final six games of the year, helping the Scarlet Knights to their highest ever Big 10 finish (third), as well as its first-ever Big 10 Tournament semifinal appearance. Under his guidance, Rutgers returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2019. In 2019-20, Eatman was promoted to the role of associate head coach, as Rutgers capped off their fifth 20-plus-win season during his tenure. Eatman has prior head coaching experience at the University of Illinois at Chicago and his alma mater, Talladega College. Prior to arriving "On The Banks" at Rutgers, he served as the recruiting coordinator at Rhode Island. He was reunited with Stringer at Rutgers, having served with the Hall of Fame coach during her final season at Iowa in 1994-95, putting together the nation's top ranked recruiting class. Over the course of his career, Eatman has played a major role in bringing in 11 top 30 recruiting classes. He was recognized by Lindy's Magazine as the nation's top recruiter while he was at Iowa in 1994. Additionally, six of his former players have gone on to play at the next level in the WNBA, and 13 have joined the coaching ranks. Following his collegiate playing days, Eatman began his coaching career as the head women's coach at Talladega College, instantly turning around his alma mater's program. After posting an 0-26 record prior to his appointment, the Tornadoes improved to a 20-9 ledger in 1989-90 under Eatman's guidance. Eatman made the move to the Division I level as an assistant coach at Mississippi State from 1990-92 and University of Houston from 1992-93. With the Cougars, he put together the No. 4 rated recruiting class in the country. Joining Stringer at Iowa for the 1994-95 campaign, Eatman helped construct the top-ranked recruiting class that featured the nation's top point guard, Nadine Domond, 1995 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Tiffany Gooden, and 1998 Big Ten Player of the Year Tangela Smith. Eatman had two stints at Kansas, serving as an assistant from 1996-98 and again from 2002-04. He helped the Jayhawks win the Big 12 title in 1997 and reach the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1998. He was the position coach for Kodak All-American and first-round WNBA pick Tamecka Dixon during the 1996-97 season. In between his two turns as a member of the Jayhawks' staff, Eatman was at the helm of the Illinois-Chicago program. During his four seasons with the Flames, he brought in two top 20 recruiting classes and recorded the program's highest win total in seven seasons. Eatman's career continued at Louisville from 2004-07, where he helped the Cardinals reach three-straight NCAA Tournaments and was involved in the recruitment of eventual BIG EAST Player of the Year Angel McCoughtry. He also spent four seasons as the associate head coach at Arkansas from 2007-2011. While with the Razorbacks, Eatman was the team's defensive coordinator as they set the school record for fewest points allowed in an SEC contest -- 42 against Mississippi State. Making the move to the Northeast, Eatman spent one season at Boston College and was elevated to interim head coach for the end of the 2011-12 season. He then joined head coach Daynia La-Force's staff at Northeastern in 2013 and followed her when she took over the top position at Rhode Island in 2014. On Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., SC State will announce the new men's head basketball coach in a news conference on campus. Both the men's and women's basketball candidate searches at SC State were assisted by CarrSports Executive Search and Consulting.