Jackson State gives royal welcome to new basketball coach

The whirlwind offseason for Margaret Richards has finally come to a resting point, for now. Jackson State introduced Richards on Monday as the seventh head coach in women’s basketball history at JSU. The HBCU powerhouse program just lost Tomekia Reed and her championship pedigree to Charlotte last month. Richards acknowledged the shoes that she’ll be stepping into.

“I would like to thank Coach Reid and her staff for a job well done at Thee Jackson State . And for making Jackson State become one of the top mid-major programs in the country. I wish her and her staff much success in Charlotte,” Richards said.

Richards had a weeks long tenure as an assistant at Mercer before being hired by JSU. Richards stepped down from her position at Alabama A&M after the end of the 2024 SWAC Tournament. She reflected on the call she got from JSU Athletic Director Ashley Robinson and what it meant to her.

“When AD Ashley called me regarding this job and I accepted, which was a no brainer, this quote came to mind. Don’t be afraid to start over. This time you’re not starting from scratch. You’re starting from experience,” she said.

The stage on which she stood was an elaborate layout as far as press conferences go. Gigantic lit letters spelled out “JSU” and “A New Era” across the platform. The University provided a quality multi-camera live stream during the press conference.

Richards was impressed by it all.

“I love the tradition. The tradition is rich, and thee love is real. It is truly real. Since I stepped off the plane yesterday morning. It’s been nothing but love. It’s been nothing but love.”

But once the lights faded and the cameras were gone, it was back to work for Richards. Recruiting is her main priority.

“My first priority was to reach out to all the JSU players on the roster and in the portal. As we all know, recruiting is essential. I had some success with some, but not all. I have hit the ground running and started the recruiting process. I am confident that my staff and I will get the talent in to be successful.”

Success is measured in championships at Jackson State. Reed led one of the most historic runs in the sport in the SWAC with five consecutive regular season titles and three tournament titles. Margaret Richards will get her shot next.

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