Behind coach Tierra Terry’s VUU basketball clipboard
RICHMOND, Va. — HBCU athletics are often overlooked due to the exposure to showcase talent on national platforms such as ESPN or CBS Sports. Most historical black colleges or universities in the 1960’s were the primary institutions of choice for African Americans.
Virginia Union University (VUU) is a historical black college which represents excellence, academics and accountability.
At VUU, the women’s basketball program is known to redefine their spirit by taking pride in winning. Since the establishment of the university in 1865, progress has followed in the women’s athletic department.
One African American woman is walking in her purpose to help lead a new roster after building a coaching record through basketball. In June, Tierra Terry became the ninth head coach to take over the women’s basketball program at VUU.
The Lady Panthers went 23-4 overall with a 12-0 home record for the 2019-20 season.
With the season set to return Nov. 12 against Shippensburg University, Terry, like many other African American women coaches, has a desire to capture a championship in Division II.
According to Vuu.edu, Terry was an assistant coach for the women’s basketball program at The College of William and Mary before her current role as a head coach. With an impressive track record that dates back to her assistant coaching days at Winston-Salem State University, her HBCU roots are grounded in bringing the best out of athletes. If she didn’t work with guards and forwards to help hone their fundamentals, she implemented the importance of ball movement.
In the 2014-15 season, Terry helped lead the Rams to the second round of the CIAA Tournament while specializing in player development. A 41-winning team chance to go far resulted in a learned lesson Terry utilized moving forward. Before teaching the game of basketball, Terry was a member of the women’s basketball team for the Rams leading up to her final season in 2008. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and went on to earn her master’s in psychology at University of West Florida in 2011.
According to aaregistry.org, Bernadette Locke became the first African American woman to coach in Division I NCAA basketball. Locke and many others paved the way for Terry, who’s proven women can have their fair share in male-dominant spaces.
Education is important, and with a spirit of servitude, Terry was credited as a community member working with the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, women’s basketball mentor program and other various outlets to enact change.
This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.
