Jarita Crump was named interim head women’s basketball coach on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015. She replaces former Head Coach Rachel Bullard, who resigned last month to spend more time with family.
“We are really pleased that Coach Crump has accepted the interim head coaching position,” SAU Athletic Director George Williams said. “We wish Coach Bullard well in her future endeavors.”
Crump, a native of Raleigh, N.C., has been the SAU assistant coach since 2012 and was also on the Lady Falcons’ basketball staff during the 2010-2011 season. She is excited about her first head coaching position.
“I want to thank my athletic director, Coach George Williams, and President Everett B. Ward for giving me this opportunity,” Crump said. “I look forward to guiding the Lady Falcons even higher this year.”
The Lady Falcons won four of their five consecutive CIAA Highest Grade Point Average Awards in women’s basketball with Crump on staff. During the 2010-2011 season, the Lady Falcons earned a 19-11 overall mark and reached the CIAA Tournament semifinals with Crump as assistant coach.
Before starting her college coaching career, Crump was the head varsity girls basketball coach at Word of God Christian Academy from 2008 to 2010. During her tenure at Word of God, the girls basketball team won its first state title in 12 years in 2010, and finished as state runner-up in 2009. Word of God, a private school located in Raleigh, N.C., never lost a conference game under Crump, who was a two-time conference coach of the year winner. Crump was the assistant girls basketball coach at Word of God from 2006 to 2008.
During her collegiate playing days, Crump was a basketball and academic standout at Campbell University from 1998 to 2002. She helped the Lady Camels win the Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC) championship in 2000 and the Atlantic Sun regular-season title in 2001. The Lady Camels advanced to the first round of the NCAA Tournament after winning the TAAC title.
At Campbell, Crump was named to the All-Conference Academic Team three consecutive years and was a recipient of the Don Phelps Memorial Most Improved Player Award in 2001. In 2003, Crump graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in trust management with a minor in financial planning. She also earned an MBA at Campbell that year.
As a prep player, Crump won all-conference honors in basketball and track & field at Sanderson High School in Raleigh, N.C. She led Sanderson to a conference basketball championship in 1997 and won the Most Outstanding Female Athlete Award at the school. She also was named Raleigh Sports Club Student-Athlete of the Week and was selected to The News & Observer Old Reliable Team in basketball during her high school career.
— Office of Sports Information
