Elizabeth City State women’s basketball coach Tynesha Lewis has announced she is departing from the team after three seasons to accept a position within the state.
Lewis will be the next basketball coach at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
Joining the ECSU in 2021, Lewis led the team to CIAA championship game appearances in each of her three years with the team.
In her first season there, she helped improve the team from a 12-18 record over the previous season to a 21-7 record.
The following year, in 2023, Lewis led the team to their first conference title win in school history, knocking off Shaw to punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament.
Thank you @ECSU
Momma said people ought to know you’ve been there and you better leave it better than you received it. I pray I’ve done that. #VIKINGPRIDE3X pic.twitter.com/SaJBdY9KHQ
— Tynesha Lewis (@iamtynesha) April 12, 2024
Her final season with the team ended in the CIAA championship game, falling short in a close loss to Fayetteville State.
Before embarking on a career in coaching, Lewis was a standout player at North Carolina State University, being named one of three All-ACC teams.
The star guard played in the WNBA from 2001 to 2006 with the Houston Comets, Charlotte Sting, and Minnesota Lynx, respectively.
She joined Elizabeth City State following stints as an assistant coach with her alma mater NC State, Illinois State University, and North Carolina Central.
Lewis will be taking over a UNC Asheville team that has not had a winning season since 2019-2020, having finished with an 11-20 overall record this past year.