Clayton State University Women's Basketball

Coleman has been a fixture in Laker women's basketball for the past 13 years, as both a player and a coach, and has been a part of the most successful period in the program's history.   CLAYTON STATE HEAD COACH (2014-PRESENT) In her second season at the helm, Coleman returned the Lakers to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 11 th time in 12 years with an overall record of 22-7 and an impressive 15-4 mark in the highly competitive Peach Belt Conference. It was also the 11 th season with at least 20 wins for the program.   During the 2015-16 season, Clayton State was either ranked or received votes in the D2SIDA and Coaches Poll a total of 18 times. That included high water marks of No. 12 in D2SIDA and No. 19 in as they won 13 straight games from November 28 through January 24. The Lakers also knocked off No. 15 Francis Marion (D2SIDA) by a score of 73-61 on December 19, 2015.   Additionally, the program earned a record-tying three All-Peach Belt Conference selections, including Second-Team choice DaQuenna Moore. Andrea Benford and Kenisha Jones-Barrett were both named to the Third-Team, with Benford becoming the first Laker to earn two All-Conference selections in non-consecutive years.   Taking over for the legendary Dennis Cox in late July of 2014, Coleman inherited a roster with only eight returning players. She led that team to a 17-12 overall record, nearly knocked off some of the nation's best programs and earned the No. 3 seed out of the Peach Belt Conference's highly competitive West Division.   She accomplished that while battling through a number of injuries to key players all season long, sometimes to the point she had only eight available on gameday, and developing a rapport with a largely new roster, as well as her coaching staff, in an extremely short amount of time. Her vast experience within the program helped her to overcome that adversity and achieve great things.   We are proud to have Kaleena become the seventh head coach in the history of Laker women's basketball, said Director of Athletics Tim Duncan at the time of her fulltime appointment. Under her leadership, we fully expect to be back at the top of the Peach Belt Conference standings and in the national spotlight in the near future.   Coleman is currently the only former womens basketball player to lead her alma mater as head coach of the program.   COLLEGIATE PLAYING CAREER: DARTON (2001-03) AND CLAYTON STATE (2004-05) After two years at Darton College, where she was named the teams Most Improved Player, she came to Clayton State and was a two-year member of the women's basketball team from 2003-05.   During that time, she played in 56 games, and was part of the 2004-05 team that went a program record 25-7. That squad also earned the Lakers their first ever NCAA Division II Tournament berth, the first Peach Belt Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships and delivered the second biggest turnaround in DII, improving from just 10-18 the year before.   CLAYTON STATE ASSISTANT COACH (2005-14) Following her playing career, Coleman joined the staff of head coach Dennis Cox in 2005-06, becoming a full-time member in the 2007-08 season. She served in that role through the 2013-14 campaign before being named the interim head coach on July 29, 2014.   During her 13 total years in Morrow, Georgia, she has helped guide the Lakers to 10 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2004-14) and 11 overall, four South Atlantic/Southeast Region titles with matching trips to the Elite 8 (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013) and the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship. That stretch has also included 17 NCAA Tournament victories, seven PBC regular season titles (2005, 2007, 2008, 2011-14) and three tournament championships (2005, 2007, 2010).   EDUCATION A graduate of Clayton State University, Coleman holds a Bachelors in Education earned in 2006.  

Kaleena Coleman was named the seventh head coach of the Clayton State women’s basketball team in March 2015 after serving as interim head coach for the 2014-15 season. She has been a fixture in the women’s basketball program both as a player and a coach since 2003.   Career Highlights - 191 wins (Third Place Among Active Coaches in the Conference) - 133 wins in the PBC (Second Place Among Active Coaches in the Conference) - Four 20-win seasons - Two PBC Defensive Player of the Year - 17 All-Conference Players - Two D2CCA All-Region Selections  - Nine PBC Players of the Week - Five NCAA Tournament Appearances (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2023)   Since taking over for Clayton State Hall of Famer Dennis Cox in July of 2014, Coleman has compiled a 180-129 record that includes four 20-win seasons and five NCAA Division II Tournament appearances. She has coached 17 All-Conference selections, two All-Region players and two PBC Defensive Players of the Year.   The 2025-26 season for Coach Coleman and the Lakers saw leadership step up in different ways.  The Lakers finished with an overall record of 11-17 and went 8-12 finishing sixth in the Peach Belt Conference.  This season saw the addition of Middle Georgia State and the leaders of the pack being USC Beaufort, Augusta, Columbus State, and North Georgia.  During the season, the Lakers played eventual host the SE Regional Lincoln Memorial and a tough Carson-Newman side that made the NCAA Tournament.  The Lakers also swept eventual PBC tournament runner-up Georgia College and split with Augusta who took the Tournament crown.  The Lakers were led by third-team All-PBC selection Jasmyn Burts who was in the top-15 nationally in steals with 92 and Tianna Dismuke who finished in the top-10 nationally with 108 offensive rebounds.  Coach Coleman grabbed her 190th career win against Augusta on February 18th at the Loch.  The Lakers also saw the emergence of Nya Young, Armani Shaw, Etaria Gibbons, Kyla Greene, and Dazjanae Greene as the season went along and also saw newcomers like Tianna Dismuke and Skye Cleveland also shine this season.   The 2024-25 season for Coach Coleman and the Lakers saw a lot of young faces and a lot of potential.  The team went 10-19 and 7-11 in conference play.  This season also saw the conference grow in competition with the resurgence of North Georgia, Columbus State, and Augusta to just new a few.  The Lakers picked up a couple of high profile results including defeating Augusta and NCAA Elite Eight team Georgia Southwestern at home and sweeping Lander for the first time since 2013-14.  The Lakers also played an exhibition against Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks, who were coming off another Final Four season.  Leading the Lakers this season was third-team all-conference selection Jadah Waite, who wrote her name into the record books.  Waite became just the ninth Laker to score 1,000 career points when she did it on January 18th against Flagler.  She finished her five-year career with the fifth most points in program history (1,159) and the third most threes made (144) and field goals attempted (1,043) (Only one of five to attempt over 1,000 career field goals and first since Tanisha Woodard who played from 2008-12).  The Lakers also saw Jasmyn Burts, Jada Alston, and Sariya Henry have good years while newcomers Ky'leo Worriels, Kyla Greene, and Nya Young made immediate impacts.   The 2023-24 season for Coach Coleman and the Lakers saw them finish with a 9-19 record and went 7-11 in the conference.  The Lakers finished in sixth place in the conference.  This season saw the Lakers go 2-7 in the non-conference season and then went 7-11 in league play.  Under the direction of Coach Coleman, Jadah Waite earned her first all-conference distinction, gathering third-team honors.  The team also saw Aaliyah Reid break the school record for the most offensive rebounds in a single game with 12 vs. North Georgia (3/2/2024).  The season also saw the Lakers take down USC Beaufort twice, and Columbus State and Lander down once.  Columbus State eventually took second in the Conference Tournament while Lander finished fourth in the conference.   In the 2022-23 season, Coach Coleman earned her 150th career win on January 19th, 2023, when the Lakers beat the USC Aiken Pacers on a Jessica Maye buzzer-beater, 64-63, in overtime. In the 2022-23 season, the Lakers started the season 7-6 in non-conference play.  Clayton State then went 4-4 at the start of Peach Belt Conference (PBC) play.  The Lakers then went on a hot streak won 10 of their next 12 games and landed in the second-seed in the PBC Tournament.  The Lakers then fell in the PBC Semifinals but they advanced to the NCAA Tournament.  The Tournament started off with a victory over Lenoir-Rhyne, 65-48. That was the first NCAA Tournament victory for Coach Coleman and the first for the Lakers since 2013  Then, the Lakers ran into the No.1 seeded Catawba Indians, who eventually advanced to the Final Four. Also this season, Coleman earned her 150th career win on January 19th, 2023, when the Lakers beat the USC Aiken Pacers on a Jessica Maye buzzer-beater, 64-63, in overtime.   Coach Coleman guided First-Team All-PBC and Defensive Player of the Year selection Audrey McElhaney to one of the best seasons by a Laker.  McElhaney led the Lakers, the PBC, and was sixth in the nation with 125 offensive rebounds.  As a team, the Lakers were fourth in the nation with 5.3 blocks a game and was third with 164 total blocks.  Coleman also developed and mentored second-team All-PBC selection Laylah Davis, who led the team in three pointers and free throw percentage.  During the season, the Lakers upset the eventual Regular Season and Tournament Champion Georgia Southwestern twice and took down North Georgia for the second time since the 2019-20 season.  The Lakers swept the season series with Georgia Southwestern, Columbus State (three games), Flagler, and Augusta.    The 2021-22 campaign was one of Coleman's most challenging seasons. The Lakers battled injuries and COVID throughout the first half of the season and reached full strength in late January. After dropping the first five conference games of the season, Clayton State took forfeit wins against Georgia College and No. 7 Lander. They followed that with a last-second win at home against Flagler before dropping the next two games on the road.  The Lakers closed the season with a 5-3 record, including an upset win at No. 11 UNG and were the sixth seed entering the PBC Tournament. The Lakers then knocked off GSW in the quarters before upsetting No. 6 Lander in the semis. The Lakers battled No. 9 UNG in the championship game but came up just short of the title. The PBC title game appearance was the first for Coleman since taking over the program.  Audrey McElhaney and Timi'a Swanson earned second-team All-Conference honors.  Prior to the 2020-21 season beginning, the Peach Belt Conference announced that the season was to begin in January of 2021 and feature a 16-game, conference only slate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lakers managed to play 14 of the scheduled games and advanced to the conference tournament only to fall to No. 6 North Georgia to conclude the season at 10-5. Following the season, Clayton State landed two student-athletes on the All-Conference list with Audrey McElhaney grabbing first-team honors while Timi’a Swanson was named second team.   The pandemic originally affected the Lakers at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season as the NCAA Division II Tournament was canceled on March 12. Clayton State had earned a berth in the tournament as the No. 6 seed and was scheduled to play the second seed and 15th ranked North Georgia in the opening round. The Lakers finished that season with a 20-10 record and a 15-5 conference record. Taneria Wilson was named an All-Region selection after taking home PBC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Conference honors earlier in the season. She also was named PBC Player of the Week three times that season. That season also saw the team take down two nationally ranked teams.   For the 2018-19 season, Clayton State put together a 21-10 season as the Lakers went 16-6 in conference play. The team met Wingate, who they beat earlier in the season, in the NCAA Tournament, but fell in the first round. The 2016-17 season marks the best season for Coleman in terms of wins and winning percentage. The Lakers went 24-7 including a 15-4 mark in the PBC that featured a trip to the NCAA Tournament. That season also featured three wins over ranked opponents. Clayton State put together a 22-7 record during the 2015-16 season and qualified for the NCAA Tournament after posting a 15-4 mark in league play. That season Clayton State was either ranked or received votes in the D2SIDA and USA Today Sports Coaches Poll a total of 18 times, including high water marks of No. 12 in D2SIDA and No. 19 in USA Today. Fueling those performances would be a 13-game win streak from November 28 through January 24 that included a 73-61 win over No. 15 Francis Marion (D2SIDA) on December 19, 2015. In that first year of 2014-15 she inherited a roster with only eight returning players and battled injuries to key players to lead that team to a 17-12 overall record while challenging some of the nation's best programs. Prior to taking over as head coach, Coleman was a long-time assistant on Dennis Cox’s staff.   During her more than a decade in Morrow as a player and assistant, she helped guide the Lakers to 10 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2004-14) and 11 overall, four South Atlantic/Southeast Region titles with matching trips to the Elite 8 (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013) and the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship. That stretch has also included 17 NCAA Tournament victories, seven PBC regular season titles (2005, 2007, 2008, 2011-14) and three tournament championships (2005, 2007, 2010).   After two years at Darton College, where she was named the team’s Most Improved Player, Coleman came to Clayton State and was a two-year member of the women's basketball team from 2003-05. During that time, she played in 56 games, and was part of the 2004-05 team that went a then program record 25-7. That squad also earned the Lakers their first ever NCAA Division II Tournament berth, the first Peach Belt Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships and delivered the second biggest turnaround in DII, improving from just 10-18 the year before.   A graduate of Clayton State University, Coleman holds a Bachelors in Education earned in 2006. Coleman Year by Year Record Season Record Pct. Conf. Record Conf. Pct.  Post-Season Result 2025-26 11-17 .392 8-12 .400 PBC Tournament Quarterfinals 2024-25     10-19 .344     7-11 .388 PBC Tournament Quarterfinals 2023-24 9-19 .321 7-11 .388 PBC Tournanment Quarterfinals 2022-23 19-12 .613 12-6 .667 PBC Regular Season Runner-Up PBC Semifinalist NCAA Round of 32 (Second Round) 2021-22 14-13 .519 6-10 .375 PBC Finals  2020-21^ 10-5 .667 10-4 .714 PBC Semifinals 2019-20   20-10   .667   15-5   .750   PBC Semifinals NCAA First-Round (Canceled) 2018-19   21-10   .677   16-6   .727   PBC Semifinals NCAA First Round 2017-18 14-15 .483 11-11 .500 PBC Quarterfinals 2016-17   24-7   .774   15-4   .788   PBC Semifinals  NCAA First Round 2015-16   22-7   .759   15-4   .789   PBC Semifinals NCAA First Round 2014-15 17-12 .586 11-8 .578 PBC Quarterfinals Total 191-146 .567 133-92 .591 12 Seasons ^ - COVID-19 Shortened Season  ! - Regular Season Champions * - Tournament Champions   Updated 3/17/2026  

Hall returned to her alma mater in 2014 after a standout playing career and burgeoning coaching career.   CLAYTON STATE (2012-13 AND 2014-PRESENT) Since joining the Lakers staff as an assistant, Hall has been directly responsible for recruiting, handling travel arrangements and tape exchange in addition to on-court responsibilities during practice and games.   Following a 17-12 season in 2014-15, she helped guide Clayton State to a 22-7 campaign in 2015-16 that saw the team return to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 11 th time in 12 years. It also featured a 13-game winning streak and national rankings or votes 18 times in either the D2SIDA or Coaches Poll. The team topped out at No. 12 in D2SIDA and No. 19 in .   Hall began her coaching career as a student-assistant in 2012-13 with Clayton State and made a smooth transition into the field after serving as a three-year team captain and one of the best players in program history during her playing career from 2007-12.   CHOWAN UNIVERSITY (2013-14) Before returning to her alma mater, Hall served as an assistant coach at Division II Chowan in 2013-14 and was an integral part of the program's turnaround that season. Following a 5-21 season the year prior, the Hawks improved to 12-16 overall during her time on the sidelines. That campaign included a pair of victories over a perennially strong Barton team, 67-59 on November 12 and 64-61 on November 23.   COLLEGIATE PLAYING CAREER: CLAYTON STATE (2007-11) On the court, Hall was one of the top all-around players in program history, which is saying something. She posted career averages of 9.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.2 steals and a .436 field goal percentage in 128 career games. She is also one of just eight career 1,000-point scorers in the 25-year history of the program.   Hall currently ranks in the Top-10 in team history in 14 categories, including games played, games started (88), points scored (1,146), field goals (393), three pointers  (162), three point percentage (.382), free throws (198), free throw percentage (.747), assists (344), steals (286), steals per game (2.2) and blocked shots (62).   Perhaps most impressively, she surpassed 1,000 career points and became the Laker's all-time leader in three-pointers during her senior season of 2011-12. That same year she earned All-Peach Belt Conference Second-Team honors while scoring 328 points with averages of 10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals.   She wrapped her career as a player having been a part of an unbelievable 114-19 overall record from 2008-12, a stretch that included four trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament, two Elite 8 appearances and the 2010-11 National Championship.   EDUCATION Hall graduated from Clayton State University in 2012 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Human Services.  

A starter on the women’s basketball 2010-11 NCAA Division II National Championship team, Brittany Hall has served as an assistant women’s basketball coach since she returned to Clayton State in 2014. During the 2021-22 season, Hall was promoted to Associate Head Women’s Basketball Coach. In addition, in the 2022-23 season, Coach Hall was elevated the Advisor of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).     Since joining the Lakers’ staff as a student-assistant in 2012-13 following her playing career, Hall has been directly responsible for recruiting, handling travel arrangements and scouting. She has helped coach a Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year, three PBC Defensive Players of the Year, a PBC Freshman of the Year and 18 All-PBC selections. She has also coached three All-Region honorees. In the 2022-23 season, the Lakers started the season 7-6 in non-conference play.  Clayton State then went 4-4 at the start of Peach Belt Conference (PBC) play.  The Lakers then went on a hot streak won 10 of their next 12 games and landed in the second-seed in the PBC Tournament.  The Lakers then fell in the PBC Semifinals but they advanced to the NCAA Tournament.  The Tournament started off with a victory over Lenoir-Rhyne, 65-48. That was the first NCAA Tournament for the Lakers since 2013  Then, the Lakers ran into the No.1 seeded Catawba Indians, who eventually advanced to the Final Four.   Coach Hall guided First-Team All-PBC and Defensive Player of the Year selection Audrey McElhaney to one of the best seasons by a Laker.  McElhaney led the Lakers, the PBC, and was sixth in the nation with 125 offensive rebounds.  As a team, the Lakers were fourth in the nation with 5.3 blocks a game and was third with 164 total blocks.  Hall also developed and mentored second-team All-PBC selection Laylah Davis, who led the team in three pointers and free throw percentage.  During the season, the Lakers upset the eventual Regular Season and Tournament Champion Georgia Southwestern twice and took down North Georgia for the second time since the 2019-20 season.  The Lakers swept the season series with Georgia Southwestern, Columbus State (three games), Flagler, and Augusta.    The 2021-22 season saw plenty of highs and lows for the Lakers that featured injuries, COVID-19 issues and upset wins. Clayton State entered the PBC Tournament as the sixth seed but opened the quarterfinals by knocking off third-seeded Ga. Southwestern before upsetting No. 6 Lander in the conference semifinals.   The Lakers would then face No. 9 UNG, who Clayton State upset weeks prior on road. North Georgia would eventually take the crown as the Lakers battled until the final buzzer. Two players were named All-Conference.   Hall has been on the sideline for 174 wins as an assistant at Clayton State and has been apart of five 20-wins seasons.   Before returning to Clayton State, Hall spent one season at Chowan University as an assistant coach for the 2013-14 season.   On the court, Hall is one of the program’s top all-around players. She posted career averages of 9.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.2 steals and .436 field goal percentage over the course of 128 games. She is also one of eight career 1,000-point scorers in the history of the program.   Hall currently ranks in the Top-10 in team history in 12 categories, including games played (128), games started (88), points scored (1,146), field goals (393), field goals attempted (901), three pointers made (162), three-pointers attempted (424),  three point percentage (.382),  free throw percentage (.747), assists (344), steals (286), and steals per game (2.2)   Perhaps most impressively, she surpassed 1,000 career points and became the Laker's all-time leader in three-pointers during her senior season of 2011-12. That same year she earned All-Peach Belt Conference Second-Team honors while scoring 328 points with averages of 10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals.   She wrapped her career as a player having been a part of an unbelievable 114-19 overall record from 2008-12, a stretch that included four trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament, two Elite Eight appearances and the 2010-11 National Championship.   Hall earned a degree in psychology from Clayton State in 2012 and a Master’s of Sport Management from Georgia Southern in 2019.