Norfolk State University Women's Basketball

Jermaine Woods enters his second season as the Norfolk State women’s basketball head coach in 2026-27 after being named the program’s seventh head coach on April 7, 2025. A Norfolk native and NSU alum, Woods brings more than 14 years of collegiate coaching experience, including key roles at multiple Power Four programs. He has built a strong reputation for player development, recruiting, and elevating programs.   In his first season at the helm, Woods guided the Spartans to an 18-15 record, a fifth consecutive appearance in the MEAC Championship game, and the program’s second-ever berth in the WNIT. Under his leadership, Norfolk State produced MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Jasha Clinton, All-MEAC First Team selection Da’Brya Clark, and All-MEAC Second Team honorees Clinton and Anjanae Richardson.   Woods quickly established a defensive identity, leading Norfolk State to rank among the nation’s best in several categories, including second in field goal percentage defense (33.8), third in 3-point field goal percentage defense (25.5), 10th in steals per game (12.4), 21st in blocks per game (5.0), and 23rd in turnovers forced per game (20.8). Prior to Norfolk State, Woods spent three seasons as head coach at Coppin State, where he orchestrated a turnaround that resulted in the program’s winningest season in over a decade and a WNIT appearance. The Eagles also secured a postseason victory over Colgate, marking just the second postseason win in program history.   During his tenure at Coppin State, Woods coached four All-MEAC First Team selections, one All-MEAC Second Team honoree, two MEAC Defensive Players of the Year, and a Sixth Player of the Year. Woods previously served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Wake Forest, Old Dominion, and Virginia Tech. At Wake Forest, he helped lead the Demon Deacons to back-to-back ACC Tournament wins over North Carolina and Virginia Tech, while securing the program’s first winning season in five years during the 2016-17 campaign. At Old Dominion, he helped assemble a top-100 ESPN recruit as part of a highly regarded 2016 class that ranked among the top 45 nationally and was the highest-rated in both Virginia and Conference USA.   Woods began his collegiate coaching career at Virginia Tech, where he contributed to a recruiting class ranked No. 19 nationally by ESPNW, marking the highest in program history at the time.   As a player, Woods began his career at Belmont Abbey before transferring to Christopher Newport, where he earned D3hoops.com All-America honors and was a two-time All-South Region selection. He was also named South Region Newcomer of the Year and set the program’s 3-point shooting record in consecutive seasons.   Following graduation from Norfolk State in 2011, Woods gained additional experience coaching at the high school and AAU levels. He resides in Norfolk with his wife, Natasha, and their two children, Jeremiah and Kerrington.   Jermaine Woods Coaching Record Year University Record Pct. Conference Record Pct. Finish Postseason 2022-23 Coppin State 8-22 .267 MEAC 5-9 .357 T-5th MEAC Quarterfinals 2023-24 Coppin State 12-18 .400 MEAC 8-6 .571 T-4th MEAC Semifinals 2024-25 Coppin State 19-15 .559 MEAC 8-6 .571 T-3rd MEAC Semifinals/ WINT Second Round  2025-26 Norfolk State  18-15 .545 MEAC 11-3 .786 T-2nd MEAC Championship/ WNIT First Round Total CSU/NSU 57-70 .440 MEAC 32-24 .571  

Lindsey Payton enters her second season as an assistant coach at Norfolk State for the 2026-27 season.   In her first season, Payton helped guide the Spartans to an 18-15 record, a fifth consecutive appearance in the MEAC Championship game, and the program’s second-ever berth in the WNIT. She also played a key role in developing MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Jasha Clinton, All-MEAC First Team selection Da’Brya Clark, and All-MEAC Second Team honorees Clinton and Anjanae Richardson.   Payton helped establish Norfolk State as one of the nation’s top defensive teams, ranking second in field goal percentage defense (33.8), third in 3-point field goal percentage defense (25.5), 10th in steals per game (12.4), 21st in blocks per game (5.0), and 23rd in turnovers forced per game (20.8).   Prior to Norfolk State, Payton spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Coppin State, where the Eagles posted a 19-15 record and earned a WNIT appearance, defeating Colgate in the first round for the program’s second postseason win.   Before Coppin State, Payton served one season as an assistant coach at Augusta University, helping the Jaguars to a 17-12 record and two All-Peach Belt Conference selections.   She also spent one season at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where the Urban Knights went 18-11 and reached the NCAA Tournament.   Payton coached two seasons at Siena Heights University, leading the Saints to a combined 50-14 record. In her second season, Siena Heights won 27 games, earned an NAIA Tournament berth, and produced two All-Americans.   She began her coaching career in 2016 as a student assistant at Arizona Christian, where the Firestorm earned a spot in the NAIA Top 25.

Plummer enters his second season as an assistant coach at Norfolk State for the 2026-27 campaign. In his first season, Plummer helped guide the Spartans to an 18-15 record, a fifth consecutive appearance in the MEAC Championship game, and the program’s second-ever berth in the WNIT. He also played a key role in developing MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Jasha Clinton, All-MEAC First Team selection Da’Brya Clark, and All-MEAC Second Team honorees Clinton and Anjanae Richardson.   Plummer helped establish Norfolk State as one of the nation’s top defensive teams, ranking second in field goal percentage defense (33.8), third in 3-point field goal percentage defense (25.5), 10th in steals per game (12.4), 21st in blocks per game (5.0), and 23rd in turnovers forced per game (20.8).   He joined Norfolk State after spending one season at Elizabeth City State, where he served as the head assistant men’s basketball coach.   Prior to his collegiate coaching career, Plummer spent eight seasons as the head boys’ basketball coach at Maury High School in Norfolk, earning multiple honors, including VHSL Class 5 State Coach of the Year (2019), VHSL Coach of the Year (2019), Regional Coach of the Year (2019, 2021), District Coach of the Year (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), and Eastern District Coach of the Year (2018, 2019, 2021).   He led Maury to the VHSL Class 5 State Championship in 2019 with a 26-3 record, while also guiding the program to a state runner-up finish in 2021-22 and semifinal appearances in 2022-23 and 2023-24.   Before his time at Maury, Plummer served at Booker T. Washington High School as the head JV boys’ basketball coach and varsity assistant.

Hamilton is in his second season as an assistant coach with the NSU womens basketball program. Hamiltons main duties include working with the Spartans post players in addition to coordinating recruiting, community service initiatives, as well as coordinating team managers and practice players. In his first season with the Spartans, Hamilton coached two of the MEACs top 10 rebounders in conference leader Siobhan Beslow and Kayla Roberts, who was 10th. Beslow also ranked first in the MEAC in offensive rebounds, second in field-goal percentage and sixth in blocked shots. Roberts finished fifth in the league in defensive rebounds and eighth in blocks. Hamilton, was instrumental in the signing of NSU head coach Larry Vickers first recruiting class. Prior to Norfolk State, Hamilton, was the recruiting coordinator and assistant coach in charge of post players at Delaware State, has six years of experience coaching at Division I HBCUs. He has also served stints at Grambling State University of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and North Carolina A&T of the MEAC. In 2014-15, Hamilton helped mentor a pair of double-digit scorers at DSU. Post player Tierra Hawkins earned All-MEAC first-team honors while ranking sixth in the MEAC in scoring (16.1 points per game), while frontcourt teammate Amber Bogard averaged 13.4 points per game. Thanks in part to the efforts of those two players, DSU led the MEAC in field goal percentage. A former high school and AAU coach, Hamilton broke into the collegiate ranks on Patricia Cage-Bibbs' staff at North Carolina A&T in 2010. Hamilton spent two seasons on the Lady Aggies' bench, helping them compiled a 19-13 MEAC record. He served as recruiting coordinator and worked primarily with N.C. A&T's post players. While in Greensboro, Hamilton helped recruit several standout players, including Eboni Ross, who went onto win the MEAC Rookie of the Year Award in 2012-13. Ross was one of two future MEAC All-Rookie Team players recruited by Hamilton to North Carolina A&T. Following the 2011-12 season, Hamilton moved along with Cage-Bibbs to Grambling State. After again serving as her recruiting coordinator and assistant in charge of post players in 2012-13, Hamilton was interim head coach for GSU in 2013-14 with Cage-Bibbs sidelined for health reasons. Grambling improved from ninth place in the SWAC standings in 2012-13 to seventh the following season, including a first-round SWAC Tournament victory. Also while at Grambling, Hamilton helped the Lady Tigers sign a pair of Parade All-American high school performers, Dennisha Chambers and Ahlisha Henderson. Before entering the college ranks, Hamilton coached at the high school level and with multiple AAU and youth league organizations. Hamilton, a native of Greenville, S.C., was a three-sport athlete in high school. He began his collegiate career as a football student-athlete at Charleston Southern before transferring to Fayetteville State University to finish his collegiate career. Hamilton earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Fayetteville State in 1995.  

Mossi Staples enters her second year at Norfolk State as Director of Operations and Assistant Coach in 2025-27.   In her first season, Staples helped guide the Spartans to an 18-15 record, a fifth consecutive appearance in the MEAC Championship game, and the program’s second-ever berth in the WNIT. She also played a key role in developing MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Jasha Clinton, All-MEAC First Team selection Da’Brya Clark, and All-MEAC Second Team honorees Clinton and Anjanae Richardson.   Staples helped establish Norfolk State as one of the nation’s top defensive teams, ranking second in field goal percentage defense (33.8), third in 3-point field goal percentage defense (25.5), 10th in steals per game (12.4), 21st in blocks per game (5.0), and 23rd in turnovers forced per game (20.8). Staples joined Norfolk State after spending one season as a graduate assistant under Coach Woods at Coppin State, where she helped the Eagles to a 19-15 record and the program’s second postseason victory with a WNIT first-round win over Colgate.   Prior to her coaching career, Staples played three seasons at Coppin State. As a junior, she averaged 13.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, earning All-MEAC Second Team honors. She finished second in the MEAC in free throws made (107) and ranked fifth in scoring. She also earned All-MEAC Third Team recognition in her first season at Coppin State, ranking second in the league and 28th nationally in steals per game (2.6).   Staples began her collegiate career at Northeastern, where she posted the second-best free throw percentage in the CAA (81.8 percent). As a freshman, she earned CAA Rookie of the Week honors following a performance against Hartford, recording five points, four rebounds, and two steals. A standout at Oxon Hill High School (Md.), Staples scored more than 1,000 career points and recorded a single-game high of 32 points. She was recognized as the top defender in the state and earned team MVP honors twice.