Prairie View A & M University Women's Basketball

Brown was officially named Prairie View A&Ms head womens basketball coach in April, 2014. Brown became the fifth head coach of the Lady Panthers since the program became an NCAA Division I member program in time for the 1981-82 season; she served her first year as the interim head coach in 2013-14.   Since taking the reins of the Lady Panthers, Brown has continued the programs recent success. In 2014, she guided Prairie View A&M to its fourth consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament championship and fourth consecutive NCAA Division I Womens Basketball Tournament appearance. In winning the 2014 SWAC tournament championship, the Lady Panthers became only the third program in league history to accomplish that feat.   The continued success of the Lady Panthers under Browns watch led to her being named the 2013-14 HBCU Digest Female Coach of the Year.   The Lady Panthers success continued in 2014-15, as Brown coached the team to its first-ever victories over area non-conference opponents Houston and Sam Houston State. The win over Houston at Hofheinz Pavilion on Dec. 7, 2014, was the Lady Panthers first win over the Cougars in 16 tries dating back to the 1975-76 season.   Brown has recruited and coached several talented players since first coming to Prairie View A&M in 2010 as an assistant coach. Under Browns guidance, Jeanette Jackson was named the SWACs Player of the Year as a senior in 2014-15 after finishing second in the conference in scoring with 16.7 points per game. In Browns first year as head coach, Jackson led the SWAC in scoring (18.8 points per game), was named to the All-SWAC First Team and earned SWAC Tournament MVP honors.   Brown also developed LaReahn Washington into a scoring threat as the senior guard had a career year in her lone season as a starter in 2013-14. Under Browns guidance Shamiya Brooks, a sophomore during Browns first season, has emerged as one of the top shot blockers in the SWAC.   Prior to becoming interim head coach, Brown served as the teams assistant coach for three seasons along with adding the responsibilities of recruiting coordinator during the 2012-13 campaign.  Brown recruited 2012 SWAC All-Tournament center Larissa Scott, 2013 SWAC Tournament MVP Kiara Etienne and do-it-all forward JaQuandria Williams, who contributed heavily to the Lady Panthers SWAC Tournament Championships in 2012 and 2013.   In addition to the teams individual accolades, the Lady Panthers had a pair of five-game winning streaks under Brown over the course of the 2013-14 campaign and had a two-month stretch in which the Lady Panthers recorded 10 victories in 11 games. In 2015, the Lady Panthers enjoyed a six-game winning streak, their longest streak under Brown. Since joining the Prairie View A&M womens basketball program as an assistant coach in 2010, the Lady Panthers are a perfect 12-0 in the SWAC Tournament with Brown on the bench.   Before coaching at Prairie View A&M, Brown spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Tougaloo College. At Tougaloo, Brown played a major part in turning the program around as the Lady Bulldogs finished the 2009-10 season with their best record in 12 years and advanced to the semifinal round of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.   A 2005 graduate of Jackson State University, she had a two-year career as a student-athlete with the Lady Tigers and helped lead the team to the the 2002-03 SWAC regular season co-championship and a SWAC Tournament semifinal berth.   Before her playing days at Jackson State, Brown a two-time captain at Atlanta Metropolitan College, led the team to two consecutive GJCAA Tournament appearances. She was a part of the inaugural team in 2000.   Brown knows the demands of a Division I student-athlete, as she also excelled in the classroom earning her Bachelors degree in Sociology in 2005.   Dawn Brown Head Coach Dawn Brown was officially named Prairie View A&Ms head womens basketball coach in April, 2014. Brown became the fifth head coach of the Lady Panthers since the program became an NCAA Division I member program in time for the 1981-82 season; she served her first year as the interim head coach in 2013-14.   Since taking the reins of the Lady Panthers, Brown has continued the programs recent success. In 2014, she guided Prairie View A&M to its fourth consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament championship and fourth consecutive NCAA Division I Womens Basketball Tournament appearance. In winning the 2014 SWAC tournament championship, the Lady Panthers became only the third program in league history to accomplish that feat.   The continued success of the Lady Panthers under Browns watch led to her being named the 2013-14 HBCU Digest Female Coach of the Year.   The Lady Panthers success continued in 2014-15, as Brown coached the team to its first-ever victories over area non-conference opponents Houston and Sam Houston State. The win over Houston at Hofheinz Pavilion on Dec. 7, 2014, was the Lady Panthers first win over the Cougars in 16 tries dating back to the 1975-76 season.   Brown has recruited and coached several talented players since first coming to Prairie View A&M in 2010 as an assistant coach. Under Browns guidance, Jeanette Jackson was named the SWACs Player of the Year as a senior in 2014-15 after finishing second in the conference in scoring with 16.7 points per game. In Browns first year as head coach, Jackson led the SWAC in scoring (18.8 points per game), was named to the All-SWAC First Team and earned SWAC Tournament MVP honors.   Brown also developed LaReahn Washington into a scoring threat as the senior guard had a career year in her lone season as a starter in 2013-14. Under Browns guidance Shamiya Brooks, a sophomore during Browns first season, has emerged as one of the top shot blockers in the SWAC.   Prior to becoming interim head coach, Brown served as the teams assistant coach for three seasons along with adding the responsibilities of recruiting coordinator during the 2012-13 campaign.  Brown recruited 2012 SWAC All-Tournament center Larissa Scott, 2013 SWAC Tournament MVP Kiara Etienne and do-it-all forward JaQuandria Williams, who contributed heavily to the Lady Panthers SWAC Tournament Championships in 2012 and 2013.   In addition to the teams individual accolades, the Lady Panthers had a pair of five-game winning streaks under Brown over the course of the 2013-14 campaign and had a two-month stretch in which the Lady Panthers recorded 10 victories in 11 games. In 2015, the Lady Panthers enjoyed a six-game winning streak, their longest streak under Brown. Since joining the Prairie View A&M womens basketball program as an assistant coach in 2010, the Lady Panthers are a perfect 12-0 in the SWAC Tournament with Brown on the bench.   Before coaching at Prairie View A&M, Brown spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Tougaloo College. At Tougaloo, Brown played a major part in turning the program around as the Lady Bulldogs finished the 2009-10 season with their best record in 12 years and advanced to the semifinal round of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.   A 2005 graduate of Jackson State University, she had a two-year career as a student-athlete with the Lady Tigers and helped lead the team to the the 2002-03 SWAC regular season co-championship and a SWAC Tournament semifinal berth.   Before her playing days at Jackson State, Brown a two-time captain at Atlanta Metropolitan College, led the team to two consecutive GJCAA Tournament appearances. She was a part of the inaugural team in 2000.   Brown knows the demands of a Division I student-athlete, as she also excelled in the classroom earning her Bachelors degree in Sociology in 2005.  

Tai Dillard brings over 15 years of coaching and playing experience to the Panthers' athletics department, joining the women’s basketball coaching staff on May 1, 2025. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Dillard most recently served as the Associate Head Coach for the University of Houston Women’s Basketball Team. During her time at Houston (2016–2025), Dillard played a pivotal role in building a competitive program. After being promoted to Associate Head Coach in 2022, she previously served as the team’s Recruiting Coordinator. Under her guidance, the Cougars reached the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) in 2017, 2018, and 2021. Dillard also played a significant role in the development of standout guard Laila Blair, who broke multiple school records and earned postseason honors in both the American Athletic Conference and the Big 12. Before her tenure at Houston, Dillard held coaching positions at Ole Miss (2013–14), USC (2012–13), and UTSA (2007–12). She began her coaching career at the high school level, serving as head cross country coach and assistant basketball and track coach at Sam Houston High School in San Antonio. In 2024, Dillard participated in the NCAA Champion Forum, a premier professional development program for current coaches. The forum offers a unique and transformative experience, providing insight into the realities of becoming a head coach at the collegiate level. As a player, Dillard was a four-year letter winner at the University of Texas (1999–2003), competing under legendary Hall of Fame coach Jody Conradt. She helped lead the Longhorns to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Final Four run in 2003. A two-time Big 12 All-Academic selection, Dillard started 34 games her senior season and helped Texas to a 29-6 overall record. Following her collegiate career, Dillard played professionally for the WNBA’s San Antonio Silver Stars (2003–2005), as well as internationally in Israel and in the National Women’s Basketball League. Dillard earned her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Texas in 2003 and a master’s degree in Sports Leadership and Sports Studies from Texas Southern University. She is married to former Texas basketball standout Brandon Mouton, and together they have two sons, Langston and Caden.

Texas Tech Hall of Famer Plenette Pierson comes to Prairie View after being an assistant coach at her alma mater. She assumed the role of associate head coach in the 2024-25 season. An all-time great at Texas Tech, Pierson returned to Lubbock in June 2022 and was been instrumental in the program’s resurgence. In the 2024-25 season, Pierson helped guide the Lady Raiders to a 19-15 record, reaching the quarterfinals of both the Big 12 Tournament and the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT). Texas Tech celebrated its 1,000th program win after defeating Utah in the Big 12 quarterfinals, snapping a 22-year drought since the team last won multiple games in the tournament. In the WBIT, the Lady Raiders posted marquee victories over No. 4 seed Wyoming and overall No. 1 seed Virginia Tech. Pierson helped engineer key non-conference wins over Washington State, Gonzaga, Colorado, and Arkansas—the program’s first-ever win in Fayetteville. In 2023-24, her second full season on staff, Pierson helped Texas Tech achieve a 17-16 record, marking back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2012-13. The Lady Raiders started the year with an 11-0 run, one of the best starts in program history. Tech earned wins over Houston, Kansas, and a ranked victory against No. 24 Iowa State. In the Big 12 Tournament, they advanced past Houston for the third time that season. Under Pierson’s development, Bailey Maupin and Jasmine Shavers earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors and spots on the Dave Campbell’s All-Texas Team and CSC Academic All-District Team. In her first season back in Lubbock (2022-23), Pierson helped lead the Lady Raiders to a 20-15 overall record—their first 20-win season and postseason appearance since 2012-13. Her work with the post players was evident, as forward Jazmaine Lewis posted career highs across multiple statistical categories, and freshman Kilah Freelon emerged as a reliable Big 12 contributor after a slow start in non-conference play. Pierson’s impact extended beyond individual development. During the 2022-23 season, Tech outscored opponents 980-964 in the paint and averaged nearly 26 points per game inside. Her influence in recruiting also contributed to one of the top transfer classes in the country, featuring former five-star Jordyn Merritt and CUSA Defensive Player of the Year Elina Arike, along with the return of a deep frontcourt group. A 2003 graduate of Texas Tech, Pierson was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2003 WNBA Draft and enjoyed a 17-season playing career. A three-time WNBA Champion, she was named the league’s first Sixth Woman of the Year in 2007 and later served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Lynx, helping them reach the postseason in all three of her seasons on staff. One of the most decorated players in Lady Raider history, Pierson ranks 6th all-time in scoring (1,602 points) and helped lead Texas Tech to a 102-30 overall record during her collegiate career, including four NCAA Tournament appearances, four Sweet Sixteens, two Elite Eights, and the 2000 Big 12 Regular Season Championship.