SSAC News
Fri, Aug 8, 2003 - [Women's Basketball]
Respected women’s head basketball coach dies.
AMERICUSRosa Stokes, Georgia Southwestern State University’s head women’s basketball coach, died this morning while hospitalized in the Atlanta area. Stokes, 38, was a patient at Kennestone Hospital.“We are all deeply saddened by the passing of Coach Stokes,” said GSW President Michael L. Hanes, Ph.D. “Coach Stokes was a respected member of our GSW community. She was admired by her student-athletes, her competitors and by her colleagues. Our sympathy goes out to her family. We stand with them in this time of loss.”
Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Randolph Barksdale was out of the country Aug. 7, and unavailable for comment. However, when Stokes arrived at GSW Aug. 1, 2001,Barksdale said he was “excited to have a person of such experience at the Division I level. Her recruiting ability and knowledge of the game will help us keep our program on the national level. She will be an asset to our university and community.”
“We’re grief stricken,” said Jon Hay, assistant athletic director and athletic trainer. “When I think of Coach Stokes, I think of integrity and professionalism. Her players could approach her with any nature of problems from on or off the court, and she would listen. She was so compassionate.”
“She had a presence about her,” added Michelle Haywood, assistant athletic director, head volleyball coach and sports information director. “She was so well thought of by everyone, especially her players and other coaches in the conference. Her relationships were based on mutual respect.”
Stokes came to the Hurricanes after a five-year run with Long Beach State University in which the last two were as the associate head coach. Previously, she served two years with the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga as assistant coach.
Stokes was highly regarded for her recruiting ability. She recruited a Big West Conference Player of the Year at Long Beach and a Southern Conference Freshman of the Year at UT-Chattanooga.
In Cookeville, Tenn., Stokes served two years as interim coordinator for the Black Cultural Center. From 1990-92, she was the assistant coach at Tennessee Tech University. While there, Stokes was responsible for recruiting both an Ohio Valley Conference player of the year and freshman of the year. The Eagles were also two-time OVC Champions.
Stokes also served as a graduate assistant at University of Louisville during the 1989-90 season and Murray State University in 1988-89. She played collegiate basketball at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tenn. (1984-89) scoring more than 1,000 points.
A native of Alexandria, Tenn., Stokes graduated from Cumberland in 1988 with a B.S. in education. She earned her M.A. in educational psychology-counseling from Tennessee Tech in 1993.
Coach Stokes' record at GSW was 26-35 overall, 14-18 in the GACC. In 2001-2002 she was 11-19 overall, 5-9 in the GACC; in 2002-2003 she was 15-16 overall, 9-9 in the GACC.
As of Thursday afternoon, Athletic Department staff was completing their notification of Stokes’ players. Stokes’ family was traveling from Tennessee to Atlanta. No funeral arrangements have been announced.
UPDATE:
Funeral arrangements have been announced for Rosa Stokes, Georgia Southwestern State University's head women's basketball coach who died Thursday.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11, at the Alexandria First Baptist Church in Alexandria, Tenn., according to the GSW Athletic Department.
JC Hellum Funeral Home, 107 Stokes Street, Lebanon, Tenn., (615) 444-4558, is in charge of service arrangements. Park Avenue Florist, (615) 444-6726, is assisting with floral arrangements.
AMERICUSRosa Stokes, Georgia Southwestern State University’s head women’s basketball coach, died this morning while hospitalized in the Atlanta area. Stokes, 38, was a patient at Kennestone Hospital.“We are all deeply saddened by the passing of Coach Stokes,” said GSW President Michael L. Hanes, Ph.D. “Coach Stokes was a respected member of our GSW community. She was admired by her student-athletes, her competitors and by her colleagues. Our sympathy goes out to her family. We stand with them in this time of loss.”
Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Randolph Barksdale was out of the country Aug. 7, and unavailable for comment. However, when Stokes arrived at GSW Aug. 1, 2001,Barksdale said he was “excited to have a person of such experience at the Division I level. Her recruiting ability and knowledge of the game will help us keep our program on the national level. She will be an asset to our university and community.”
“We’re grief stricken,” said Jon Hay, assistant athletic director and athletic trainer. “When I think of Coach Stokes, I think of integrity and professionalism. Her players could approach her with any nature of problems from on or off the court, and she would listen. She was so compassionate.”
“She had a presence about her,” added Michelle Haywood, assistant athletic director, head volleyball coach and sports information director. “She was so well thought of by everyone, especially her players and other coaches in the conference. Her relationships were based on mutual respect.”
Stokes came to the Hurricanes after a five-year run with Long Beach State University in which the last two were as the associate head coach. Previously, she served two years with the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga as assistant coach.
Stokes was highly regarded for her recruiting ability. She recruited a Big West Conference Player of the Year at Long Beach and a Southern Conference Freshman of the Year at UT-Chattanooga.
In Cookeville, Tenn., Stokes served two years as interim coordinator for the Black Cultural Center. From 1990-92, she was the assistant coach at Tennessee Tech University. While there, Stokes was responsible for recruiting both an Ohio Valley Conference player of the year and freshman of the year. The Eagles were also two-time OVC Champions.
Stokes also served as a graduate assistant at University of Louisville during the 1989-90 season and Murray State University in 1988-89. She played collegiate basketball at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tenn. (1984-89) scoring more than 1,000 points.
A native of Alexandria, Tenn., Stokes graduated from Cumberland in 1988 with a B.S. in education. She earned her M.A. in educational psychology-counseling from Tennessee Tech in 1993.
Coach Stokes' record at GSW was 26-35 overall, 14-18 in the GACC. In 2001-2002 she was 11-19 overall, 5-9 in the GACC; in 2002-2003 she was 15-16 overall, 9-9 in the GACC.
As of Thursday afternoon, Athletic Department staff was completing their notification of Stokes’ players. Stokes’ family was traveling from Tennessee to Atlanta. No funeral arrangements have been announced.
UPDATE:
Funeral arrangements have been announced for Rosa Stokes, Georgia Southwestern State University's head women's basketball coach who died Thursday.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11, at the Alexandria First Baptist Church in Alexandria, Tenn., according to the GSW Athletic Department.
JC Hellum Funeral Home, 107 Stokes Street, Lebanon, Tenn., (615) 444-4558, is in charge of service arrangements. Park Avenue Florist, (615) 444-6726, is assisting with floral arrangements.
