DECATUR — East Central Community College has found its next women’s basketball coach in Tia’wana Pringle.
Pringle joins East Central after serving as an assistant coach on the Meridian Community College coaching staff for seven years. She brings her recruiting skills and local connections to East Central, having recruited three all-conference players in recent history. Prior to joining MCC, she had her first coaching stint at Plainfield North High School in Plainfield, Illinois, for five years.
“I am so thankful for this opportunity to step into the head coaching world. I want to thank Mr. Paul Nixon. During my time in the league, we always had great interactions, and I look forward to working with him and the other coaches on a professional level,” said Pringle. “I am looking to create a good culture around this program. I want to keep it fun and joyous and get plugged into the community. My goal is to have the ladies come in and grow them not only as athletes but as students.”
Along with her coaching duties at MCC, Pringle served as an academic liaison, showing her dedication to improving student-athletes’ educational endeavors. Her primary responsibilities included overseeing and maintaining records of NJCAA study hall requirements for student-athletes, supporting students to help them maintain positive enrollment status, and enabling student-athletes to continue receiving financial aid.
“The ECCC Warrior Athletics family is pleased to welcome Tia’wana Pringle to the head women’s basketball coach position. Coach Pringle’s passion for the game has propelled her to excel as an outstanding player and assistant coach. Everyone we spoke to about her said she was ready for the next step in her career and to take the reins of her own program as a head coach,” said ECCC Director of Athletics Paul Nixon.
A native of Meridian and a graduate of Louisiana Tech, Pringle has a remarkable personal journey. After a standout high school career, she earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. She played on the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters women’s basketball team, competing in over 110 games through four seasons. Pringle furthered her education, earning a master’s degree in sports coaching education from the University of Southern Mississippi, a testament to her commitment to the sport and continuous learning.
Pringle was a member of the Southeast Lauderdale women’s basketball team. In her senior season, she helped lead the Lady Tigers to the MSHAA 3A state title and was awarded the 2006 Miss Basketball of Mississippi title.
Nixon said Pringle’s ties to the area and her dedication to her student athletes make her the ideal person to lead East Centrals basketball team forward.
“When Coach Pringle described her vision for the future of the program, everyone on the committee agreed that she is the right person to lead the women’s basketball team into the future,” he said. “She truly cares about her student-athletes on and off the court, and her aforementioned passion for the game will be contagious as she develops our young women individually and molds the Lady Warriors into a team we can all be proud of at ECCC. We can’t wait for Coach Tia’wana Pringle to get started.”