Hattiesburg, Miss.- Carey Women's Basketball Coach Jessica Garriga announced the hiring of Cotoria Blackmon as the new Assistant Coach for the Lady Crusaders. Blackmon joins a squad that rolled through the 24-25 regular season undefeated before bowing out in the NAIA National Tournament. The Lady Crusaders finished the season with a record of 26-2 overall, setting a school record for winning percentage.
 
"I'm excited to welcome Coach Blackmon back to William Carey as a member of our coaching staff," says Garriga. "Tori has consistently impressed me, first as a player, then as a student coach, and now in her new role as a full-time assistant," she added.
 
A native of Jackson, Miss., Blackmon prepped at Callaway High School before signing with Pearl River Community College. During her two seasons in Poplarville, she was named a team captain and played in over forty games. From there, Blackmon transferred to William Carey to finish out her playing career. While at Carey, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 2021.
 
Following her career as a player, Blackmon stayed on at Carey as a Student-Assistant for the 2020-2021 season. She helped lead the Lady Crusaders to a 14-5 record before the final games of the season were canceled due to Covid. The following year, she was an assistant coach at Murrah High School, long known as one of the top high school programs in Mississippi. In 22-23, she returned to Pearl River and helped guide the Lady Wildcats to a 24-3 finish and a berth in the Region 23 Tournament Championship game. She spent the next two seasons as an assistant at Mississippi College.
 
"My goal isn't just to build better players, but better people- strong in character, relentless in effort, and prepared for life beyond the game," said Blackmon. "I'm excited to be back at William Carey and look forward to the future," she added.
 
"Tori brings a strong mix of coaching experience, competitive fire, and the ability to build meaningful connections with our student-athletes," says Garriga. "She's exactly the kind of leader and role model I want for our team," she added.
 
Coach Blackmon fills Garriga's shoes as the top assistant for the Lady Crusaders on the heels of Coach Tracy English's retirement. Carey will open the season on October 24^th at the Faulkner Classic in Montgomery, Ala.