Terrence Baxter has had the interim tag removed and is now the head women’s basketball coach at North Carolina Central University, the Department of Athletics has announced.
“We are excited to have coach Baxter in the permanent role of head women’s basketball coach here at North Carolina Central University,” said Dr. Perkins. “Coach Baxter is a proven winner and outstanding recruiter, and we are excited about the future of the women’s basketball program here at NCCU.”
The 2024-25 campaign will mark Baxter’s fourth overall season with the program. He took over as interim head coach prior to the start of the 2023-24 season, guiding the Eagles to a 16-15 overall record (the program’s first winning record since rejoining the MEAC in 2011-12).
His team went 9-5 in MEAC play last season, tying the program record for modern-era MEAC victories and earning the No. 3 seed in the 2024 MEAC Basketball Tournament and advancing to the semifinal round for the second time.
As an assistant with the Eagles, Baxter coached two back-to-back MEAC Rookie of the Year award winners in Diamond Thomas and Jerni Kiaku. Baxter helped the Maroon and Gray collect eight total individual postseason awards over those two seasons.
In 2022-23, Baxter contributed to a previously new NCCU NCAA Division I era (since 2007-08) program record in wins in a season (15).
Prior to joining the Eagles, Baxter had spent 14 years coaching within the state of North Carolina, including most recently seven years with the women’s basketball program at Catawba College. The Indians produced five winning seasons with Baxter on the bench. In 2014-15, Catawba qualified for the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament.
As head coach, Baxter led Catawba to its best start in program history (11-0) and top-25 national rankings in multiple polls. The NCAA Division II program knocked off a DI team in UNCW under Baxter’s leadership.
Baxter is a 2001 graduate of Pfeiffer University, where he was a two-time all-conference performer and helped the Falcons to a pair of league titles and one Sweet 16 appearance. In 2017, he was inducted to the Pfeiffer Hall of Fame.
Baxter began coaching as a men’s assistant for his alma mater in 2006 before joining the women’s basketball staff at Brevard College for three seasons and Queens University of Charlotte for two seasons.
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.