Women's Volleyball | 2/12/2025 8:56:00 AM
GREENSBORO- The Advancement of Blacks in Sports (ABIS) named North Carolina A&T volleyball assistant coach Macenzie Richards to its 2024-2025 ABIS Black Coaches Watchlist as an assistant/associate head coach.
ABIS is a non-profit organization that aims to identify, uplift and advocate for social, racial and economic equality for blacks in professional sports. The 2024-2025 ABIS Black Coaches Watchlist acknowledged black head and assistant coaches in the NCAA and professional sports field who embodied traits and accomplishments that stood out in their field.
"I am extremely honored to be recognized by the Advancement of Blacks In Sports," Richards said. "I hope to continue to grow and learn as a coach for myself and my athletes."
In his first season on head coach Hal Clifton's staff, the Aggies qualified for the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Volleyball Championship Tournament for the first time. In addition, the program earned a tournament berth in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
The Aggies closed the season with a 17-11 record overall and a 12-6 mark in the CAA to finish with the third-best record in the league.
Before returning to A&T, Richards served as the assistant volleyball coach at the University of Illinois of Springfield during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. During the 2022 season, Richards helped the Division II Prairie Stars win 12 games, including a 6-1 record at home. Also, during the 2022 season, Richards helped Prairie Stars defeat the No.13 Lewis University in 2022.
In addition to her coaching responsibilities, she assisted with recruiting, fundraising, promoting the program, and managing team travel.
Richards graduated from A&T with a B.S. degree in criminal justice. During her playing career, she helped the Aggies win their first and only conference tournament championship when they captured the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) title in the spring of 2021. After winning the MEAC, the Aggies played in the program's first-ever NCAA tournament match, earning a COVID forfeit win over Rice before losing to Penn State.
Another historic volleyball team Richards played a role in was the 2019 team that advanced to the program's first-ever postseason tournament with a berth in the NIVC.
Clifton is excited about Richards' return to the program and her inclusion on the ABIS Black Coaches Watchlist.
"We are very proud of Macenzie being honored by ABIS as an up-and-coming coach. Macenzie is very deserving of this honor," Clifton said. "Her experience playing at an HBCU and now coaching at her alma mater gives her an excellent perspective on how to help bridge the gap of African Americans in our sport."
Richards' passion and leadership extend beyond the court, breaking barriers and molding the future of the sport.
