Head coach Ashley Langford is no longer the only new face on the Stony Brook women’s basketball staff.
Assistant coaches Delmar “Buck” Carey and Nicole Mitchell and Director of basketball operations Arnika Edwards will join the Seawolves for the 2021-22 season, the team announced in a press release on Friday, July 16.
“I’m elated to add these three to my staff,” Langford said. “They all embody the values of Stony Brook University and will be an asset to, not only our program, but to the University and Long Island community.”
Edwards arrives from the University of Dayton, where she spent six years as director of basketball operations. She has also held administrative roles at Auburn and Fairfield High Preparatory School, where she taught and coached basketball for 14 years.
“Arnika does it all,” Langford said. “She has a diverse background with experience in secondary education, coaching, and business administration which makes her perfect for this position. She will be a great role model for our women and she will play a vital role in connecting our program to the Long Island community.”
Carey’s resume includes 11 years of coaching on the collegiate, high school and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuits.
In 2019, he served as the first-ever athletics director at Whittle School and Studios in Washington, D.C. while also coaching the girls’ basketball team to a 14-3 record. Months later, he helped lead the AAU’s Team Takeover to its first Nike Nationals Championship. He has also been an assistant coach at Bowie State and, most recently, North Greenville University.
“Coach Buck is a go-getter,” Langford said. “He has experience coaching and developing players on various levels and understands how to connect with people. His authenticity and infectious enthusiasm will keep us all juiced.”
Mitchell has a combined seven years of experience as an assistant coach at Eastern Washington, Northwestern State, Hood College and Christopher Newport University. She also earned three all-conference selections as a player at Christopher Newport.
“Coach Mitchell’s work ethic is incomparable,” Langford said. “Her passion for student-athlete welfare and the game of basketball shines through on a daily basis. Our players will benefit from her guidance on and off the court.”
The new coaching staff coincides with a roster makeover for the Seawolves. The team has already announced the addition of seven new players as they chase their third-consecutive America East title — this time without stars Asiah Dingle and Hailey Zeise, with the former transferring to Fordham.
