A three-time Southwestern Athletic Conference champion is joining the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s basketball staff, UAPB announced Friday.
Head Coach Erica Leak has hired former Jackson State player Jariyah Covington as a graduate assistant.
“It’s significant to have Covington on the staff,” Leak said in a statement. “She is not only a leader, but she can also get out on the court and help our young ladies with their skill set due to her experience as a player. Covington is not only a SWAC champion, but she’s also highly respected within the team, and it’s fantastic to have her as a part of the coaching staff.”
As a player at JSU, Covington was part of three regular season SWAC championships and two SWAC tournament titles, leading to two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Covington was named second team all-SWAC in 2023 and Sixth Man of the Year in 2021. She was JSU’s second-leading scorer in 2023, averaging 10.9 points per game. She was also second on the team in assists with 93.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Prior to her time at Jackson State, she was a team captain and two-time MVP at East Central Community College from 2018-20, twice leading her team in scoring.
Covington’s addition brings the UAPB coaching staff up to five members, including assistants Freddie Murray, Xavier Johnson and Roderick Woods.
The Lady Lions open the 2024-25 season, the first with Leak, on Nov. 4 at Oklahoma State.