Sandy Pugh has been named the new head women’s basketball coach at Prairie View A&M University.
Pugh spent the previous 18 seasons as head coach at Southern University (2000-18), leading the Jaguars to seven outright or shared Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season titles. She also led Southern to four SWAC Tournament titles, four NCAA Tournament berths, and four NIT appearances.
Pugh is a four-time SWAC Coach of the Year, including this past season when she led the Jaguars to the SWAC Regular Season title. Pugh, who also served in 2011-12 as Southern’s interim Athletics Director, led Southern to 15 seasons of .500 or better, including 13 winning seasons, five seasons of 20+ wins, and more than 300 victories during her tenure.
She succeeds Ravon Justice who, after two years, left in April to become head basketball coach at Sam Houston State.
PRAIRIE VIEW (M); BAMA STATE (W) TAKE SWAC TRACK TITLES
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – For the first time in a decade, the Prairie View A&M Panthers men are South-western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field champions, besting Alabama State and Jackson State behind clutch victories in field action.
PVAMU scored 167 points. In second was Alabama State (161) followed by Jackson State (160). Up by two points heading into the final event, Prairie View A&M (3:09.81) managed a second-place finish behind Texas Southern (3:09.60) to seal the title, as Alabama State and Jackson State faded during the stretch run of the relay. UAPB finished third at 3:13.42.
Jackson State distance runners Vincent Langat and Henry Kiplagat (28 points) finished as Co-Most Outstanding Track Performers after winning a combined four gold medals. Alabama A&M’s Akeem Samuels won two gold medals in throwing events to earn Most Outstanding Field Performer (25 points). Prairie View A&M’s Chris Clay was named Coach of the Year.
Alabama State walked away with their seventh consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) women’s championship.
Alabama State won its first championship at Prairie View A&M, winning the cross country championship back in 2000 and the win this weekend marked the 30th title for Alabama State head coach Ritchie Beene as the head coach of the program, and the 41st overall on the coaching staff.
Alabama State claimed six individual titles on their way to 218 points, winning the championship by 62 points over second place Prairie View A&M. UAPB and Grambling State each tied for third place.