NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State women's basketball head coach Larry Vickers announced the addition of three new members to the team's coaching staff on Friday. The hirings include assistant coaches Annitra Cole and Kevin Lynum and Director of Alumni Relations and Player Development Kayla Roberts.
 
Cole and Lynum come to Norfolk State with years of high-level coaching experience, including stints with other HBCU programs, while Roberts already formed a strong connection at NSU during her decorated collegiate playing career.
 
After over nine years of coaching women's basketball, Lynum served as the athletics director of Southeast High School from 2020-22, a public school in Bradenton, Fla. He was responsible for the management and oversight of 22 interscholastic athletics programs, including one FHSAA State Championship team.
 
Prior to his time at Southeast, Lynum coached at multiple levels in multiple roles, most recently at Florida A&M. Starting off as an assistant, he was named interim head coach during the 2018-19 season, eventually becoming the team's permanent head coach after leading the team to a win in the MEAC Tournament. 
 
Lynum also enjoyed early stints at Warner University, Southwestern College and Winthrop as the teams' top assistant coach. He was the primary recruiter for many of Winthrop's top contributors, including Big South All-Freshman Team selection Anika Riley.
 
Cole enters her first season at Norfolk State with over 18 years of coaching experience under her belt. She most recently served as an assistant coach at Virginia State from 2019-22, where she led and developed two all-conference performers and an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award Recipient.
 
Prior to Virginia State, Cole spent a year at Kentucky State, becoming the team's acting head coach for 13 games. She played a pivotal role in the development of Brooke Wallace, who earned All-SIAC second team honors.
 
Cole's connection to HBCUs began as a player at North Carolina Central, helping the Eagles advance to the NCAA Division II "Sweet 16" for the first time in school history. She started her coaching career as a graduate assistant at NCCU, before eventually becoming an assistant coach with the team from 2006-09. She also served on the Hampton coaching staff, helping lead the Pirates to a MEAC Championship in 2010.
 
"I am excited and lucky to be able to add two experienced coaches, Annitra Cole and Kevin Lynum, to our coaching staff," Vickers said. "They are both well respected, great recruiters, and have a skill for teaching and developing young women both on and off the court."
 
After a successful playing career at the collegiate and professional levels, Roberts returns in a new role to Echols Hall, where her image is on display alongside other Spartan greats. The 6-1 forward racked up numerous accolades during her time at NSU, becoming the first and only player in program history to earn All-MEAC first-team honors in two seasons. She's also the team's only MEAC Rookie of the Year recipient.
 
Roberts currently ranks eighth all-time in the NSU's career total record books for points (1,398), second in blocked shots (152), third in rebounds (985), second in defensive rebounds (724), seventh in made free throws (285), ninth in 3-pointers made (87), 10^th in field goals made (513), and 10^th in rebounding average (8.6).
 
After four years with the Spartans, Roberts competed professionally for in multiple locations including Sweden and Australia. Most recently, she played for the Mexican club Barreteras, averaging 12.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per contest.
 
"I am also excited to add a new role – Director of Alumni Relations and Player Development – and have a former women's basketball player who understands the Spartan Standard, Kayla Roberts, serve in that role," Vickers said. "Kayla will be building a lifelong interactive and collaborative relationship between our former athletes and the program."
 
The Spartans open the 2022-23 season at Echols Hall on Monday, Nov. 7 against Virginia University of Lynchburg.