NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State University athletics mourns the passing of James Sweat, a monumental figure in collegiate women's basketball and one of the most influential coaches in Norfolk State history. Sweat's extraordinary career spanned decades, leaving an indelible mark on the Spartans, the sport, and the countless student-athletes he guided.
 
Coach Sweat devoted 19 remarkable seasons to leading the Norfolk State women's basketball program and 26 seasons overall as a head coach at the collegiate level before his retirement following the 2006-07 season.  
 
During his tenure with the Spartans, Sweat established a standard of excellence that reshaped NSU women's basketball:

• 346-218 overall record as head coach at Norfolk State, marking the most wins in program history.  
• Guided the Spartans to five CIAA Tournament championships and five NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional appearances.  
• Led the 1990-91 team to a school-record 33 victories and a historic berth in the NCAA Division II Final Four.  
• Coached NSU to its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) women's basketball championship and NCAA Division I Tournament appearance in 2002.  
• Named CIAA Tournament Most Outstanding Coach five times, MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Coach once, and honored as the 1991 NCAA Division II Coach of the Year.  

• Coach Sweat was inducted into the Hampton Roads African-American Sports Hall of Fame in 2009, the Hampton Roads Hall of Fame in 2013, and the Norfolk State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019

 
Before his legendary run at NSU, Sweat also built a powerhouse program at Hampton University, where he posted a 183-44 record and captured the 1988 NCAA Division II National Championship with the Lady Pirates.  
 
Beyond wins and championships, James Sweat's impact was measured in lives shaped, student-athletes empowered, coaches inspired, and a community forever changed. His legacy lives on in the Spartan tradition of grit, determination, and excellence.
 
NSU Athletics extends its deepest condolences to Coach Sweat's family, friends, former players, and all whose lives were touched by his leadership and passion for the game.