Edmonds Announces Staff Additions of Boykin, Grant, and Morton
5/21/2021 4:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON – Rice University head women's basketball coach Lindsay Edmonds announced the first additions to her staff on Saturday with the hiring of assistant coaches Lakevia Boykin, Nick Grant, and Tiffany Morton.
"I am very excited to have Kevi, Nick, and Tiffany join our Rice Owl Family," Edmonds said. "All three are unbelievable people who embody everything we want our program to be about. They are all high-character, high-integrity individuals who have a passion for developing young women, both on and off the court, and will really value developing relationships with our student athletes. I feel incredibly fortunate that I get to work with this great group of coaches side by side on a daily basis."
Boykin spent the past four seasons (2017-21) as an assistant coach and primary recruiting coordinator for the Davidson women's basketball team, serving under head coach Gayle Fulks.
"Coach Kevi has been coaching and recruiting to a high academic institution for the last four years," Edmonds said. "I think she helps us instantly to be able to get off to the right start in recruiting. Not only has she been coaching at a high academic university but she also was a great player at Wake Forest and will be able to really understand what our players are going through as a student-athlete. Kevi's experiences playing in the ACC and overseas will add great value to our program. I am thrilled Kevi is joining us."
Boykin, who was a guard development coach, coached four Atlantic 10 all-conference student-athletes for the Wildcats and played a critical role in the team's growth. In 2018-19 the 'Cats were picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll only to finish tied for fourth in the A-10 standings with a program-best 10-6 mark in league play.
In 2019-20, the Wildcats finished with their second straight season with a winning record.
Prior to Davidson, Boykin was video coordinator for the Wake Forest women's basketball program, where she was also a four-year letterwinner for the Demon Deacons from 2009-13.
As a student-athlete, Boykin played in 130 games and set the school record for most career games played. As a senior, she finished second on the team in scoring (14.4 points per game) while totaling 1,309 career points, which ranked her 11th all-time in program history. Along the way she made 167 three-pointers, which sits fifth in program history, and earned All-ACC honors her final two seasons.
After graduating from Wake Forest with a bachelor's degree in communications, Boykin played professionally overseas.
Grant spent the past eight seasons (2014-21) at San Diego State where he was as an assistant coach under head women's basketball coach Stacie Terry-Hutson. Grant also served as SDSU's recruiting coordinator (2016-21) while primarily working with the Aztec guards and coaching the defensive side of the ball.
"When looking for someone with a lot of Texas and West coast connections, I didn't need to look further than Coach Nick," said Edmonds. "Coming from a Texas basketball family, I know without a doubt he helps us get in the door with in-state recruiting right away. Not only is Nick a tireless recruiter, but after spending the last eight years at San Diego State, having a stop at Texas A&M and attending Baylor, I am ecstatic about what he can bring to the court as well. Nick instantly impressed me in the process with what he stands for, his values and his basketball knowledge."
While with the Aztecs, Grant helped develop 10 Mountain West All-Conference selections and led in the signing of four nationally ranked classes. In 2019-20, played a big role in guiding an Aztec defense that ranked first in defensive field goal percentage and was second in defensive rebounds per game.
Grant, an Arlington, Texas native, arrived on Montezuma Mesa after spending three seasons at Texas A&M, including the final two as a video coordinator.
During his tenure with the Aggies, Grant was part of a program that made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by a run to the Elite Eight in 2014. Prior to his appointment as video coordinator, Grant served as a strength and conditioning intern with the Texas A&M athletic department for the 2011-12 season, working full-time with the women's basketball team. He also aided the Aggies' recruiting efforts in the summer of 2012, evaluating women's basketball talent at the AAU level.
Grant received his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from Baylor in 2010. While on the Waco campus, he served as a team manager with the women's basketball squad from 2006-08.
Morton comes to Rice from Georgia State, where she served as an assistant under head coach Gene Hill and was recruiting coordinator since 2018 for the women's basketball team. Morton primarily coached the offense and end of game situations.
In 2018-19 the Panthers recorded their most Sun Belt wins (11) since joining the conference and their most overall wins (17) since the 2003-04 campaign.
"Coach Morton is someone from the time I met her, I've always thought she would be someone I would want to hire one day," Edmonds said. "I am beyond happy she has chosen to join us. She is a proven relationship builder not only with recruiting but also with her student-athletes. I have no doubt that she will be a great role model and mentor for the young ladies on our team. Tiffany has spent the last seven years in Georgia with stops at Georgia State and Mercer and can help us to recruit the East Coast with her connections."
Prior to Georgia State, Morton coached at Mercer from 2015-18 where she helped the Bears earn a trip to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in the 2017-18 campaign. That season Mercer won the SoCon Championship and broke into the USA Today Coaches Poll Top-25.
In addition, Morton helped oversee the development of Kahlia Lawrence at Mercer, who was a three-time SoCon Player of the Year and selected in the 2018 WNBA Draft. Mercer also made back-to-back WNIT appearances in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Prior to Mercer, Morton was an assistant coach at Wagner (2014-15), graduate assistant at LSU (2013-14), assistant coach at Montevallo (2012-13) and a graduate assistant at Wisconsin-Whitewater (2010-12).
Morton graduated from UW-Whitewater in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree and earned her Master's in 2012 in Science and Education for Professional Development.
"I am very excited to have Kevi, Nick, and Tiffany join our Rice Owl Family," Edmonds said. "All three are unbelievable people who embody everything we want our program to be about. They are all high-character, high-integrity individuals who have a passion for developing young women, both on and off the court, and will really value developing relationships with our student athletes. I feel incredibly fortunate that I get to work with this great group of coaches side by side on a daily basis."
Boykin spent the past four seasons (2017-21) as an assistant coach and primary recruiting coordinator for the Davidson women's basketball team, serving under head coach Gayle Fulks.
"Coach Kevi has been coaching and recruiting to a high academic institution for the last four years," Edmonds said. "I think she helps us instantly to be able to get off to the right start in recruiting. Not only has she been coaching at a high academic university but she also was a great player at Wake Forest and will be able to really understand what our players are going through as a student-athlete. Kevi's experiences playing in the ACC and overseas will add great value to our program. I am thrilled Kevi is joining us."
Boykin, who was a guard development coach, coached four Atlantic 10 all-conference student-athletes for the Wildcats and played a critical role in the team's growth. In 2018-19 the 'Cats were picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll only to finish tied for fourth in the A-10 standings with a program-best 10-6 mark in league play.
In 2019-20, the Wildcats finished with their second straight season with a winning record.
Prior to Davidson, Boykin was video coordinator for the Wake Forest women's basketball program, where she was also a four-year letterwinner for the Demon Deacons from 2009-13.
As a student-athlete, Boykin played in 130 games and set the school record for most career games played. As a senior, she finished second on the team in scoring (14.4 points per game) while totaling 1,309 career points, which ranked her 11th all-time in program history. Along the way she made 167 three-pointers, which sits fifth in program history, and earned All-ACC honors her final two seasons.
After graduating from Wake Forest with a bachelor's degree in communications, Boykin played professionally overseas.
Grant spent the past eight seasons (2014-21) at San Diego State where he was as an assistant coach under head women's basketball coach Stacie Terry-Hutson. Grant also served as SDSU's recruiting coordinator (2016-21) while primarily working with the Aztec guards and coaching the defensive side of the ball.
"When looking for someone with a lot of Texas and West coast connections, I didn't need to look further than Coach Nick," said Edmonds. "Coming from a Texas basketball family, I know without a doubt he helps us get in the door with in-state recruiting right away. Not only is Nick a tireless recruiter, but after spending the last eight years at San Diego State, having a stop at Texas A&M and attending Baylor, I am ecstatic about what he can bring to the court as well. Nick instantly impressed me in the process with what he stands for, his values and his basketball knowledge."
While with the Aztecs, Grant helped develop 10 Mountain West All-Conference selections and led in the signing of four nationally ranked classes. In 2019-20, played a big role in guiding an Aztec defense that ranked first in defensive field goal percentage and was second in defensive rebounds per game.
Grant, an Arlington, Texas native, arrived on Montezuma Mesa after spending three seasons at Texas A&M, including the final two as a video coordinator.
During his tenure with the Aggies, Grant was part of a program that made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by a run to the Elite Eight in 2014. Prior to his appointment as video coordinator, Grant served as a strength and conditioning intern with the Texas A&M athletic department for the 2011-12 season, working full-time with the women's basketball team. He also aided the Aggies' recruiting efforts in the summer of 2012, evaluating women's basketball talent at the AAU level.
Grant received his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from Baylor in 2010. While on the Waco campus, he served as a team manager with the women's basketball squad from 2006-08.
Morton comes to Rice from Georgia State, where she served as an assistant under head coach Gene Hill and was recruiting coordinator since 2018 for the women's basketball team. Morton primarily coached the offense and end of game situations.
In 2018-19 the Panthers recorded their most Sun Belt wins (11) since joining the conference and their most overall wins (17) since the 2003-04 campaign.
"Coach Morton is someone from the time I met her, I've always thought she would be someone I would want to hire one day," Edmonds said. "I am beyond happy she has chosen to join us. She is a proven relationship builder not only with recruiting but also with her student-athletes. I have no doubt that she will be a great role model and mentor for the young ladies on our team. Tiffany has spent the last seven years in Georgia with stops at Georgia State and Mercer and can help us to recruit the East Coast with her connections."
Prior to Georgia State, Morton coached at Mercer from 2015-18 where she helped the Bears earn a trip to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in the 2017-18 campaign. That season Mercer won the SoCon Championship and broke into the USA Today Coaches Poll Top-25.
In addition, Morton helped oversee the development of Kahlia Lawrence at Mercer, who was a three-time SoCon Player of the Year and selected in the 2018 WNBA Draft. Mercer also made back-to-back WNIT appearances in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Prior to Mercer, Morton was an assistant coach at Wagner (2014-15), graduate assistant at LSU (2013-14), assistant coach at Montevallo (2012-13) and a graduate assistant at Wisconsin-Whitewater (2010-12).
Morton graduated from UW-Whitewater in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree and earned her Master's in 2012 in Science and Education for Professional Development.
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