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After being dismissed by Allen University in March, Olivia Gaines has found a new HBCU coaching home at the Division I level. Per a report by HBCU Gameday’s Liv Antilla, Gaines will be named the head coach of North Carolina Central. The move keeps the former Dawn Staley, South Carolina Star in HBCU basketball while allowing her to build on a success blueprint created by current men’s head basketball coach Levelle Moton.
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Gaines led the Allen Lady Yellow Jackets basketball for two seasons after arriving from Georgia Southern Eagles women’s basketball, where she previously worked as an assistant coach. During her tenure, Allen posted back-to-back winning seasons, finishing 18–9 overall with a 13–6 conference mark in 2024–25 before following it with an 18–10 campaign and a 16–8 conference record the next year.
Although the program found regular-season consistency, postseason success proved harder to secure. Allen was eliminated by LeMoyne-Owen Magicians women’s basketball in the opening round of the 2025 SIAC Tournament. The following season, the Lady Yellow Jackets opened tournament play with a dominant win over Spring Hill Badgers women’s basketball before falling to Miles Golden Bears women’s basketball.
Before entering coaching, Gaines enjoyed a successful playing career. She first made her mark at Louisburg College, helping the program compete for a national championship, before transferring to the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball under Dawn Staley. During her time there, South Carolina captured an SEC regular-season title, an SEC Tournament championship, and reached the Final Four.
Now, Gaines looks to see if her mix of on-court experience and coaching success at the Division II level can translate to on-court and recruiting wins at North Carolina Central.
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