New Jackson State women's basketball coach Margaret Richards says recruiting is her priority

Jackson State University president Marcus Thompson and all of the school's dignitaries came out to welcome new women’s basketball coach Margaret Richards at her introductory news conference Monday.

Richards arrived at the Lee E. Williams Athletic Assembly Center with a police escort and in a row of Cadillacs. As she entered the building, there was a chorus of cheers. She was surrounded by Jackson State athletic director Ashley Robinson and others on stage, and the football and basketball coaches were in attendance.

Here are three takeaways from Richards' introduction as the seventh women’s basketball coach in school history.

New Jackson State women's basketball coach Margaret Richards knows recruiting is Job 1

With stops as an assistant coach at Louisville, North Texas, Weber State and Clemson among others, Richards knows the value of having good players.

Richards said she talked to a couple of the players on the current Jackson State roster and knows that without good players she will not be able to win. Richards said that she is recruiting all positions, and the transfer portal is critical to success in the college game.

“The No. 1 challenge here is going to be filling the roster,” Richards said. “We know that a lot of people graduated last year that were on Coach Reed’s team. My focus is on getting the right kids in here that can compete at this level and knowing the importance of winning here at this program. I think that is going to be one of the biggest challenges.”

“I have learned that you do not want to focus on what you don’t have,” Richards said. “Focus on what you have and go with that. I want to focus on hitting the ground running, recruiting, building that continuity with my staff, building relationships and developing kids.”

Richards knows the expectations at Jackson State are high

Richards said she has not talked to former Jackson State coach Tomekia Reed since taking the job. She knows the bar is set high in replacing Reed, who left April 25 to become head coach at Charlotte.

“I do understand the expectations," Richards said, "and we plan to do everything we can to keep that going.”

Reed went 125-54 in six seasons and led the Tigers to the NCAA Women’s Tournament three times in the past four years. Jackson State won five consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference regular-season titles under Reed.

Richards was the Alabama A&M coach for eight seasons (2016-2024) and had a record of 97-125, including 69-70 in the SWAC. Richards said that even when she was at the bottom, her goal was always to win a championship.

JACKSON STATE HIRES MARGARET RICHARDS Jackson State hires Margaret Richards, former Alabama A&M coach, to lead women's basketball

Richards knows success in the SWAC

Richards has spent the past eight years as the coach of Alabama A&M, so she will not have to acclimate herself or staff to the SWAC.

She has had success in the conference. In 2016-17, her first season, the Bulldogs went 0-18 in the SWAC but have finished with a winning record in the SWAC the past five seasons, getting at least 10 wins in each except for the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. In 2019-20, the Bulldogs went 12-6 in SWAC play and reached the tournament semifinals.

Alabama A&M players were selected to the postseason All-SWAC teams the past five seasons.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: New Jackson State basketball coach Margaret Richards: Recruiting Job 1