UNF hires Abilene Christian assistant Erika Lambert as women's basketball coach

Garry Smits, Florida Times-Union

April 6, 2023 at 10:29 AM·3 min read

Erika Lambert helped coach Abilene Christian to a Southland Conference championship during her seven years as an assistant.

Erika Lambert, an assistant women's basketball coach at Abilene Christian University, has been hired as the third women's coach at the University of North Florida.

UNF announced her hiring on Thursday. Darrick Gibbs was fired on March 3 after going 7-20 this season and 95-138 in eight years.

Lambert has been the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Abilene Christian for seven years under coach Julie Goodenough. During that time, the Wildcats were 184-83 overall and 122-46 in the Western Athletic Conference and the Southland Conference, with one Southland regular season and one tournament championship.

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Lambert helped recruit and coach 16 All-Southland Conference picks and two players of the year. The team was 10th in the nation in scoring in 2019-20 and 25th in three-pointers made per game last season. The Wildcats were 15-15 this season.

Before going to ACU, Lambert coached at Bethel University in Minnesota, Ohio Wesleyan and the College of Charleston, and also served as the director of basketball operations at Charleston.

She played at Charleston from 2006-08 and was the team captain. She finished second in career blocked shots and was a three-time Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

"My family and I cannot wait to be a part of Osprey Nation and the Jacksonville community," Lambert said in a statement. "It's a great time to join the team at UNF. Throughout the interview process and after many conversations across campus, the common thread was a genuine love for our student-athletes. I want our players at UNF to have a positive and transformative experience while competing to be at the top of the ASUN and developing championship habits for life."

Lambert has been an active participant in ACU's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Scholarship Program, ACU Apprentice Program, African American Women's Initiative, Student-Athlete Diversity Council, ACU Staff Senate and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

A member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and Women Leaders in College Sports, Lambert was also a co-founder of "Moms in Coaching", developing the group alongside head Florida State women's basketball coach, Brooke Wyckoff.

Lambert earned two bachelor's degrees from Charleston and also her Masters of Public Administration and a certificate of Urban Planning at CofC. Lambert and her husband, Paul, have two daughters, Ava and Mya.

UNF athletic director Nick Morrow said Lambert was "a rising star" in the women's basketball coaching industry.

"Erika has a proven record of success [and a] reputation of being a tireless recruiter," he said in a statement. "Throughout the process, it became very clear that Erika takes a holistic approach to the development of the student-athlete and will run a program of integrity while also demanding excellence."

Goodenough said her loss is UNF's gain.

"She is a fierce competitor, relational recruiter and an outstanding role model for her players," Goodenough said in a statement. "She is a true professional and possesses a great work ethic and coaching ability."

Lambert will be formally introduced on April 19 at UNF Arena's Bank of England Suite.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Erika Lambert hired by North Florida as next women's basketball coach

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