ALBANY, GA- From a leader on the court to a leader on the sideline, Akia Stanton's journey to becoming the head coach of Albany State Women's Basketball is one of perseverance and passion. With years of experience shaping young athletes, she has brought a new vision to the Lady Golden Rams.
 
Stanton, a native of Milledgeville, Georgia, attended Baldwin High School, where she was a regional champion athlete in track and field, volleyball, and basketball. During her collegiate career, she attended Paine College. Stanton was exceptional in both volleyball and basketball, with her huge impact. In basketball, she contributed to Paine's back-to-back SAIC titles in 2005 and 2006. In volleyball, she had the second-best hitting percentage in DII in 2006. Her dominant career earned her a 2015 induction into the Lady Lions Hall of Fame. She joined the Lady Golden Rams as Head Coach on May 30th, 2024 after two seasons at Talladega College.
 
We had the opportunity to speak with Head Coach Stanton:
 
Q: What's your fondest sports memory growing up?
A: I have many great memories, but if I had to choose one, it would be the time I participated in three sports and won the regional championship in all of them for two consecutive years. I played volleyball, basketball, and track and field, where I competed in the 400 meters, the 4x100 relay, the 4x400 relay, the long jump, and the triple jump. I still hold this record to this day.
 
Q: What motivated you to become a coach?
 A: I started running track at age 8, played basketball in the 6th grade, and took up volleyball in the 9th grade. Early on, I realized I had a knack for picking up new skills quickly. My 6th-grade basketball coach, Terry Moore, was strict and required us to learn the plays for every position, a lesson that stayed with me through college. Coach Kohn had the same expectation, which contributed to my receiving the coach's award for my basketball IQ and instincts.
 
My mom became a JV volleyball coach while I played varsity in high school. I looked up to her and wanted to follow in her footsteps. I began coaching volleyball and basketball early in my career, aiming to become a college volleyball coach. However, I consistently received offers for head basketball coaching positions, which led me to focus solely on basketball jobs.
 
Q: What qualities do you believe make a good leader?
 A: From an early age, I led by example, motivated to excel without needing encouragement. I believe that to be a leader, you must set the standard. I often remind my team to "do the right thing, even when no one is watching." It's important to understand that not everyone will like you if you want to be effective. Key traits of a good leader include loyalty, strong character, discipline, and a clear mission.
 
Q: What impact do you want to make on the next generation?
 A: Sports have given me so much in my life. A winning attitude, discipline, lifelong sisters, and championships. The world is not a fair place so I try to apply my program to life. Once you win a championship, you can't explain the feeling. You just know it's a great feeling. I want my ladies to experience that feeling. Most importantly I want my ladies to be well-rounded young women when they leave my program.
 
Q: How do you handle adversities or coaching challenges?
A: When faced with adversities, I always turn to God, my mom, and my mentors for support. It truly took a village to help me reach where I am today, and I continually rely on their guidance. I also make an effort to find the positive in every situation, as it allows me to shift my perspective from viewing challenges as obstacles to seeing them as opportunities.
 
Fast Break:
Favorite Hobbies: Playing and watching volleyball and basketball, reading and watching reality television shows.
Three athletes you believe are the Greatest of All Time: Michael Jordan, Cheryl Swoops, and Candice Parker.
If you weren't coaching, what other career would you pursue? I would be a nurse in a burn care unit or a forensic psychologist performing autopsies.
Favorite vacation destination: Sitting on a beach with soft sand and clear water.
Favorite time of the year: Summer I do not like cold weather.
 
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ABOUT ALBANY STATE ATHLETICS
Albany State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II-level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 11 sports: women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, softball, men's and women's track and field, women's soccer, baseball, and football with all teams compete in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), except women's soccer, which participates in the Peach Belt Conference.