Langston Lady Lions make history winning Sooner Athletic Conference championship

Langston University’s Lady Lions etched their names in sports history on Saturday evening by becoming the first program from a historically Black college or university to win the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) women’s basketball regular-season championship, with their 63-49 victory over the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.

After finishing the regular season with a 26-2 record, Langston is the top-seeded team headed into the SAC Tournament, which will begin Thursday. Having won the conference championship, the Lady Lions secured a spot in the NAIA women’s basketball national championship tournament in March.

“I am very appreciative for what has happened in year one,” first-year head coach Chris Vincent said. “For the team, I couldn’t be more ecstatic for them because they put in so much hard work, energy, even tears.”

Vincent started his career in 2012 with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun as the assistant to the head coach. He became the assistant coach for the Langston men’s basketball team during the 2023-24 season when they became the first HBCU program to win the SAC men’s basketball regular-season championship and tournament title and finished as the NAIA national championship runner-up.

He became the head coach of the Lady Lions in June 2024. When Vincent inherited the team, there were only five returners – forwards Mattie Boyd and Jada Spence and guards Jordynn Conner, Koreea Kirksey and Jatalyah Wiliams – out of an 18-player roster. Despite the challenge, Vincent was confident he and his coaching staff could build a championship-caliber roster.

“The biggest thing is just trying to build chemistry, create a culture, and then have them buy into it,” Vincent said.

Kirksey was one of the first players to fully embrace Vincent’s vision. She attributes her growth as a player to his belief in her, even when she was unsure of her own abilities.

“I saw Coach Vincent in the gym one time, and he was asking me, like, ‘Are you planning on staying at Langston? Are you going to move schools?’ And I was like, ‘Coach, I don’t even know. I’m just praying about it, but I think I just want to stay at Langston,’” Kirksey said. “And all he said was, ‘Stay.’”

Langston athletics director Donnita Drain-Rogers, who was previously head coach of the women’s basketball team (1995-2008), credits the team’s success to Vincent’s ability to connect with his players and foster a strong team culture.

“He did a lot to try to establish this team as a family, and that’s really important that you have each other’s backs on the court, and that starts with having a good relationship off the court,” Drain-Rogers said.

For the Lady Lions, this win highlights the growing competitiveness of athletic programs at historically Black colleges and universities and their ability to win outside of HBCU conferences.

“You’re seeing a lot of growth in HBCU athletics that are starting to compete at a national level. I think [an HBCU] is a special place where it shows that with the right people and support, you can be successful,” Vincent said.

Kirksey said the team’s title could raise Langston’s profile.

“I feel like us doing this could put Langston on the map and put other HBCUs on the map as well,” Kirksey said. “We’re the blueprint and we changed the culture at Langston, and I’m just grateful that we were able to make an impact.”

Kirksey is aware their success can inspire the next generation of athletes.

“It’s really deeper than us,” Kirksey said. “It’s bigger than basketball. Seeing the youth come to our games and stuff like that is so inspirational.”

The women’s basketball program has received an outpouring of support throughout the season from alumni and current students.

“I’m so proud and thankful for the support because none of this would be fun if we didn’t have our community behind us. … They share this title with the entire Lions nation,” Drain-Rogers said.

The Lady Lions will host Oklahoma City University on Thursday in the SAC Tournament quarterfinals. The mission is far from over, Vincent said.

“We know where we stand, but at the same time we don’t want to just sit and be complacent or look too far ahead,” Vincent said. “It’s really just taking it day by day, then win by win, and if we have that mindset, then hopefully things will take care of themselves in March.”

After ending last season with a record of 24-8 and then losing in the first round of the NAIA national championship tournament, the Lady Lions are determined to use their momentum to go even further in the postseason.

“I just want them to know that I’ve got their backs, and God got us know matter what,” Kirksey said. “Let’s keep working and keep making history.”