From the CIAA
Elizabeth City State University Director of Athletics, James DuBose, Jr, has announced the appointment of LaTaya Hilliard-Gray as the department’s Deputy Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator/Deputy Title IX Coordinator. She will assist with the overall oversight of the Vikings Athletic Department, while also serving as the highest-ranking female in the department promoting meaningful representation of women in the leadership and management of ECSU Athletics.
“As we continue to build our team, I am excited to have LaTaya join the Viking family”, said DuBose. “She has an extensive background as an administrator and coach and will bring a wealth of knowledge to our department. Her ability to oversee community initiatives and student-athlete needs will benefit, not only Viking athletes, but the University as a whole”.
Hilliard-Gray most recently served as Associate Director of Athletics/SWA/Head Softball Coach at Winston-Salem State University, where she played a pivotal role in the leadership within the athletics department. Her day-to-day responsibilities included managing educational training for student-athlete & staff development, coordinating campus and community initiatives as well as servicing student-athletes as the campus housing & mental welfare liaison. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, LaTaya also served as the Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Athletics, Student-
Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Advisor and on numerous campus committees.
During her time at WSSU, LaTaya spear-headed numerous efforts within the department. One of the significant endeavors was the coordination of the department’s community service initiatives. Over the past decade, the WSSU Department of Athletics has completed over 2,000 hours of service within the Winston-Salem, North Carolina community each year. She has also led the implementation of Project M.A.C. (Mindful Alcohol Choices) initiative supported by the NCAA Choices Grant.
As a coach, she has established a championship culture at WSSU. The softball program secured five CIAA championships titles; 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2019. Under, LaTaya’s leadership, WSSU was the first CIAA softball program to enter NCAA Atlantic Region Playoffs as the #7 seed and won in the first round of play making history for the conference and university. She was named CIAA Softball Coach of The Year in 2004, 2011, and 2012. She also received NCAA Division I-Independent Coach of the Year in 2010 during WSSU’s D-I transition.
LaTaya was as intern with the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) where her career began. While with the CIAA, she gained valuable knowledge of conference management, ticket sales, and oversight of championship tournaments. She joined the Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletics as the assistant volleyball coach in 2000 before moving to the position of assistant softball coach in 2001. She moved into the role of head volleyball coach from 2003 to 2006 and she became head of the Rams softball program in the spring of 2003.
As a progressive athletic administrator, LaTaya has taken advantage of numerous educational opportunities. She is currently in the 2022 cohort of Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute and a 2016 graduate of the NCAA/Women Leaders in College Sports Institute for Advancement.
A 2000 graduate of Hampton University with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management. LaTaya was a 2-sport student-athlete, playing four years of volleyball as a scholarship recipient and one year of softball. She earned a Master of Science in Adult Education with a concentration in Human Resource Development from North Carolina A&T State University. She is a member of National Association of Academic and Student-athlete Development Professionals (N4A) Women Leaders in College Sports, Minority Opportunities for Athletic Administrators (MOAA)
