Kennesaw State University Athletics

Malikah Willis enters her third campaign with Kennesaw State in 2024-25 as an assistant coach under head coach Octavia Blue. Willis joined the Owls as an assistant coach after over 20 years in the coaching profession.

Her second season with the Owls in 2023-24 was filled with several milestones for Kennesaw State women's basketball. Kennesaw State achieved its first 3-0 and 4-0 starts to an Atlantic Sun schedule in program history. The squad also set a program record for an ASUN regular season win streak at six-straight games. The Owls achieved their most weekly ASUN honors since 2014-15 and the second-most ASUN Freshman of the Week awards in program history. KSU led the conference in double-doubles and offensive rebounds per game.

Prencis Harden led the conference with 10 double-doubles, Carly Hooks had the most 30-point games and Kundall Golden's 49 blocks now only set the KSU DI single-season record, it led the ASUN and was 59th in the country at the conclusion of the season. 2023-24 featured the best rebounding defense in KSU single-season history (since 1983-84), the third-best rebounding margin in KSU DI history and the fourth-best scoring defense in KSU DI history. The Owls' 85-75 win at Bellarmine was the most points scored by KSU in a road ASUN victory since Feb. 18, 2006. Their 31-point win at Queens to end the regular season tied the largest margin of victory in Atlantic Sun action in Kennesaw State history, tying the mark set on Feb. 4, 2008.
 
A highly-touted recruiter, Willis has helped compile seven top-25 recruiting classes, including four while at West Virginia and three at Georgia Tech.

She has signed two McDonald's All-Americans and coached 16 student-athletes to all-conference honors during her time in the Big East, Big 12, ACC and the SEC. In addition, Willis has coached five WNBA draft picks.
 
"I am incredibly excited to add Malikah to our KSU family," said Blue. "She is a veteran coach who brings both knowledge and experience to the Nest having coached at all levels throughout her career. A proven recruiter locally and internationally, she has the ability develop student-athletes both on-and-off the court. Malikah is a tremendous asset to our program."
 
Most recently, Willis spent the 2021-22 season at Mississippi State as an assistant coach. She coached a pair of All-SEC selections for the Bulldogs while also serving as the team's recruiting coordinator and manager of player development.
 
Her time at MSU followed stints as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan (2020-21), Texas Tech (2019-20), College of Charleston (2017-19), Georgia Tech (2013-17), West Virginia (2009-13), Elizabeth City State (2004-07), Cheyney University (2003-04), Chicago State (2002-03), and her first coaching job at Illinois-Chicago (2001-02). She served in several different roles at her previous stops, including the lead recruiter positions at the majority of her schools.

During her time at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets reached the NCAA tournament once, as well as earning three postseason WNIT appearances, including one championship game appearance. West Virginia played in the NCAA tournament all four years with Willis on the staff, which saw the Mountaineers win a school-record 29 games in 2009-10.
  
A four-year letterwinner at Iowa, she helped the Hawkeyes to a pair of Big Ten titles in 1994-95 and 1995-96. Willis graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in arts, media studies and African American world studies. She played two seasons professionally, both overseas in Poland (1998-99) and Finland (1999) as well as a season in Sao Paulo, Brazil (2000).