Career Highlights (as of March 14, 2024)
- 2024-25: Fourth season as head coach at Kennesaw State
- Records at KSU:
- 48-72 (.400) overall
- 31-25 home record
- Eighth head coach in KSU WBB history
- Fastest KSU DI WBB head coach to 30 wins
- Fastest KSU DI WBB head coach to 25 home wins
- 10 NCAA Division I Tournament Appearances (As student-athlete and coach)
- The FIRST WNBA Draft Pick in Miami (Fla.) women's basketball program history
- 1,724 points at Miami - 4th in program history at graduation
- Selected 15th overall in the 1998 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks
On Dec. 7, 2023, Octavia Blue signed a contract extension with Kennesaw State thru the 2026-27 season. Click
here for more info.
Blue's fourth season at the helm in 2024-25 saw the Owls' first season as a member of Conference USA. She coached All-CUSA First Team selection Prencis Harden to five CUSA Player of the Week honors as Harden (16) and the Owls (19) led the conference in double-doubles. Kennesaw State secured wins over Georgia State as well as road victories against Seattle and Chattanooga in the non-conference slate. KSU's victory over Seattle (64-41) marked the fewest points scored by SU in a non-conference home game since Dec. 2004. In CUSA play, the Black and Gold won seven league games and clinched the No. 7 overall seed in the 2025 Conference USA tourney. In the first round, KSU secured a victory over UTEP to advance to the quarterfinal round.
The 2023-24 campaign was filled with several milestones for the Blue Era and Kennesaw State women's basketball. The Miami alum became the fastest KSU WBB head coach to 30 Division I wins and 20 home wins and also led Kennesaw State to its first 3-0 and 4-0 starts to an Atlantic Sun schedule in program history. She also oversaw the longest ASUN regular season win streak of 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.
Year three was also highlighted by spectacular performances where 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.
In her second season during 2022-23, she led the Owls to a 15-16 record including a win over Jacksonville State in the Atlantic Sun tournament first round. Against conference foes, KSU went 10-8 and 9-4 inside the KSU Convocation Center. Her 24 wins in the first two seasons marked the second-most by a KSU women's basketball coach in their first two seasons at the helm in Owls' DI history.
KSU finished 9-19, including a 7-8 record at home in Blue's first season. The Owls set a program record by eclipsing the 100-point mark for the first time in a 100-31 victory over Thomas University in the season opener. Under Blue's guidance, Amani Johnson was named to the ASUN All-Conference Second Team, the ASUN All-Academic Team and was one of 12 student-athletes to receive the ASUN Winner for Life award.
Kennesaw State Director of Athletics
Milton Overton announced Octavia Blue as the next women's basketball head coach on April 29, 2021. Blue joined KSU after a successful nine-year run as an assistant coach for the University of Miami.
"I am pleased to welcome a rising star in the coaching industry, Octavia Blue, to lead our women's basketball program," said Overton. "I have been impressed with her values, ability to connect with student-athletes, and coaching acumen. Coach Blue shares our mission to 'build champions in the classroom, on the court, in the community and in life with academic integrity and excellence.' I am excited for Owl Nation to see the brand of basketball and program Coach Blue will build at Kennesaw State. Her experiences developing winning teams and individuals at Miami, Georgia Tech, and St. John's, combined with her impressive accolades as a former student-athlete, will be instrumental in leading our program to a championship level."
Coaching at her alma mater, Blue recently served as associate head coach for the 2020-21 season. She has been on staff with Miami women's basketball as an assistant coach since the 2012-13 season and has accumulated 14 seasons as a coach after her Hall-of-Fame playing career.
"I could not be more excited and honored to join the KSU family and be the next head coach of the women's basketball team," said Blue. "The opportunities for greatness this university provides on and off the court, along with its community support, makes Kennesaw State a really special place. I am eager to roll up my sleeves and get to work!"
Working primarily with post players, Blue has coached eight players to 10 total All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors at Miami, including six first-team accolades and two All-ACC Defensive Team honors. Notably, she worked closely with Beatrice Mompremier, who earned AP and WBCA All-America recognition in back-to-back seasons. Mompremier was a 2019 and 2020 finalist for the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award and was tabbed ACC Preseason Player of the Year ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.
Five players signed WNBA contracts during Blue's nine seasons at Miami, including Mompremier, who was selected 20th overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. In total, Blue has coached 14 Hurricanes that have gone on to play professionally.
Blue will bring considerable tournament experience to KSU. She has coached the Hurricanes to six NCAA Tournament appearances (2013, 2015-19), and a trip to the WNIT in 2014.
Blue holds not only a strong insight from the sidelines but has developed her total skillsets through symposiums and workshops. In 2019, Blue participated in the Women Leaders in College Sports/Next Up Program at the WBCA Convention and was also a member of the Next Chair Symposium. In 2017, she served as an assistant coaches' board member for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. That same year, she attended the Indiana Fever training camp.
"It has been an honor to serve as the lead for our women's basketball coaching search on behalf of AD Overton. KSU is a progressive and competitive R2 institution, with great leadership, community support and a winning spirit which has made this a nationally coveted position; evidenced by a talented, diverse pool of over 100 applicants," said Chief Operating Officer Tamica Smith Jones. "After engaging our key stakeholders, including our remarkable scholar-athletes, we determined the right fit would be a winner, elite recruiter and player developer whose passion for the game and our team would build both a caring and competitive culture. Coach Blue connected with our stakeholders and communicated a clear vision to advance our program toward winning at the next level. She shared her commitment to retain, recruit, hire, develop and empower a great team of people. Her enthusiasm and passion are infectious, and we hope it will bring campus, community and national excitement around our women's basketball program that it deserves."
Blue holds familiarity in the region after working three seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Georgia Tech. During her time in Atlanta, the Yellow Jackets posted three 20-plus win seasons, made three NCAA tournament appearances and reeled in two top-25 recruiting classes (No. 24 in 2011 and No. 13 in 2012).
She coached three All-ACC players and three WNBA Draft picks. Brigitte Ardossi was drafted by the Atlanta Dream in the second round in 2010, Alex Montgomery was taken in the first round by the New York Liberty in 2011 and Sasha Goodlett was picked in the first round in 2012 by the Indiana Fever.
Blue's first season as a Division I assistant coach was in 2008-09 at St. John's, where she helped the Red Storm advance to the WNIT. Under the guidance of Blue, Dashena Stevens was named the 2008-09 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year.
From 1994-98, Blue amassed 1,724 points as a Hurricane, placing her fourth in program history at the time, and still good for eighth. She shot a school record 45.3 percent from three-point range as a senior.
After her decorated collegiate career, she was selected No. 15 overall in 1998 by the Los Angeles Sparks, becoming Miami's first WNBA Draft pick.
Blue had an extensive professional career that lasted from 1998-2006, which included playing for two WNBA teams and international clubs in Greece, Israel, France, Turkey and Poland.
She returned to Miami to complete her degree in sociology/sport management in 2007 and was inducted into the UM Sports Hall of Fame and named an ACC Women's Basketball Legend in 2008. In 2016, Blue's No. 10 jersey became the fourth in program history raised to the rafters in Coral Gables, Fla.
Blue will be introduced to the KSU community at a press conference held on a later date.
What others are saying about Octavia Blue…
"Octavia Blue has left an incredible mark on the University of Miami women's basketball program both as a player and a coach. She will be deeply missed by our university community. She is a tremendous basketball coach who will keep her student-athletes at the heart of every decision she makes. I have no doubt Octavia will find continued success at KSU both on the court and in the community. She is prepared and ready for this next chapter. Kennesaw State made an exceptional hire in Octavia Blue." – Jennifer Strawley, Miami Deputy Director of Athletics/COO/SWA
"Octavia Blue is the perfect hire for Kennesaw State women's basketball. She is a tireless worker who always puts the team first. Her personality is infectious and her passion for an elite standard is unmatched. The future is extremely bright for Octavia and the Owls!" – Carolyn Kieger, Penn State women's basketball head coach
"I've known Octavia Blue for over a decade, and she has consistently been a person of integrity and an incredible leader. At Georgia Tech, I saw firsthand the relationships she nurtured with players, parents, and staff, and the trust she cultivated in establishing a winning culture. Her vast experiences as a former player, and track record for recruiting and developing top talent, make this a home run hire for a program on the rise at Kennesaw State." – LaChina Robinson, ESPN broadcaster
Collegiate Career Records
| School |
Season |
Record (Win %) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Student-Athlete |
1994-95 |
11-16 (.407) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Student-Athlete |
1995-96 |
14-13 (.519) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Student-Athlete |
1996-97 |
15-14 (.517) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Student-Athlete |
1997-98 |
19-10 (.655) |
| Los Angeles Sparks - Player |
1998 |
12-18 (.400)* |
| Houston Comets - Player |
2003 |
11-5 (.688)* |
| Houston Comets - Player |
2004 |
7-6 (.539)* |
| St. John's - Assistant Coach |
2008-09 |
20-15 (.571) |
| Georgia Tech - Assistant Coach |
2009-10 |
23-10 (.697) |
| Georgia Tech - Assistant Coach |
2010-11 |
24-11 (.686) |
| Georgia Tech - Assistant Coach |
2011-12 |
26-9 (.743) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Assistant Coach |
2012-13 |
21-11 (.656) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Assistant Coach |
2013-14 |
16-15 (.516) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Assistant Coach |
2014-15 |
20-13 (.606) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Assistant Coach |
2015-16 |
24-9 (.727) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Assistant Coach |
2016-17 |
24-9 (.727) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Assistant Coach |
2017-18 |
21-11 (.656) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Assistant Coach |
2018-19 |
25-9 (.735) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Assistant Coach |
2019-20 |
15-15 (.500) |
| Miami (Fla.) - Associate Head Coach |
2020-21 |
11-11 (.500) |
| Kennesaw State - Head Coach |
2021-22 |
9-19 (.360) |
| Kennesaw State - Head Coach |
2022-23 |
15-16 (.484) |
| Kennesaw State - Head Coach |
2023-24 |
11-19 (.367) |
| Kennesaw State - Head Coach |
2024-25 |
13-18 (.419) |
|
As a Student-Athlete/Player |
89-82 (.521) |
|
As an Assistant |
270-148 (.646) |
|
As Head Coach |
48-72 (.400) |
|
Coaching Record |
318-218 (.593) |
|
Overall Record |
408-302 (.575) |
* - WNBA records only reflect games played in
