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Erica Leak

Erica Leak

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics, Chris Robinson, announced Thursday that Erica Leak has been named the new head women’s basketball coach. The 2005 WNBA Draftee begins her era with Golden Lions Women’s Basketball as the program’s 10th head coach.

With Leak being drafted at the highest level of women’s basketball (WNBA) and receiving multiple opportunities to coach at the collegiate level, Coach Leak felt that the timing was right to begin her next chapter at UAPB.

Prior to joining the Golden Lions, Coach Leak led the West Memphis High School Blue Devils to the state finals for the first time since 2003, earning the title of Arkansas High School Coach of the Year in 2023. She spent four years at the helm of the 5A East powerhouse program.

During her West Memphis tenure, Leak’s team became a four-time State Qualifier, a 5A State Runner-Up, and reached the 5A State Finals for the first time in 20 years.
She began her coaching career at Forrest City High School, where she dramatically increased the program’s win percentage by 1,000% over four years. Leak has also played a pivotal role in developing several players who advanced to compete at the Division I and Division II levels.

A native of Arkansas, Leak is highly respected among college coaches and brings a wealth of knowledge, elite basketball experience, and extensive connections across the junior college landscape and elite AAU circuits. She has also directed and led camps with the Jr. NBA, Ja Morant, and Mike Conley.

“I am thrilled to welcome Coach Leak and her family to Golden Lions Nation,” said Robinson. “She rose to the top of an incredibly strong group of candidates and is uniquely poised to lead our program forward. Her dynamic personality and extremely high-level basketball intelligence will enable her to come in and make an immediate impact. Most importantly, she truly cares about the student-athlete experience and will inspire our women to achieve greatness on and off the court.”

A standout 2005 graduate of Louisiana Tech University, Leak was a four-time Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Champion, WAC Freshman of the Year, and a four-time NCAA Tournament participant. She was drafted 19th overall in the 2005 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics.

In recognition of her outstanding athletic career and lasting impact on basketball in the state of Arkansas, Coach Leak was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026.

"I am grateful to Athletic Director Chris Robinson and Chancellor Laurence Alexander for entrusting me with the responsibility of leading the Golden Lion program. I am excited to bring my competitive edge, energy, and winning spirit to this team and strive for success both on and off the court with my players for many years to come."
During her time at Palestine-Wheatley High School, Leak enjoyed an exceptional basketball career:
  • 2001 Gatorade Player of the Year
  • Parade All-American
  • MVP of the 2001 Arkansas State All-Star Game
  • 2001 Arkansas State Champion
  • Member of the 2000 USA U19 Qualifying Olympic Team, coached by Geno Auriemma
Leak was born and raised in Wheatley, Arkansas. Her family has a long history of Division I athletic excellence, including her brother Jason Smith (Ole Miss) and her nephew Carl Baker (Arkansas), as well as her sister Angela Gardner. Additionally, four of her siblings are graduates of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, deepening her personal connection to the institution.

"First, I must express my gratitude to my parents, Hurley and Dorothy Smith, for instilling in me the importance of family values. My siblings have been a great source of support for me, both as a player and a coach, and I am grateful for their unwavering encouragement. My family has always emphasized the significance of Arkansas to me, and I carry that sentiment with me wherever I go. I have deep roots in Arkansas, and I'm eager to leverage my network here."

Leak earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Louisiana Tech University in 2005 and her Master of Arts in Athletic Administration from Concordia University in 2023. She is happily married to her husband, Antonio, and is the proud mother of five children: daughters Nia, Tyra, Laila, Demi, and son Jace