No Tears for Hampton's Jerica Jenkins in Fight With Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Hampton, VA - When doctors told Hampton point guard Jerica Jenkins that she had cancer, she cried for a long time that April day.

It's an understandable reaction, even more so for a high school freshman, which she was at the time of the diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

That day ended, and, so too did Jenkins' tears, as it's coming up on seven years since that day, and she hasn't wasted any water on her cancer.

"I was shocked," said Jenkins, a 5-foot-4 junior from Lancaster, Tex. "I didn't believe it. I was 14. I was like, 'There's no way I have cancer.' I just couldn't believe it. I cried right then. Then, I realized that I had to deal with it and move on."

LADY PIRATES TO CLOSE OUT SEASON AT HOWARD

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Hampton University women’s basketball team will close out the regular season at Burr Gymnasium on Thursday, when the Lady Pirates take on Howard at 6 p.m.

The Lady Pirates (21-6, 14-1 MEAC), in their second season under head coach David Six, won their ninth straight game on Saturday, beating Delaware State 77-64 at Memorial Hall. Junior guard Choicetta McMillian (Fairfield, Texas) led the Lady Pirates with 16 points, while sophomore forward Keiara Avant (Chesapeake, Va.) added 15 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Jericka Jenkins (Lancaster, Texas) added 13 points and 10 assists for her fourth double-double of the season.

Howard (13-16, 9-6 MEAC) had its three-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with a 53-50 loss at Maryland Eastern Shore. Sophomore forward Saadia Doyle led the Lady Bison with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore guard Tamoria Holmes added 12 points and sophomore guard Cheyenne Curley-Payne scored 10 points in the loss.

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That was quick: Hayes hires Mebane to replace Stokes at Winston-Salem State

Interim Lady Rams Basketball Coach, Walter Mebane

Less than 24 hours after he fired Dee Stokes for leading the Winston-Salem State Lady Rams basketball team to a disastrous 2-21 mark, Director of Athletics Bill Hayes hired Walter Mebane as interim head coach for the final seven games of 2009-10 season. Mebane served nearly a full season as a volunteer assistant coach with Bobby Collins, head coach of WSSU's men's hoops squad. Prior to that, he spent 11 seasons with the Lady Pirates of Hampton, including five as head coach. At the helm of Hampton, he compiled a 70-77 mark, including a 51-35 record in the MEAC that included a berth in the 2009 tournament championship game.

Rams name interim coach

Walter Mebane, a volunteer assistant for the Winston-Salem State men's basketball team, has been named the interim coach for the women's team. Mebane, 54, replaces Dee Stokes, who was fired Tuesday with seven games left in the season. Stokes had turned in her resignation in November but had planned on finishing the season. Before coming to WSSU. Mebane spent one month as an assistant for the N.C. State women's team. He also spent 11 years at Hampton, including five as the women's head coach. He had a 70-77 record with the Pirates. Bill Hayes, the athletics director at WSSU, said he has had nearly 50 applicants for the job and that he would like to have the women's coach hired soon after the season ends.

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Former Hampton coach comes home

Mebane returns to Carolina as N.C. State assistant

RALEIGH, N.C. -- In his fifth year at Hampton University, Walter Mebane led the Lady Pirates to the MEAC tournament final. Hampton lost to N.C. A&T and coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs, Mebane's former boss. For his accomplishment, he was abruptly released. Now Mebane, a Durham native, is back home after being hired as an assistant coach at N.C. State under new coach Kellie Harper. Mebane recently talk to The Tribune about his latest career move.

Tribune: Were you surprised by your dismissal?

Mebane: Very. We were coming off one of our better seasons in the conference and also we got to the championship game with three freshmen, a junior and a sophomore. We had made some steady progression the year before and now had a turnaround this year, so I thought we had the program moving in a positive direction. I felt we could get back to the championship again next year Unfortunately that didn't happen. But I try not to look back, and I firmly believe that God closes one door and opens up another, and I just pray that He doesn't keep me in the hallway.

From Archives: Cox 11 Interview with HU Lady Pirates basketball coach Walter Mebane and forward Chinyere Ukoh (11/10/08).


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