UNCP Athletics

A 12-year coaching veteran, Kendra Samuels-Eaton was named the 10th head women's basketball coach on March 18, 2024. 

In her debut season, Samuels-Eaton helped lead the Braves to a 22-9 record, including a 15-5 clip in Conference Carolinas play, while also guiding the Black & Gold to its third-consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. The Braves saw three players named All-Conference Carolinas, while four earned Academic All-District honors. The 2024-25 squad ranked in the top three in Conference Carolinas in five categories, while Stella Mollica led the league in assists per game and Kelci Adams ranked first in both defensive rebounds per game and three pointers made per game.

Samuels-Eaton returned to Pembroke after serving as the associate head coach at her alma mater, Western Carolina, for the last two seasons. Before returning to Western Carolina, she spent four seasons on the coaching staff at UNC Pembroke, serving as the assistant coach for three seasons before being named the associate head coach in 2020. 

Prior to joining the Eagles’ staff at North Carolina Central, Samuels-Eaton spent one year as the coordinator of basketball operations at Wake Forest. In this capacity, she handled the day-to-day operations of the team, including coordinating team travel, supervising non-coaching personnel, arranging community service activities and assisting with on-campus recruiting. She also helped develop content for the Wake Forest women’s basketball recruiting website.
 
Samuels-Eaton previously served two years in the academic support office at her alma mater Western Carolina and worked as an intern in the women’s basketball office at the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the summer of 2009 working under Nora Lynn Finch. While there, she helped facilitate the officiating camp and assisted with the ACC Tournament.

Samuels-Eaton earned her bachelor’s degree in sport management with a concentration in athletic administration and professional sport with a minor in marketing and coaching from Western Carolina in 2009. She was a four-year letterwinner for the Catamounts’ women’s basketball squad and became the 22nd member of the 500-point club. She appeared in 117 games over four years and wrapped up her career with 721 points and 524 rebounds. In her senior season, Samuels-Eaton led the Catamounts to a SoCon Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth.
 
Samuels-Eaton earned a master’s degree in physical education and sport science from Central Missouri in 2011, where she specialized in athletics and sport business administration. She received her doctoral degree at East Tennessee State in Global Sport Leadership in May 2024. 

A Winston-Salem, North Carolina native, Samuels-Eaton tallied over 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds at Mount Tabor High School, where she was named the Metro 4A Player of the Year as a senior. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Inc., Pi Gamma Chapter. Eaton attended the 2014 NCAA Women’s Coaches Academy in Denver, Colorado and most recently was invited and attended the 2017 NCAA/Women’s Leaders in College Sports Women’s Leadership Symposium.
 



"Kendra has earned a solid pedigree in a short period of time and has left a trail of goodwill and respect everywhere she has been. Kendra was a student intern on my women’s basketball staff at the ACC where she showed great promise for athletic leadership. At Western Carolina, her vibrant personality and administrative qualities strengthened the Catamount program. Despite significant player injuries this past season, Kendra’s impact was evident in player development and teamwork. The UNC Pembroke women’s basketball program was enhanced by Kendra’s leadership. Having earned her doctoral degree, Kendra had a choice to continue in her passion of college athletics and coaching, and she has returned to UNCP finish what she helped start just a few years ago. The student-athletes at UNC Pembroke will thrive under her leadership and coaching skills."
"Kendra Eaton is a fantastic basketball coach and a wonderful person. She truly cares about her players and is a great role model for them. Her competitiveness and passion for the game is inspiring. I am so excited to watch Kendra Eaton lead with genuine compassion and intensity as the head coach at UNCP."

Season	Team	Overall	Pct.	Conference	Pct.	Conf Finish	Postseason
UNC Pembroke Braves (Conference Carolinas)
2024-25	UNC Pembroke	22-9	.709	15-5	.750	4th	NCAA Southeast Regional
Total		22-9	.709	15-5	.750

Updated: June 2025