Head Coaches Levelle Moton And Mike Tomlin Unveil Inaugural Next Up Coaches Conference

RALEIGH, NC – LeVelle Moton, Head Coach of North Carolina Central University Men’s Basketball, and Mike Tomlin, Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, announce the inaugural Next Up Coaches Conference taking place on Friday, May 31, 2024, at The Westin Hotel in Raleigh (3931 Macaw St, Raleigh, NC, 27617).

The Next Up Coaches Conference aims to help advance the careers of Black and minority coaches across the landscape of college basketball. This pioneering event connects up-and-coming Black and minority coaches with mentors and potential employers in NCAA coaching and administration. Coaches will have an opportunity to network, cultivate relationships, and interview with Athletic Directors and Search Firms from across the landscape of college basketball.

“The Next Up Coaches Conference represents a significant step towards addressing the underrepresentation of Black professionals in coaching roles,” said LeVelle Moton. “Our goal is to dismantle barriers to entry by fostering a supportive and inclusive community that empowers aspiring coaches to achieve their full potential.”

Moton and Tomlin are longtime friends who brainstormed the idea over a decade ago at Steelers training camp as they wondered how they could help young Black coaches develop and secure opportunities.

Moton, who attends Steelers training camp every year, and Tomlin decided they had to act to leave their mark and help the next generation of Black and minority coaches.

“It’s not only a moral obligation but a social responsibility to leave the game and our vocation better than we found it,” Tomlin said in a statement to ESPN.

According to the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida’s annual report, two years ago, 82% of all men’s and women’s basketball coaches at the Division I level were white.

Among the most notable coaching candidates expected to attend are LeVelle Moton (NCCU), Tomekia Reed (Charlotte 49ers), Ronnie Hamilton (Louisville), Kenny Blakeney (Howard), Levi Watkins (NC State), Tarrell Robinson (North Carolina A&T), and many more.

The admission fee for this event will be priced at $150. Participation must be confirmed by emailing Stephen Peoples at Speople5@nccu.edu. Links for conference payment registration, hotel registration links, as well as a finalized agenda will be sent. Event organizers ask that in the email, participants also include a brief biography as well as a headshot.