Arnika Edwards has spent over 25 years involved in sport as a two-sport student-athlete at Alabama A&M University, a prominent 15-year high school head basketball coach, a school district Director of Athletics, a collegiate Director of Administrative Support Services at Auburn University and the Director of Operations at the University of Dayton. 

During her 15-year span as head basketball coach, her high school teams reached the regional tournament nine times and the final four on four occasions. Arnika compiled a 266-89 record in route to being named Coach of the Year six times by various organizations. Throughout her high school coaching career Arnika coached 53 eventual scholarship student-athletes, including DeWanna Bonner, 3-time WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, currently with the Connecticut Sun.

As the Fairfield School District Athletic Director, she coordinated “The Complete Female-Athlete” symposium, spoke at various conferences and facilitated NCAA guidelines and rules seminars for college bound student-athletes. Arnika also taught math and physics at Fairfield High.

In both Director positions at Auburn and Dayton, Arnika managed all off-court aspects of the women’s basketball programs not limited to coordinating community outreach and sustainability programming. She served as the team liaison to academics, equipment, facilities, housing, the business office, event management, marketing, and athletics communications for the program. Understanding the value of student-athlete development, Arnika worked with the career services department assisting with career guidance and intern/career opportunities for student-athletes and student managers.

Arnika graduated Cum Laude from Alabama A&M University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and a minor in Physics. She earned her Master of Arts Degree in Mathematics Education from the University of Montevallo in 1996 and will receive an MBA from the University of Dayton in December of 2020.