Nola Carter begins her first season as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Sacred Heart University women’s basketball team in 2025-26.
Carter comes to Fairfield after spending the last four years coaching at Saint Leo University. As an assistant coach with the Lions, Carter helped numerous players reach career milestones and helped the program make the Sunshine State Conference Championship Tournament twice. She was nominated for Coach of the Year among Saint Leo athletes and staff in 2023-2024.
After an outstanding collegiate career, Carter entered the coaching ranks. The Jacksonville, Fla., native was a four-year player at Division II Fort Valley State, finishing her career with 1,084 points and was named Second Team All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as a senior. Carter is a natural fit for coaching, as she was a four-time captain with the Wildcats.
Prior to college, Carter owned an esteemed high school career at Jean Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Fla., where she won three state championships and one national championship. She was chosen as the Most Improved Player at the Dick’s National Championship and was a three-year captain.
Carter graduated from Fort Valley State with a Biology (Health Sciences) degree, while minoring in Nuclear Engineering. While coaching with the Lions, she earned an MBA in Sport Business. She assists in a mentorship program, Relationships, Athletics, Academics, & Wellness, where she helps teach high schoolers about what the college life really looks like as an athlete & non athlete.
Carter is very close with her family, the daughter of mom Pamelia Bailey and fathers Gary Carter and Charles Showers. With siblings Naya, Shun, Kendall, Collin and Charnise.
