Bowie State University has selected its next coach for its women’s volleyball program. Learn more in the BSU release below.
Edric Poitier has been named the head coach of the Bowie State women’s volleyball program, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Clyde Doughty, Jr. announced Thursday morning. Poitier comes to Bowie State after spending the past season as the head coach at a private high school in Jacksonville, Fla., where he guided the program to a 19-7 overall record and a quarterfinal appearance in the Florida State District Championship.
“After an intensive search it is with great excitement that Coach Edric Poitier has accepted the position as the next head volleyball coach for Bowie State University,” said Doughty, Jr. “Coach Poitier brings a wealth of experience in the field of volleyball. He is a CIAA veteran and wholly understands what it takes to manage a quality program that will be competitive in the CIAA and NCAA.”
Prior to his high school tenure, Poitier did a one-year stint at Florida State College at Jacksonville in 2019, before serving as the head coach at Savannah State from 2016-2018; Bluefield State College (2013-2016) and Winston-Salem State (2010-2012).
“I would like to express sincere gratitude to VP for Athletics, Mr. Doughty, Jr. and President Dr. Breaux for the opportunity to lead the program at this time in its development,” said Poitier. “I look forward to trying to make the program a viable one within the conference.”
With over 23 years of experience coaching at the collegiate level, one of the most appealing factors about Poitier was that he is no stranger to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Conference. Poitier’s record of accomplishments emphasized on rebuilding programs as he started his head-coaching career with St. Augustine’s College (now St. Augustine University), posting a 113-34 record in five seasons at the helm. In his first year, he went 14-13 overall, including a 14-6 mark in conference play. The next four seasons (2000-2003), Poitier recorded 20-plus wins and a conference championship in each season. Poitier went 23-6, including a 19-2 mark in conference play, a conference title and CIAA Coach of the Year in 2000, followed up with a 22-7 overall record, including a perfect 21-0 conference record and CIAA Championship, first round appearance in the NCAA Regionals in 2001.
Poitier guided the Lady Falcons to a 29-3 overall record and 21-0 mark in CIAA action to go along with the program’s third-straight CIAA title while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Regionals in 2002. In his last season at the helm, St. Augustine’s posted a 25-5 overall record extending its win-streak to 63-straight wins over CIAA opponents (21-0), a CIAA championship and the 2003 CIAA Coach of the Year award. Overall, his five-year stint with the Lady Falcons, he compiled a 115-35 overall record and a 99-8 record. He is a three-time CIAA Coach of the Year and is still the only CIAA coach to ever win an NCAA Tournament First Round match.
The Nassau, Bahamas native coached the Bahamas National Women’s Team for nine years from 1992-99 and led the team to two gold medals and three silver medals at the Regional Caribbean Volleyball Championships and was the assistant coach from 1989-92. Poitier played on the Bahamas Men’s National Team as a setter for 13 years from 1979-92 and won the bronze medal at Commonwealth Volleyball Championship in London in 1981.
Poitier is a 2003 graduate of Saint Augustine’s College with a degree in Criminal Justice. He is married and the father of three children.
The Bowie State women’s volleyball program is slated to begin the 2022 campaign on Sept. 6 at Delaware State.
