Polk Steps Down as Women's Basketball Coach, Takes Over New Position

Donna Polk is taking over as Bowie State’s associate athletic director for compliance and giving up her job as the women’s basketball coach, the school announced on Thursday.

Polk had coached the Bulldogs for three years, posting a record of 55-29. They went 18-10 this past season. Assistant coach Renard Smith was named interim head coach and a search will start to fill Polk’s job.

The school hopes to have a new coach in place by July 1.

“The change had nothing to do with wins and losses, but we simply needed more help administratively,” said Bowie State athletic director Anton Goff in a statement on Thursday. “I strongly feel Ms. Polk will better assist me with the goals of this department such as fund-raising, upgrading facilities and other administrative needs.”

Polk also had been the head coach at Columbia Union College—where she played in college—and at Bowie High School. She came to Bowie State in October, 2005 as the associate athletic director for operations before taking over as the head basketball coach before the 2008-2009 season. As for Smith, this was his first season with the team, and it’s not known where he would fit in during the search for a new coach, but he’s done the job before. Smith came to Bowie State before this past season after a very successful run at Baltimore City Community College.      

Smith was one of the MDJUCO conference’s most successful coaches while at Baltimore City. He was picked as the 2010 Coach of the Year after winning both the MDJUCO Conference  crown plus the NJCAA Region XX championship as Baltimore City finished with a 27-0 record—ranked 16th in the nation.

Aaron Kinchen was Bowie State’s other assistant coach this past season.

Bowie State’s season ended with a tough 69-64 loss to Johnson C. Smith in the CIAA tournament semifinals. The Bulldogs had an 11-point lead early in the second half but couldn’t hold it as Johnson C. Smith came back to score 42 points in the second half.