After a long and investigative search, Florida A&M has confirmed the hiring of Taylor High School product Shalon Pillow as the women’s basketball head coach.
Pillow is a native of Addyston, Ohio, and former player under Hall of Famer Pat Summitt at Tennessee. Summitt recruited Pillow out of Taylor after winning the seventh of her eight NCAA championships at Cincinnati’s then-Riverfront Coliseum. Pillow was a Nike and Parade All-American, averaging 22.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.1 blocks and 3 steals as a 6-foot-3 senior center. She was also one of USA Today’s top 20 scholastic players and a Naismith Award finalist.
At Tennessee, Pillow played with legends Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamika Catchings and briefly with Mason’s Michelle Munoz, who later transferred to Ohio State. Pillow played in 108 career games with the Lady Vols, including four consecutive NCAA appearances and two Final Fours.
She spent the past five seasons as an assistant on the bench of fellow Hall of Famer Rick Insell at Middle Tennessee State. Prior to Middle Tennessee, she was on the University of Kentucky staff helping the Lady Wildcats to five NCAA appearances and three Elite Eight showings. Pillow also coached at Hofstra and South Florida, as well as her prep alma mater Taylor after her playing career.