Kiara Carter enters her first season as assistant coach with John Carroll Women's Basketball in the 2021-22 academic year.
Carter previously coached at Chicago's St. Xavier University, an NAIA institution in Chicago with an enrollment of 3,667. During her 2-year stint as an assistant, the Cougars excelled on the court. St. Xavier tallied a 29-4 record and punched a ticket to the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship before COVID-19 ended the 2019-20 season. In a protracted 2020-21 campaign, the Cougars notched a 17-4 record and clinched a spot in the NAIA postseason tournament. Carter led the way with the team's social media, player development, and day-to-day operations, also playing a significant role in recruiting. Four Cougar student-athletes earned NAIA All-American honors during Carter's tenure.
During her time in Chicago, Carter earned her Master's in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College. She graduated with a 3.9 GPA after writing her thesis on the importance of Black leadership in the realm of collegiate athletic programs.
Carter also coached an AAU Team, the Mac Irvin Lady Fire, which she played for during her high school days. She worked with the 15U and 17U teams, mentoring young players.
Prior to her coaching days, Carter attended and graduated from Michigan State with a bachelor's degree in Journalism, with a concentration in sports. Carter played on the women's basketball team at MSU from 2014-18, a varsity letter winner. The Spartans earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2016 and 2017, and a bid to the NIT in 2018. Carter was on the student-athlete honor roll, earning a 3.0 cumulative GPA.Â
