Collen Announces Cummings as First Hire to WBB Coaching Staff
5/12/2021 12:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Collen reunites with Cummings after previous stint in Arkansas
WACO, Texas - Baylor Women's Basketball Head Coach Nicki Collen announced Wednesday that Tari Cummings will join the staff as an assistant coach. Cummings leaves her head-coaching post at Arkansas-Fort Smith to join Baylor and was previously a college assistant at Cincinnati, Houston, Arkansas, Tulsa and UAFS.
Wednesday's announcement marks the second-consecutive day that Collen has announced a staff member after retaining Director of Athletic Performance, Jeremy Heffner, Tuesday. Cummings and Collen are reunited after coaching together for three seasons at Arkansas under head coach Tom Collen.
"I am thrilled to welcome Tari to Baylor. I have had the pleasure of working alongside Tari at Arkansas and know how well she recruits, connects with players, and teaches the game," Collen said. "We have a shared vision of how to lead and serve at Baylor, and I am excited for the Waco community to get to know her and her daughter Tiya."
Prior to a three-year head-coaching stint at UAFS, Cummings was an assistant at Tulsa for the 2017-18 season, she spent six seasons at Arkansas from 2011-2017, two at Houston from 2009-11, two at Cincinnati from 2007-09 and four seasons at UAFS as an assistant from 2003-07.
All in all, Cummings has been in the coaching profession at the college level for 16 seasons. Her Arkansas teams reached the NCAA Tournament Second Round twice and Houston reached the NCAA Tournament in 2011. At Arkansas and Houston, she was the recruiting coordinator for the respective programs, and four times at Arkansas Cummings signed espnW Hoopgurlz Top 100 recruits.
"I want to thank Coach Collen for giving me this great opportunity to be a part of such a prominent program that is so rich in tradition and success," Cummings said. "I look forward to being back side-by-side with her as we strive to continue to build on the success of Baylor women's basketball."
Cummings played two seasons at UAFS when the program was a two-year school, finishing with 1,262 career points in two seasons, and she was named an All-American in 1999 by the NJCAA. She transferred to Oklahoma State where she was an All-Big 12 performer for the 2001-02 season, averaging 13.1 points per game and led the Cowgirls in rebounding at 6.9 per contest.
She earned an associate's degree at UAFS in 1999 before graduating from Oklahoma State in 2003 with a degree in sociology. Cummings has a daughter, Tiya.
Playing Career
Education
Wednesday's announcement marks the second-consecutive day that Collen has announced a staff member after retaining Director of Athletic Performance, Jeremy Heffner, Tuesday. Cummings and Collen are reunited after coaching together for three seasons at Arkansas under head coach Tom Collen.
"I am thrilled to welcome Tari to Baylor. I have had the pleasure of working alongside Tari at Arkansas and know how well she recruits, connects with players, and teaches the game," Collen said. "We have a shared vision of how to lead and serve at Baylor, and I am excited for the Waco community to get to know her and her daughter Tiya."
Prior to a three-year head-coaching stint at UAFS, Cummings was an assistant at Tulsa for the 2017-18 season, she spent six seasons at Arkansas from 2011-2017, two at Houston from 2009-11, two at Cincinnati from 2007-09 and four seasons at UAFS as an assistant from 2003-07.
All in all, Cummings has been in the coaching profession at the college level for 16 seasons. Her Arkansas teams reached the NCAA Tournament Second Round twice and Houston reached the NCAA Tournament in 2011. At Arkansas and Houston, she was the recruiting coordinator for the respective programs, and four times at Arkansas Cummings signed espnW Hoopgurlz Top 100 recruits.
"I want to thank Coach Collen for giving me this great opportunity to be a part of such a prominent program that is so rich in tradition and success," Cummings said. "I look forward to being back side-by-side with her as we strive to continue to build on the success of Baylor women's basketball."
Cummings played two seasons at UAFS when the program was a two-year school, finishing with 1,262 career points in two seasons, and she was named an All-American in 1999 by the NJCAA. She transferred to Oklahoma State where she was an All-Big 12 performer for the 2001-02 season, averaging 13.1 points per game and led the Cowgirls in rebounding at 6.9 per contest.
She earned an associate's degree at UAFS in 1999 before graduating from Oklahoma State in 2003 with a degree in sociology. Cummings has a daughter, Tiya.
Tari Cummings File
Coaching Career| Years | Title | Institution |
| 2021-present | Assistant Coach | Baylor |
| 2018-2021 | Head Coach | Arkansas-Fort Smith |
| 2017-2018 | Assistant Coach | Tulsa |
| 2011-2017 | Assistant Coach – Recruiting Coordinator | Arkansas |
| 2009-2011 | Assistant Coach – Recruiting Coordinator | Houston |
| 2007-2009 | Assistant Coach - Recruiting Coordinator | Cincinnati |
| 2003-2007 | Assistant Coach - Recruiting Coordinator | UAFS |
Playing Career
| Years | Institution | Notes |
| 1997-1999 | Arkansas-Fort Smith | NJCAA All-American |
| 2000-2002 | Oklahoma State | 2002 All-Big 12 |
Education
| 2003 | Bachelor's Degree – Oklahoma State |
| 1999 | Associate's Degree – Arkansas-Fort Smith |
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