UNC Charlotte women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed has revealed the terrifying details behind her sudden, unexplained leave of absence this spring — a medical crisis so severe that her stomach swelled to the size of a volleyball, her digestive system shut down, and doctors performed four major surgeries over four consecutive days as her organs began to fail.
A Crisis That Came Out of Nowhere
Reed disclosed on August 5 that she went to the emergency room after her condition suddenly deteriorated, according to Sports Illustrated. “It all just came out of nowhere,” Reed said, describing a digestive issue that spiraled into kidney failure and both of her lungs collapsing. She had dealt with stomach issues dating back to 2016, but nothing prepared her or her family for what followed once she was admitted.
During her initial intake before being intubated and placed on a ventilator, Reed said she repeatedly pleaded with medical staff, saying, “Please don't let me die, don't let me die,” by her own account more than 150 times. She was soon placed in a medically induced coma. Doctors told her family they did not think she would survive, and Reed has said she was told doctors thought they were going to lose her during her third surgery, according to The Charlotte Post.
Located Through a Cousin's Frantic Calls
Reed was located by her cousin, who tracked her down by calling several hospitals after losing contact with her. Once she reached the hospital, Reed called her coaches and her cousin to let them know what was happening. She ultimately spent nearly two months in intensive care and took three months of medical leave in total, relying on her faith throughout the ordeal, per the same account.
UNC Charlotte Athletics Director Kevin White officially announced Reed's indefinite medical leave on April 2, asking for privacy on her behalf while naming associate head coach LaShonda Cousin as interim leader, according to Charlotte Athletics. The department did not disclose the nature of Reed's condition at the time, and its severity remained confidential for months.
Chancellor Stepped In to Protect Her Privacy
UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon Gaber personally contacted the hospital's highest administration to protect Reed's privacy and ensure care for her family during the hospitalization, the Charlotte Post reports. Gaber had also been instrumental in recruiting Reed to Charlotte back in 2024.
Cousin, who has been with Reed for nine years dating back to her time as a graduate assistant and full-time assistant at Jackson State, led the program's recruiting and summer workouts while Reed was away. Cousin transitioned with Reed to Charlotte in May 2024 and was later recognized as one of the nation's top mid-major assistant coaches by Silver Waves Media in both 2022 and 2023, per HBCU Gameday.
A Coaching Résumé Built at Jackson State
UNC Charlotte hired Reed as its ninth head women's basketball coach on April 25, 2024, offering a contract that more than doubled her prior salary at Jackson State University, where she had been pursued by multiple programs including Tennessee and Tulane before signing with Charlotte, HBCU Gameday reported at the time. Across six seasons at Jackson State from 2018 to 2024, Reed compiled a 125-54 overall record and a 95-10 conference mark, winning five consecutive SWAC regular-season titles and four SWAC Coach of the Year awards, according to Sports Illustrated's account of her history.
Over her final five seasons at Jackson State, Reed's program posted a 95.4% conference winning percentage — the fourth-highest mark in NCAA Division I women's basketball, trailing only UConn, South Carolina, and Florida Gulf Coast. Jackson State went undefeated in conference play in both 2022 and 2024. Colorado football coach Deion Sanders, who coached alongside Reed at Jackson State from 2021 to 2023 and whose daughter Shelomi played basketball under her, publicly extended prayers and support after Charlotte announced her leave, according to Athlon Sports.
Rejoining a Team on the Rise
In her second season at Charlotte in 2025-26, Reed's 49ers ranked fifth nationally in offensive rebounding at 17 per game and led the American Athletic Conference with a plus-7.44 rebounding margin, doubling the team's conference win total from her first season, per Charlotte Athletics. It was against that backdrop of momentum that her health crisis struck.
Reed returned to work on July 14 and called every player individually when she felt ready to rejoin the team. Charlotte's players have praised the coaching staff's work during her absence and expressed excitement about her return. Reed posted a video this month describing part of her health journey and announced the team's new season slogan: “It's personal.”
