Delaware State Does it Again Swings Big with Women's Basketball Hire

Delaware State University just did it again.

Less than four months ago, Athletic Director Tony Tucker made national headlines when he hired three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson to coach DSU football. Jackson delivered immediately - the Hornets went 8-4, led the entire FCS in rushing. Tucker then rewarded him with a contract extension through 2028.

Now Tucker is swinging big again, this time on the women’s basketball side.

Delaware State University announced Thursday that Khadijah Rushdan is the new head coach of the Hornets’ women’s basketball program. If you know Delaware basketball, you already know what this hire means. If you do not, you are about to find out - because this resume is something else.

Delaware State Is Becoming a Different Program

Consider what Tucker has built in a short time. First, he hired DeSean Jackson and watched him take a program that won two games in two years to an 8-4 record in year one. Now, he has brought in a WNBA Draft pick, a Delaware Hall of Famer, and someone who has already produced a WNBA Draft pick as a position coach.

Meanwhile, DSU President Tony Allen has committed $125 million to an athletic transformation initiative that includes a new indoor training facility, a revamped stadium, and a long-awaited convocation center. The money is real. The vision is real. The hires are real.

Simply put, Delaware State is not waiting anymore.

Mark Your Calendar

According to the Delaware State University press release, Coach Rushdan will be officially introduced on April 24, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET at Wild Quail Country Club, 1 Clubhouse Drive, Camden, DE 19934, during the closing ceremonies of DSU’s 2nd Annual Chairman’s Invitational Golf Tournament. Additionally, she will be available for one-on-one media interviews on site.

HBCU Gameday will be there.

Source: Delaware State University Office of Athletic Media Relations. Media contact: Tiana Cephers, (302) 857-6068, Tcephers@desu.edu

The post Delaware State Does it Again Swings Big with Women’s Basketball Hire appeared first on HBCU Gameday.

HBCU Gameday

This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 10:27 AM.