Assata Conway

Assata Conway is an educator, coach, and leader whose commitment to excellence has defined every stage of her journey. A standout volleyball student-athlete at Howard University, Conway served as a three-year team captain while earning Academic All-Conference honors and establishing herself as one of the premier players in program history. Her collegiate accomplishments include two First Team All-Conference selections, the 2014 Howard University Most Valuable Player award, and Sugar Bowl All-State Team MVP honors. In 2020, she was named one of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s (MEAC) Top 50 Volleyball Players of All Time.

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Following her playing career, Conway transitioned into coaching, where she continued to make history. As Head Volleyball Coach at Mississippi Valley State University, she led one of the nation’s youngest programs through a remarkable turnaround, increasing the roster from eight to nineteen student-athletes while guiding the Devilettes to their first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) home victory in 15 years and the program’s best conference finish in more than a decade. Her leadership earned her a nomination for SWAC Coach of the Year, and she was later featured in ESSENCE magazine for her impact as a rising leader in collegiate athletics.

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Today, Conway has carried the lessons of athletics into education, serving as an instructional leadership coach with Great Minds. She partners with school systems across Texas to strengthen mathematics instruction, develop school leaders, and improve outcomes for students through high-quality curriculum implementation. Throughout her career as a teacher, assistant principal, curriculum developer, and executive coach, she has remained committed to developing others and creating lasting impact.

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Conway credits her family, coaches, teammates, mentors, and the Howard University community for helping shape the leader she is today. She is deeply honored to be inducted into the Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame and proudly celebrates this recognition alongside everyone who has been part of her journey.