Coach Watson embarks on her 6th season at the collegiate level with the start of the 2022-2023 women's basketball campaign. In her first year, Coach Watson led the Bears to a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) regular season championship after winning 15 of her last 18 contests to earn a post-season spot.
Before Bloomfield, she had a storied 31-year career at the helm of her alma mater, Malcolm X Shabazz High School in Newark, N.J. where she retired in 2014 and then joined NCAA Division I, Delaware State University in 2015 as an assistant coach. With a record highlighted by 10 state championships, 6 Tournament of Champions titles and over 700 wins, Vanessa’s Hall of Fame coaching career made her one of the most successful and accomplished coaches in the history of women’s basketball in the state of New Jersey on the high school level.
Watson, posting an .869 (720-109) overall record while at Shabazz High School, is one of the most prestigious coaches in the history of the state. Over her final two seasons, Watson's teams went 66-2, and Shabazz did not drop a single game against a New Jersey opponent. Her championship pedigree includes six New Jersey Tournaments of Championship titles, 10 state championships, 18 state sectional championships, 17 Essex County championships and 16 conference crowns. She also sent several players to Division I programs, most notably Matee Ajavon (Rutgers), who is a nine-year WNBA veteran currently playing for the Atlanta Dream.
Notable accolades for Watson includes a New Jersey State Coach of the Year honor (2003), three Tri-State Coach of the Year awards (2003, 2004, 2013), Star-Ledger Coach of the Year recognition (2004), Northeast Regional Coach of the Year honoree (2004) and she garnered District Coach of the Year honors in 2006.
Watson has also manned the sidelines for numerous All-Star games, headlined by being selected for the 2015 Jordan Brand Classic All-American East squad. Also, she served as a coach for the USA Basketball 17 under and 18 under Trials Court squads. Watson participated with Nike during its Skills Academy and as a coach for its WBCA All-American Team.
Educationally, Watson received her bachelor’s degree in Health & Physical Education from Virginia State in 1980 and she earned her master’s degree from the University of Phoenix in Educational Administration & Supervision in 2007. As a player, Watson was the starting point guard for Virginia State as a senior, who went on to win the 1980 Central intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Tournament Championship.
