University of Dayton Athletics

Arnika Edwards came to the Flyers in October 2013 as the Director of Basketball Operations after being a member of the Auburn University 2009 Southeastern Conference Regular Season Championship Women’s Basketball staff.

For the Flyers, Edwards is the coordinator for all travel details for the team. As a liaison, she relays information in between the marketing department and the team. Edwards is in charge of organizing the basketball camp in its entirety from the beginning until the end. It is important for the team to work in various projects with the community over the year, and Edwards takes the responsibility of organizing different community service opportunities for them. 

For five years with Auburn she served as the Director of Administrative Support Services. Her duties included administrative and operational tasks, including academics, alumni relations and community service. She also assisted with the Tiger radio broadcasts as the analyst.  
 
Prior to Auburn, she spent 15 years at Fairfield High School where she served in various capacities including athletics director, head basketball coach, and mathematics and physics teacher. She coordinated "The Complete Female Athlete" symposium, spoke at various conferences and was the facilitator for the NCAA Guidelines and Compliance Seminar for college-bound athletes.
 
Edwards is considered by her peers as being one of the top High School Women’s Basketball Coaches in the state of Alabama. During her coaching tenure at Fairfield her teams reached the regional tournament nine times and made the Final Four on four occasions. During her span as head basketball coach, Edwards compiled a 266-89 record en route to being named Coach of the Year six times by various organizations.
 
Throughout her 14-year coaching career Edwards coached 23 athletic scholarship players, including three former Auburn Tigers: Tiffany Presley – Auburn Guard (2000-2004), Carol Smith- Auburn Guard (2000-02) who was also the 2000 National Junior College Player of the Year/Kodak All-American,  and DeWanna Bonner – Auburn Forward 2005 – 2009. DeWanna was also the 1^st Female Alabamian McDonald’s All-American (2005), 2009 SEC Player of the Year, 2009 State Farm All American, 5^th pick in the WNBA draft (Phoenix Mercury), 3-time WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year (2009, 2010, 2011).
 
Edwards graduated Cum Laude from Alabama A&M University in 1991 with a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and a minor in physics. She earned her master of arts degree in mathematics education from the University of Montevallo in 1996.
 
Edwards was a two-sport athlete while attending Alabama A&M where she played basketball and volleyball. She was a member of the four-time SIAC Championship Volleyball Teams from 1987-1991 as a setter.
 
Edwards a native of Columbus, Ohio and Detroit, Mich.,  serves on the board of several non-profit organizations and is a member of the service organization Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is married to Ronald Edwards and has a daughter, Chanel who is a senior at the University of Alabama.