ATLANTA – Georgia State women's basketball announced two additions to the 2026-27 coaching staff on Monday afternoon, as announced by head coach Marcilina Grayer.
Grayer and the Panthers welcome Necole Sterling and Karina "KB" Brandon as assistant coaches on Grayer's inaugural staff. Sterling will serve as the recruiting coordinator, while Karina will serve as an assistant coach.
Necole Sterling, Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Necole Sterling joined the Georgia State women's basketball program in May 2026 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
"Nicole Sterling is an exceptional addition to our program at Georgia State," head coach Grayer said. "Her ability to build meaningful relationships, evaluate talent and lead our recruiting efforts at a high level will be instrumental in elevating our program, as she brings a relentless work ethic, great basketball IQ and a genuine passion for developing student-athletes both on and off the court."
Sterling most recently served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at LIU Brooklyn, where she helped engineer a 15-win improvement while mentoring multiple all-conference selections, including a Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.
Prior to LIU, she spent two seasons at Winthrop, contributing to the program's first winning season in a decade. She began her coaching career at Northwest Florida State College, where she helped guide the program to the 2023 NJCAA National Championship while working with multiple All-Americans.
The Los Angeles, California native graduated from the University of Miami (FL) with a bachelor's in liberal arts in 2015. Prior to being a Hurricane, Sterling spent her first two years of college at Gulf Coast State College.
Karina Brandon, Assistant Coach
Karina Brandon joined the Georgia State women's basketball staff in May 2026 as an assistant coach.
"Karina Brandon has been an integral part of my journey, and I'm thrilled to have her join me at Georgia State University," head coach Grayer said. "She is someone I trust completely, and her work ethic, loyalty and commitment to student-athlete development are unmatched, while her understanding of my vision and the standard we're building will play a key role in helping us bring that to life."
Brandon spent four seasons on the coaching staff at Salt Lake Community College, helping guide the program to success, including a SWAC regular season championship in 2023–24 and a Region 18 championship game appearance. During her tenure, she also helped develop six student-athletes who advanced to four-year programs.
She originally returned to SLCC in 2022 as an assistant coach under Grayer, following a two-year playing career under her leadership.
Brandon concluded her collegiate playing career at Colorado Mesa University (2017–19), where she started 59 games and averaged 6.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
As a player at SLCC, Brandon helped lead the Bruins to a 31–3 record and an NJCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2016, followed by a 30–6 season and NJCAA Final Four run in 2017. The program also captured a SWAC regular season championship in both of her seasons.
A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Brandon was a standout at Centennial High School, where she helped lead her team to the 4A state championship and earned Northwest MVP honors as a senior. She earned her master's in sports management from Colorado Mesa in 2020.
