PARIS — When the Olympic athletes march into the stadium in Paris today, the head coach of the Alabama A&M men’s basketball team will be on hand – for Senegal.

Bulldogs head coach Otis Hughley Jr. has been named the head coach of the Senegal Women’s Basketball National Team.

“This is an outstanding honor and I am absolutely excited to be selected to take over as the women’s national team head coach,” Hughley said. “This position will not interfere with the duties I have at Alabama A&M University. In fact, this will be helpful as we expand our brand globally.”

Hughley became the 10th head coach at Alabama A&M in 2022 and has guided the Bulldogs to the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Men’s Basketball Tournament in back-to-back seasons, while compiling a 27-41 overall record and a 19-17 conference mark.

During the 2023-24 campaign, Hughley coached Chad Moodie, who received the SWAC Freshman of the Year honor and guided the program to the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Alabama A&M defeated Austin Peay in the CIT quarterfinals, giving the Bulldogs their first postseason tournament win in 19 years. AAMU advanced to the semifinals, falling to eventual tourney champs, Norfolk State.

Hughley, who has worked with the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors as an assistant coach, is no stranger to the international stage on the men and women’s side, having served more than a decade with the NBA’s China Program.