Following her departure from Jackson State to become head coach of the Charlotte Lady 49ers, Tomekia Reed posted an open letter to the Jackson State community on her Instagram account. Reed, who coached at Jackson State for six seasons, thanked the Jackson State community for their support.

Her letter read:

“Coaches dream of the opportunity to lead their hometown team. It's not lost on me all that I've gained and what Jackson State University has given me over the last 6 years. Having been the Tigers head coach has been a great honor and I'll forever cherish the extended family members, friends, and fans that have shared their lives and passion for the program with me. I will never take those experiences and relationships for granted. There have been a lot of amazing things we have accomplished here at JSU. When I took the job, I said I wanted to do what had never been done and establish national prominence for the program. We did both and then some. We have so much to be proud of. Through our successes, we have garnered a lot of support over the years. It is my expectation that the fans and JSU community continue to support the next coach and that we keep women's basketball Thee Standard and stay on top. Thank you for everything AD Robinson, you're a shining star and I greatly appreciate you! This is not a goodbye, this is a ‘see you later. I will forever love my HBCU and promise to give back as much as I can.”

Reed started at Jackson State in 2018 following three prosperous seasons at Hinds Community College. During her tenure, Jackson State has thrived, making three NCAA Tournament appearances in 2021, 2022, and 2024, along with securing multiple SWAC Championships.

Interestingly, Reed attracted attention from other programs while at Jackson State. In 2022, HBCU Gameday disclosed that Reed was interviewed for available positions and received an offer from a Power Five program. However, she declined the offer to stay with Jackson State.

“I had several interviews with some Power Five institutions. I mean, it was amazing. It came down the stretch, and I was one of the finalists for a particular position, but I was not afforded that opportunity. I had another opportunity that was offered to me, and I almost accepted that opportunity. But, I felt like it was more work to be done [at Jackson State],” she said at the time in a quote obtained by HBCU Gameday.

She also saw two of her former Jackson State players selected in the WNBA Draft: Ameshya Williams-Holliday by the Indianan Fever in 2022 and Angel Jackson by the two-time defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces in 2024.