DeCole Shoemate Robertson joined the Coastal Carolina women’s basketball coaching staff as the associate head women’s basketball coach in April 2022 and is entering her fourth season in 2025. Robertson is no stranger to head coach Kevin Pederson, as she served on his staff at Lander as an assistant women’s basketball coach for 11 years.
Robertson was essential to the staff that led the Chants to their most successful season in five years by going 23-9 and 12-6 in Sun Belt Conference play in 2024-25. The season marked the third time in recent history that Coastal had won 20 or more games and ranked as the second-most wins in a season in program history. The Chants also reached the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals for the first time ever, while making their first appearance in the WNIT.
The 2024-25 squad set program-records for most points in a season with 2,379, most made three-pointers in a season with 240, and also led the Sun Belt Conference with 20.3 turnovers forced per game and +9.6 scoring margin.
Following the historic campaign, Savannah Brooks was named to the All-Sun Belt second team after leading the Chants with 13.1 points per game and ranking third in the conference with 2.3 steals per game.
Alancia Ramsey earned All-Sun Belt third team honors after averaging 12.3 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game in her sophomore season. Ramsey finished the season averaging 13.2 points per game in conference play.
The 2023-24 season saw the Chants finish 12-21 with a 5-13 conference record. Coastal advanced to the second round of the Sun Belt tournament after defeating South Alabama 79-60 in the first round.
In her first season in Conway, Robertson helped the Chanticleers to a ninth-place finish in the conference, with a 14-16 overall and 9-9 conference record. The Chants were selected to finish 12th in the preseason polls and defeated the conference's top teams in JMU, Troy, and Old Dominion throughout the season.
During her time at Lander, the Bearcats made the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament in nine of Robertson’s 11 years on staff, making the Elite Eight in 2012 and the Final Four in 2021.
Alongside Pederson, Robertson led the Bearcats to two NCAA DII Region Championships (2011-12 and 2020-21), two Peach Belt Conference regular-season championships (2019-20 and 2020-21), two Peach Belt Conference division championships (2015-16 and 2016-17), and two Peach Belt Conference Tournament championships (2015-16 and 2019-20).
After Robertson began her career with Lander as a volunteer coach from 2006-08, she then went on to join Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Ga. as the assistant women's basketball coach and recruiting coordinator where she signed several all-state players and transfers including a Kodak All-American.
In December 2008, Robertson took over sole head coaching responsibilities and went on to lead Brewton-Parker to the 2009 SSAC Conference Tournament, falling short to the No. 1 seed.
A native of Beaufort, S.C., Robertson led her high school team, Battery Creek, to a South Carolina 3-A State Championship. She was twice named Female Athlete of the Year and Player of the Year, and was a four-time all-area and regional player. She signed and played Division I basketball at Florida International (FIU) where she won a Sun Belt Conference Championship and made an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. In Robertson's junior year, she became Pederson's first signee as a rookie coach, when she transferred to Anderson College. With the Trojans, she received all-conference honors, won a Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference Championship, and led Anderson to the school’s first-ever NCAA win.
Robertson also serves as an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She speaks to schools around the southeast and FCA camps about her faith and the importance of Christian values. "My faith in Christ is the leading force in all I do. I know that with Him, I am able to do all things, but through Him, I will be the role model necessary to lead these young ladies," said Robertson.
In 2014 she was named Lakelands Fellowship of Christian Athletes 2014 Coach of the Year.
Robertson holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Anderson College and a master’s degree in sports management from Liberty University.
She and her husband, Stephen, have a son, Joseph, and a daughter, Karis.
