When Maine Maritime Academy Director of Athletics William Mottola stepped into Deidra Davis’s office back in February to inform her that she was being inducted into the William J. Mottola Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025, everything came full circle. It was Bill’s father who had first hired Davis to build women’s athletics at MMA. In her tenure she helped start the women’s basketball and softball program at MMA.

“My first thought was how cool it was that the son of the man who hired me got to share this news with me,” Davis said. “Those words coming from a Mottola — the namesake of the Hall of Fame — made it even more special.”

Now, after more than 30 years on the campus of Maine Maritime and serving in multiple roles, the coach who helped lay the foundation for what the women’s basketball program has become will have her name displayed alongside some of the greatest figures in Academy history.

“It means a great deal to me because the time that I spent coaching here was really not that long,” Davis said. “I think it validates the work that was done not just by me, but by the athletes and other coaches who allowed the program to grow into what it is today. I think it also recognizes that when I shifted into more administrative roles on campus, I always supported the continued growth of women’s athletics and our female students. It was never a goal of mine to be in the Hall of Fame, but it is certainly something I am incredibly proud of, and I am grateful to be in the company of everyone on that wall.”

The first female coach in Academy history, Davis had a mountain to climb when she arrived on campus in the mid-1990s. At the time, MMA was more than 90% male, and women’s basketball didn’t have a roster or a schedule. Davis had to start from the ground up.

However, it didn’t take long for her to find success. She led the Mariners to their first North Atlantic Women’s Conference championship in 1998 and followed it with two more titles, completing a three-peat from 1998-2000. She also earned Coach of the Year honors following the 2000 season.

“When I arrived, there was literally not a pencil, an office or a plan,” Davis said. “Coach Chris Murphy offered to share his office with me, and I immediately went to work meeting every female student who was enrolled at the time and reviewing every female application in the admissions office for the following year. The women who were on campus at the time jumped at the chance to be part of something. That first year, we played four club games, I think. I focused on women who wanted to continue their athletic careers, who were good people and who could help grow the program. Those first five years were lean in numbers, but I wouldn’t trade those women for anything.”

Now, nearly two and a half decades after she last stepped on the sideline as head coach, Davis is humbled to know she helped pioneer what women’s athletics has become at MMA. She credits past and present coaches for continuing to grow the legacy of Mariners athletics.

“I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to start women’s athletics,” Davis said. “It means so much to me to know that I had a part in something that is now so much bigger. I am grateful to Coach Craig Dagan and every person who has coached a women’s sports team here. They have all continued to build on the foundation and have left it better than when they came. I love seeing the success of our programs. I love seeing records broken. I never want people to lose sight of the athletes who first competed here, though — they are the ones who laid the foundation. They deserve the most credit.”

It is those same trailblazing athletes that Davis is most excited to be honored alongside in the Hall of Fame. In a short coaching tenure, she made a lasting impact on her student-athletes, helping them succeed both on the court and in life.

Davis coached the 1999 conference player of the year, Vanessa LeBlond — also a member of the William J. Mottola Athletics Hall of Fame — and the 1999 conference rookie of the year, Rachel Merrill, along with nine all-conference selections during her five seasons.

She also coached three 1,000-point scorers, and one of her former players later became the first female cadet chief engineer aboard the State of Maine.

“At the time, winning three consecutive conference championships was probably my favorite memory,” Davis said. “But as I think back on it, it really was the time spent supporting the growth of these young women and watching them become the incredible adults they are today. Watching them care about my daughter, who was born during Christmas break of our first varsity season. Watching them lay the foundation for future women in athletics at MMA. Building relationships that mattered and have lasted — these are truly the best memories.”

What began as an opportunity to continue coaching and build something lasting has left a lasting impact on Davis’s life, helping her grow both professionally and personally.

“When I left West Point, I wasn’t sure I wanted to coach any longer,” Davis said. “I moved back home to Maine without a plan. I needed time to figure out what I wanted to do, and with the support of my family, I knew I would have the opportunity and space to do that. When I saw the job posted, I felt like it was a sign. After learning more about the opportunity, I knew it was something I wanted to do. I have always joked that President Len Tyler embraced the ‘If you build it, they will come’ philosophy to increasing the female population at MMA, and I wanted to be part of that journey. I have stayed because this place has become a part of who I am. MMA has also provided opportunities to grow professionally while remaining at a place that I love.”