Athletics

Our athletic department offers quality programs for both men and women. We enjoy the support of our students and the community at-large, as we pursue titles in basketball and volleyball. We participate in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) organization and we look forward to an upward move to participate in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

For the sports enthusiast, the athletic department also has a variety of intramural sports to keep our PSC students active. Depending on the season, you can participate in flag football, basketball, volleyball and dodge ball. Let the games begin!
 

                               Panther Coaching Staff  

                                                                     
                      James Johnson                                                    Terrence Johnson
Athletic Director & Head Men's Basketball Coach              Head Women's Basketball Coach
            james.johnson@philander.edu                                      tjohnson@philander.edu
                 (501) 370-5348 Office                                              (501) 370-5261 Office
                 (501) 370-5260 Fax                                                  (501) 370-5260 Fax
 
 
                                                                                             
          Tonya Jones-Isaac                                                              Devon Thompson
Athletic Administrative Assistant                                                     Volleyball Head Coach
   tjones-isaac@philander.edu                                                   dthompson@philander.edu
      (501) 370-5348 Office                                                           (501) 975-6063 Office
      (501) 370-5260 Fax                                                               (501) 370-5348 Fax
                                                 
 


 
 
   JAMES E. JOHNSON
  Philander Smith College
Athletic Director & Head Men's Basketball Coach

James E. Johnson is now in his second year as Philander Smith College Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball    Coach. He has brought leadership and a bray of knowledge of intercollegiate athletics, and has help give Philander Smith College an enviable stature as the program pursues success in the National Association Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in 2008-09. Johnson became Philander’s Athletic director in August 2007. Behind his leadership, needed developments
have occurred throughout the program in the past year, both from a competitive and administrative standpoint. He oversees three sports teams that are in the process of becoming one of the local’s more well-rounded athletics programs. Under his leadership, Philander will continues to thrive on all fronts including the competitive arenas, and student athletes’ welfare and the necessary financial strategies required to operate Philander’s athletic department. He is on track to developing strong continuity in Philander Smith Athletics. Johnson’s assembled a 2007-2008 United States Collegiate Athletic Association, (USCAA), 2nd place champion women’s basketball team, by hiring a knowledgeable coach and recruiting a host of talented players. 

As the Head Men’s basketball coach, in his first season, he obtained a record of 11-16, and developed two USCAA honorable mention all-America candidates; one of them was an Academic All-America Candidate.  His 2007-08 team defeated a preseason NAIA top 3 nominee, Crichton College of Memphis, and a NCAA Division II opponent, the University of Monticello (UAM). In 2008, he hired a very talented new staff, Brandon Greenwood and Carlos Lewis. His freshman class would be listed as the best recruiting class Philander has seen in a long time. Along with his top freshman class, he recruited experienced transfers that should help the men’s basketball program reach championship level.   
 
He received his first head coaching duties at Tucson High Magnet School in 1998-99, a 5A high school sports program in Tucson, Arizona. After 1 year at Tucson High, he accepted an opportunity that has prepared him for the role he is in for Philander Smith College.  He became the Athletic Director, Physical Education Director,  and Head Boys Basketball Coach at Tucson Urban League Charter School in 1999- 2002. After 2 years with the Urban League High School, he posted 2 winning seasons and compiled a record of 60–5, and he developed a thriving athletic program with three new sports, boys, and girl’s basketball, and soccer, as well as developed the school’s first physical education program that was listed as the premier physical education program for charters schools.  After 3 years from collegiate sports he returned, and became a men’s assistant basketball coach and Physical Education Instructor at Pima Community College in 2002-2003. After serving 1 year with Pima, he returned home to Little Rock, Arkansas.    

James received his bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University in 1989, and completed a Master of Arts Degree in Education in1996 from The University of Arizona. His coaching experiences began at the NAIA collegiate level and continue at the NCAA Division I, level as well as, semi-profession.  He served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Western Washington University in 1989-98, for 9 years and worked as a graduated assistant in athletics at The University of Arizona in 1994-96, for 2 years, under the watchful eyes of top Division I coaches, Lute Olsen and Joan Bonvinici. He coached with the Yakima Sunkings in 1989- 93, a semi-pro team for 4 years, in Yakima, Washington.

James was born January 16, 1964, in Little Rock, Arkansas, Graduate from Little Rock, Central High (83), and Parents of two Philandering, father Thomas Rainey, (67) and mother Florine Johnson, (70).