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).

Panther Coaching Staff

James E. Johnson

Athletic Director & Head Men's Basketball Coach

james.johnson@philander.edu

(501) 370-5348 Office

(501) 370-5260 Fax

Brandon Greenwood Head Women's Basketball Coach bgreenwood@philander.edu (501) 370-5261-Office (501) 370-5260-Fax	Dennis Jones Assistant Women's Basketball Coach (501) 370-5261-Office (501) 370-5260-Fax
Devon N. Thompson Head Volleyball Coach Sports Information Director dthompson@philander.edu (501)975-6063 Office (501) 370-5260 Fax	Tonya Jones-Isaac Athletic Administrative Assistant Assistant Volleyball Coach tjones-isaac@philander.edu (501) 370-5348-Office (501) 370-5260-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 BasketballCoach. He has brought leadership and an array of knowledge of intercollegiate athletics, and has helped to heighten the 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).

Brandon Greenwood
Philander Smith College
Head Women's Basketball Coach

Brandon Greenwood, a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, graduated from Little Rock Central High School where he achieved the accomplishment of winning a state championship. He continued by accepting a basketball scholarship to Philander Smith College. There he played four years. By his fifth year he was the graduate assistant coach for the men’s basketball team. Through working vigorous basketball camps, he has gained valuable knowledge to help prepare and enhance his coaching skills. Greenwood also works as a coach for Terry Elementary, where they have won three back-to-back basketball championships. The year 2008-2009 season he got hired as the men’s assistant basketball coach for Philander Smith College.In 2009-2010 academic year, he was promoted to Head Women's Basketball Coach.

Devon N. Thompson
Philander Smith College
Head Women's Volleyball Coach

Devon Thompson enters her second year at the helm of the Panthers volleyball program. A 2002 graduate of Philander Smith College, Thompson became only the second head coach in Panthers’ history as she was named to the position July 1, 2008. As a four year player (1997-2000), under the leadership of Coach Hilton C. Chandler, she earned the most dedicated and hard working award and helped her team in 1997 to win third place at the National Small College Athletic Association Volleyball Tournament. After graduating from Philander, she landed her first coaching job at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (2002-2005) as an Assistant Volleyball and Bowling Coach while attending graduate school to receive her Master’s in Secondary Education. Coach Thompson returned home to work for the City of Little Rock (Parks & Recreation) and the Little Rock School District. Upon graduating from PSC with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education, she worked with Chandler as a student assistant. Coach Thompson has a seven year old son, Javion.

Dennis Jones
Philander Smith College
Assistant Women's Basketball Coach

Dennis Jones was born in Little Rock, AR. He graduated from Hall High School located in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1975. He later attended Philander Smith College in 1996 where he attained his B.S. Degree in Psychology. He also attended the University of Arkansas in 2004-2006. Dennis was the assistant basketball coach for the girls team at Little Rock Central High School from 1997-1999. During that time the girls went on to win their first conference championship. He also coached the women’s basketball team at Philander Smith College from 1992-1994. During that tenure, the Lady Panthers were ranked No. 1 in the Nation during the season on 1992-1993, and went on the rank No. 2 the following year in 1993-1994. Some other accomplishments and achievements are as follows: National Small Black College, 1998-2001. He taught and coached at Fuller Junior High. He started Teen Counseling at the Penick Boys and Girls Club in 2006-present. He is currently working with North Little Rock School District at Rose City Middle School as a Paraprofessional in which he holds the duties of working with the Community Based Instruction classroom children for special needs children (Special Education). He also assists in coaching the girl’s basketball and track teams for the school. He is also the women’s assistant coach at Philander Smith College where in two years the Lady Panthers has been ranked No. 2 and No. 4 consecutively in the NSCAA women’s basketball conference. Now the school is in the NAIA Division II Conference.

James Acklin
Philander Smith College
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach

James Acklin joined the Philander Smith College basketball staff as an assistant coach in July of 2009. He has a passion for coaching, and has volunteered his services for 8 years working with AAU National Teams, specializing with point guards. Married for 20 years, and has two children. He is a graduate from Central High school lettered in basketball from 1980 to 1983.

Tonya Jones-Iaac
Philander Smith College
Athletic Assistant Administrator
Assistant Volleyball Coach

Tonya Jones-Isaac joined Philander Smith College in a part-time role in October, 2007. Isaac began helping the athletic program as a part-time Administrative Assistant in October 2007. Isaac’s primary duty is to assist the Athletic Director, but she is also the NAIA Champion of Character Representative (PSC) and volunteer Women’s Volleyball Coach. For the past two years, Isaac, has served as the primary event planner for the annual “Geese” Ausbie Classic and PSC Athletic Sports Banquet. A native of Waynesboro, GA., Isaac helped lead the UALR Trojan’s to a Sun-Belt Conference title in 1994. She earned Sun-Belt conference runner of the week in 1994 and was team captain in 1994 and 1995. Isaac won the Sun-Belt Conference title in women’s long jump at the 1994 Indoor Championships and went on to compete in NCAA Indoor Championships in the women’s long jump. Isaac qualified for the long jumps trails but had three fouls in the qualifying and did not make the final. Isaac graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a B.A. degree in Political Science.