Phoenix Joins Women's Basketball Coaching Staff
6/6/2012 10:30:12 AM | Women's Basketball
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern has added Justin Phoenix as an assistant coach for the Women's Basketball program, as announced by Head Coach Chris Vozab on Tuesday. Phoenix, a division III head coach, is the second assistant coach hired by Vozab since taking over the program in March.
"I am excited for Justin Phoenix to join our coaching staff at Georgia Southern," said coach Vozab. "His tremendous experience as a coach and a player will be valuable for our whole team, and especially for our post players."
His responsibilities with GSU will include developing post players, scouting opponents, recruiting, coordinating matriculation, academic support, and game scheduling.
"Justin's knowledge and ability to develop fundamentals in the paint is essential as we establish our inside game for the seasons to come," stated Vozab. "Coach Phoenix will be a terrific mentor for our current players, and his engaging personality and caring demeanor will enable him to connect well with future Eagles and their families. Justin is a great addition to our staff, and we welcome him to the the Georgia Southern Women's Basketball Family."
Phoenix comes to the Eagles after going 14-12 in his inaugural season as head coach at Centenary College in New Jersey. The first year head coach led the Cyclones to the ECAC Tournament and opened his career with five-straight wins, including winning the Hunter College Tip-Off Tournament.
Centenary ranked second in the Colonial States Athletic Conference in scoring offense with 68.7 points per game and second in the league in free throw percentage with a .684 mark. After the season two players received honors including an All-Metropolitan Area Second Team selection and a CSAC Honorable mention selection.
Phoenix joined the Cyclones after spending three seasons as an assistant coach at Kean University. During his time with the Cougars, he helped the squad to a 51-10 record and a NJAC Championship in 2010. Kean made the NCAA Tournament twice during his tenure in Union, N.J.
Phoenix played four seasons at Manhattan College from 1992-96. During his career, he helped the team reach the postseason four times, including two NCAA Tournament and two NIT Tournament appearances. The Jaspers won the MAAC Championship in 1993. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Manhattan in 1996 and then spent several seasons playing abroad for various European club teams from 1996 to 2006.
In 2007 he worked at Villanova head coach Jay Wright's Summer Basketball Camp and decided to make the move to coaching. Phoenix joined the Burlington County College men's basketball team as an assistant coach and spent one season there before making the move to Kean.
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