LeMoyne-Owen College has named Kimberly Anderson and Faragi Phillips as the new head women’s and men’s basketball coaches.
Lady Magicians Head Coach Kimberly Anderson
Anderson brings roughly 20 years of combined experience as a basketball player and a coach in the Southeast to her new role leading the Lady Magicians at LeMoyne-Owen. She previously served as the head coach of the Lady Dragons at Lane College for seven seasons. In the 2018-2019 season, Anderson led the Lady Dragons to their first NCAA D-II postseason tournament after winning their first Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason championship tournament. In 2020, Anderson was also appointed as the Assistant Senior Women’s Administrator.
“Being appointed to provide direction for the Lady Magicians’ team to excel in their athletic, academic, and professional pursuits is a tremendous opportunity,” Anderson said. “I am thrilled to join LeMoyne-Owen College and its dedication to cultivating excellence here.”
In addition to her achievements on the court, Anderson from Hartsville, South Carolina, excelled academically and earned her associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree in Business, and master’s degree in Educational Leadership at Claflin University. After her time at Claflin University, Anderson led Concordia College Alabama’s Lady Hornets program from 2009-2012, where she earned her first national title as a head coach and directed the Lady Hornets to become one of the most successful programs in their conference. Before her years as a collegiate player and coach, Anderson was a member of Hartsville High School’s Red Foxes state championship basketball team in 1986.
Phillips, the new men’s basketball coach, brings tremendous experience to the program.
Magicians Head Coach Faragi Phillips
“I am excited to have the opportunity to lead and elevate the men’s basketball team at LeMoyne-Owen College,” Phillips said. “I’m looking forward to the season, enhancing our players’ development on and off the court, and joining the college community in creating magic.”
At the University of Memphis, Phillips coached under the leadership of the Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway and helped lead the Tigers to their first AAC championship. Before coaching at the University of Memphis, Phillips served as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt University under Jerry Stackhouse from 2019-2021. At Vanderbilt, his talent and direction as a coach helped develop players Aaron Nesmith and Saben Lee towards their draft picks in the 2020 NBA Draft. Phillips also coached Scotty Pippen Jr., who currently plays as a guard for the Memphis Grizzlies. Phillips’s work at Vanderbilt provided immense efforts in areas including recruitment, player development, and academic development.
As a player at Mississippi Valley State University from 1995 to 1999, Phillips became a Southwestern Athletic Conference first-team all-conference player and averaged 20.9 points as a senior. In 1996, Phillips led Mississippi Valley State University to the NCAA tournament, where they faced Georgetown University’s basketball team and renowned player Allen Iverson, who later became an NBA Hall of Famer.
In addition to this collegiate experience, Phillips’s coaching in Memphis also features his leadership at high schools, including Whitehaven High School and Mitchell High School’s basketball teams. Under his direction for four seasons, the Whitehaven Tigers won more than 20 games, gained a 91-30 record, earned two consecutive state tournament appearances in 2017 and 2018 for the first time since 1985, and placed as runner-up at the 2018 state championship.
The Mitchell High School basketball team transitioned from previously winning seven games in two years to earning a 108-29 record during Phillips’ four years as head coach. The Mitchell Tigers also won two consecutive state championships in 2014 and 2015, four consecutive sectional basketball championships, four consecutive regional championships, and three city and county championships.
The new leadership additions cultivate a new day for the LeMoyne-Owen College athletics program and seek to advance the restoration of the college’s renowned basketball legacy. The appointments also arrive during a new era of LeMoyne-Owen College, as the college focuses on strengthening student opportunities and launching new initiatives.