Justin Phoenix enters his first season as the head coach of the Centenary women's basketball team. 

“I am truly honored to be selected as the new women's basketball coach," said Phoenix. “I am greatly appreciative to director of athletics Billie Blackwell and the entire search committee members for allowing me the opportunity to lead this program. It has been a long time dream to have my own program and from the moment I stepped on campus it felt like I belonged.”

Phoenix comes to Centenary after spending three seasons at Kean University, where he was an assistant for the women’s basketball team. During his tenure at KU, the team went 75-15 with one New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship, three NCAA Tournament appearances and two Sweet Sixteen runs. The Cougars reached the Elite Eight in 2009-10 during a record-setting season that saw the team finish the year with 29 wins and just two losses.

Phoenix played four seasons at Manhattan College from 1992-96. During his career at MC, 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.

Phoenix was responsible for working with the post players at both BCC and KU. With the Cougars, he helped develop three All-Americans, two NJAC Players of the Year, one NJAC Defensive Player of the Year and one player drafted to play in Puerto Rico.

“Centenary is committed to excellence in academics, athletics and in the community and I am anxious to get to work and continue this tradition,” said Phoenix.