(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)The Missouri Southern athletic department is saddened to hear of the passing of former women's basketball coach and MSSU Athletics Hall of Famer Jim Phillips.
Phillips, 78, passed away on Friday, August 20, with his daughters at his side. A native of Douglasville, Ga., Phillips was born on August 9, 1943 in Mayfield, Ky.
Phillips was inducted into the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011. He is the second-winningest coach in Missouri Southern women's basketball history. His career mark of 129-72 from 1981-88, served as the most wins in Southern history until Maryann Mitts broke the record in 2008-09.
Phillips was the NAIA District 16 Coach of the Year when he helped the Lions to a second-place finish in the national tournament in 1982, the highest finish in school history. He was also an Area IV and National Coach of the Year Finalist in that same year.
He was also named the District 16 Coach of the Year in 1984 and he was the Central States Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year in both 1984 and 1985. He served on the NAIA District 16 national committee from 1982-88 and was the chair from 1982-84. Prior to Southern, Phillips also served as the head women's coach at Virginia State University from 1975-79. He helped the team to its highest-ever finish nationally (fifth, 1978). From Southern, Phillips went on to coach at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee.
Phillips' 1985-86 team went 25-7 and the 25 wins is tied for the second-highest total wins in a women's basketball season at Southern. He helped coach three different CSIC players of the year (Pam Brisby, Margaret Womack and Anita Rank), and two freshmen of the year, while coaching the NAIA District 16 player of the year in 1982 (Brisby).
Phillips earned a bachelors degree in English from Austin Peay and completed his masters degree in education from Utah State University. He earned a doctorate in health, physical education and recreation from Middle Tennessee State University. He is survived by his daughters Melody (Logan) Creasy and Jamie (Jason) Durant; grandchildren: Gracen, Paisley, Samantha, Judson, Hayden, Freeman, and Piper, and numerous friends.
A celebration of life service will be held today at 1:00 pm at Shackleford Funeral Directors located at 104 Hill St, Waynesboro, TN 38485. Visitation will be August 24th from 12:00 pm until the hour of service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made to the Go Sports Ministry of First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1796, Douglasville, GA where he was a member.
He was also named the District 16 Coach of the Year in 1984 and he was the Central States Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year in both 1984 and 1985. He served on the NAIA District 16 national committee from 1982-88 and was the chair from 1982-84. Prior to Southern, Phillips also served as the head women's coach at Virginia State University from 1975-79. He helped the team to its highest-ever finish nationally (fifth, 1978). From Southern, Phillips went on to coach at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee.
Phillips' 1985-86 team went 25-7 and the 25 wins is tied for the second-highest total wins in a women's basketball season at Southern. He helped coach three different CSIC players of the year (Pam Brisby, Margaret Womack and Anita Rank), and two freshmen of the year, while coaching the NAIA District 16 player of the year in 1982 (Brisby).
Phillips earned a bachelors degree in English from Austin Peay and completed his masters degree in education from Utah State University. He earned a doctorate in health, physical education and recreation from Middle Tennessee State University. He is survived by his daughters Melody (Logan) Creasy and Jamie (Jason) Durant; grandchildren: Gracen, Paisley, Samantha, Judson, Hayden, Freeman, and Piper, and numerous friends.
A celebration of life service will be held today at 1:00 pm at Shackleford Funeral Directors located at 104 Hill St, Waynesboro, TN 38485. Visitation will be August 24th from 12:00 pm until the hour of service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made to the Go Sports Ministry of First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1796, Douglasville, GA where he was a member.
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