JOHN PELPHREY -- HEAD COACH
4th Season
Year number four holds great promise, according to head coach John Pelphrey. After three years of team building, Pelphrey believes the foundation has been laid for a successful 2005-06 campaign.
After a 14-14 record in his first season, a 12-16 in season two and a 10-18 record in season three, Pelphrey is optimistic about the ongoing process of progress concerning the work ethic and talent level of this season’s team.
“We have worked very hard the last three years to get this thing going in the right direction,” said Pelphrey. “We are definitely better today than we were three years ago and I think we are going to have a good shot at showing improvement this season.”
A strong backcourt, combined with a frontcourt featuring speed, athleticism and skill should position the Jaguars toward a move up the Sun Belt Conference ladder.
Pelphrey became the sixth head coach in school history to record a .500 or better winning record in his first year as a head coach during his inaugural year in 2002-03. He became the ninth Jaguar coach in the school’s 35-year history when he was hired as head coach on March 22, 2002.
An assistant coach in the college ranks for nine years (1993-2002), Pelphrey came to South Alabama after spending six seasons at the University of Florida as top assistant to Billy Donovan.
After a stellar four-year playing career at the University of Kentucky under coaches Rick Pitino and Eddie Sutton, Pelphrey accepted his first assistant coaching job at Oklahoma State where he spent the 1993-94 season. One year later, he moved to Marshall University and joined Donovan where he played a major role for two seasons in the resurgence of the Thundering Herd program.
In 1996, he followed Donovan from Marshall to Florida and helped the Gators to a school record four straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1999 to 2002. During the 1999-2000 season, the Gators made their first-ever appearance in the national championship game against Michigan State. This past season, Pelphrey was another part of history as the Gators recorded their fourth straight 20-win season.
While a player at Kentucky from 1989-1992, Pelphrey led the Wildcats to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including the epic battle with Duke in the 1992 Elite Eight. Pelphrey was a two-time captain while at Kentucky and in 1999 was named the UK Student Athlete of the Year.
Following graduation in 1992, Pelphrey played two seasons of professional basketball overseas in France and Spain. A former Mr. Basketball at Paintsville High School in Kentucky, he is married to the former Tracy Lyon. The couple has two children, a son Jaxson Hamilton (8) and daughter Ann-Marie Grace Donovan (5).
THE PELPHREY FILE:
Age: 36
Birthdate: July 18, 1968
Height: 6-foot-7
Hometown: Paintsville, Ky.
College Playing Experience: Four years at the University of Kentucky (1989-1992)
Professional Playing Experience: Two years in France and Spain in 1992 and 1993
Coaching Experience: Head Coach – South Alabama (2003-present); Assistant Coach – Oklahoma State University (1993-94); Marshall University (1994-96); University of Florida (1996-2002).
Family: Wife – Tracy (Lyon);
Children – son Jaxson Hamilton (8); daughter Ann-Marie Grace Donovan (5)
Other things to note:
* He is one of 29 former Kentucky Wildcat players to have his jersey retired (#34)
* Pelphrey was on the sidelines when Florida handed South Alabama an 82-61 loss on Dec. 30, 1999
* While an assistant at Oklahoma State, Pelphrey worked under Eddie Sutton, the same guy he played under at Kentucky during his freshman year
* In 1987, Pelphrey was named Mr. Basketball for the state of Kentucky at Paintsville High School. Finished his prep career with 2,477 points and 1,316 rebounds
* In high school, he was a pitcher and a shortstop for the baseball team
* In 1991 and prior to Pelphrey’s senior year at UK, coach Rick Pitino was quoted as saying:
“I wouldn’t trade John Pelphrey for any player in America.”
* All-SEC first-team forward in 1991; second team by AP
* Played on 1992 Kentucky team that lost to Duke in the NCAA Elite Eight, a game that is considered one of the best games of all-time
* Seven of his nine teams as assistant coach have recorded winning records
* Has appeared in six NCAA Tournaments; one as a player (1992) and five as an assistant (1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
* Started 90 of 114 games at Kentucky and finished his career with an 11.0 scoring average
www.southalabama.edu/athletics/mbasketball/pelphrey.shtml
