The University of Texas of the Permian Basin director of athletics Steve Aicinena has announced that Jerome Willis, Jr., has been named the third women’s basketball coach in program history.
“I’m excited and anxious to get started and happy about the opportunity,” Willis said. “The program is going in the right direction and I’m looking to continue to keep it on the same path. Our goal is to win championships and make the national tournament. Coach Collins did a really good job of building the program to where it is right now. There are a lot of good pieces in place to have a good year for the seniors. My family is excited to be in Odessa. Steve has been wonderful throughout the entire process and everyone has been treating us well.”
Willis comes to UTPB after four stellar years as head coach at Langston University. Compiling an amazing 111-24 record and 81-6 Red River Athletic Conference record, he guided Langston to three NAIA Tournament appearances.
He was honored twice by the Red River Athletic Conference as Coach of the Year, and had three players garner Player of the Year in his four seasons at Langston.
“Jerome Willis has a very impressive history of success in his tenure as a women’s intercollegiate basketball coach,” Aicinena stated. “His teams have won four conference championships in a period of four years. Success is something we look for in a coach and he stood out in that capacity. He’s someone who has been very loyal to his previous institution, and loyalty is something I value greatly.
“Jerome is a genuinely caring and personable individual. He conveyed to us that he would be someone who would care about the entire university and be active in it, and that he cares strongly for his student–athletes and their academic success.”
His team led the country in 2011-12 in total defensive rebounds and was top five nationally in total rebounds. Langston was routinely in the top 20 in the NAIA in total scoring offense and scoring margin under Willis.
Willis began his career with the Langston men’s basketball program, spending nine seasons as an assistant coach.
He graduated with a bachelor of arts in journalism and a minor in physical education in 1998 from Langston.
