Phillip Wallace, Jr., a veteran coach and athletics administrator with more than three decades of experience in collegiate athletics and more than 400 career victories, was named head women’s basketball coach at Savannah State University on August 4, 2025.
The appointment marked a homecoming for Wallace, a Savannah native, Savannah State alumnus and former head coach who began his collegiate coaching career on “The Marsh” more than three decades ago.
Throughout his career, Wallace has established himself as a proven program builder, combining success on the basketball court with a strong commitment to academics, student-athlete development and leadership.
Before returning to Savannah State, Wallace spent 18 seasons as the head women’s basketball coach at Miles College from 2004-22. During his tenure, he compiled 210 victories to become the winningest head coach in program history while developing the Lady Bears into a consistent contender in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
Wallace was named SIAC Coach of the Year in 2020, highlighting a tenure that also saw his student-athletes earn some of the conference’s highest individual honors, including SIAC Player of the Year and SIAC Defensive Player of the Year recognition.
His Miles teams were equally successful in the classroom. The Lady Bears earned the SIAC’s top team academic award three times under Wallace’s leadership. During the 2020-21 academic year, Miles ranked No. 24 nationally in team grade-point average in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Top 25 and featured the college’s valedictorian.
Wallace’s return to Savannah State brings his career full circle. He began his head-coaching career at his alma mater in 1990 and spent five seasons leading the Lady Tigers, compiling an impressive 105-38 record. His .734 winning percentage during that stint established Wallace as one of the most successful coaches in program history.
Following his first tenure at Savannah State, Wallace served as head coach at Morris Brown College from 1996-99, posting a 49-33 overall record. He also had a stint as head coach at Andrew College in Cuthbert, Georgia.
In addition to his extensive coaching résumé, Wallace brings significant experience in collegiate athletics administration. Prior to returning to Savannah State, he served as Director of Athletics at Allen University. His administrative career also includes service as Associate Athletic Director for Operations at Morehouse College and Director of Athletics at Miles College.
Across his career as a coach and administrator, Wallace has developed a reputation for building programs centered on competitive excellence, academic achievement and the overall development of student-athletes.
A proud Savannah native, Wallace earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Savannah State in 1989 before receiving his Master of Public Administration from the university in 1993.
Wallace has maintained an active presence within the basketball coaching profession. He is a member of the Black Coaches Association (BCA) and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and has served on the WBCA Top 25 National Ranking Committee.
Wallace and his wife, Sharon, are the proud parents of three children: daughter Sha’ron and sons Phillip III and Kendall.
