Back to the Sideline

By GARY STALLARD

AC Athletics

Well, that retirement didn't last very long. And for anyone who knows Byron Coleman, his leaving the recliner for new coaching challenge comes as no surprise whatsoever.

Angelina College recently named Coleman the new interim assistant men's basketball coach, pairing Coleman with Roadrunner head coach J.J. Montgomery. With assistant coach Eric Colbert sidelined temporarily, Montgomery needed a knowledgeable individual to help guide a team already ranked No. 4 in the national pre-season polls – and a year removed from an Elite Eight appearance in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.

Enter Coleman, the long-time Angelina College women's head basketball coach who retired following the 2023-2024 season, leaving as the winningest coach in program history with 326 wins in his 19 years at the helm. In the Coleman era, the Lady Roadrunners never missed out a single time in qualifying for the conference tournament.

Coleman also was responsible for several "firsts" in Lady Roadrunner basketball history. In 2019, his Lady 'Runner team qualified for the national tournament, the first-ever AC women's program to do so. Coleman earned Coach of the Year honors following that year in which the team shattered the program record for wins in a season with 29.

Two years later, Coleman watched one of his former players, Natasha Mack, earn a call during the WNBA draft – the only Lady 'Runner player in AC history to experience the honor.

In his final season with the Lady Roadrunners, Coleman guided his program to its first-ever regular-season conference championship, earning him yet another Coach of the Year award.

Over his career, Coleman coached a bevy of All-Americans, Region XIV All-Region/All-Conference selectees and Freshmen of the Year honorees. Numerous players have moved on to the upper levels of collegiate basketball, with several of those eventually playing professionally.

Before assuming head coaching duties, Coleman spent seven years as the assistant coach for the Lady Roadrunners under legendary former head coach Dwan Coleman.

Coleman graduated from Angelina College in 2000 with an associate's degree in general studies; from there, he earned a degree in Kinesiology from Stephen F. Austin University and a master's degree in Human Sports and Performance from New Mexico Highlands University. He was a three-sport athlete at Diboll High School, competing in football, basketball and track. In October of 2023, Diboll High School inducted Coleman into its Wall of Honor.

The Roadrunners open the regular season at home on Monday, Nov. 3 against Hinds College. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at Shands Gymnasium.

The email address for AC's Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.