Joey James enters his sixth season on the sidelines for Florida Tech men's basketball in the 2024-25 season. James was promoted to the position of Associate Head Coach in May 2024 after spending his first five seasons as the Assistant Coach of the Panthers.
In the 2023-24 season, James helped lead Tech to a 16-12 overall record, including a 9-11 SSC record. The Panthers made the SSC Tournament but fell to Embry-Riddle in the quarterfinal round. During the season, Tech defeated third-ranked and defending national champions, Nova Southeastern on January 13, 90-80, at the Clemente Center, handing the Sharks just one of three losses on the season.
In 2022-23, James helped lead the Panthers to a 19-11 overall record and finished fourth in the SSC with an 11-9 record. Tech made the SSC semifinals after defeating PBA at the Clemente Center. In the Semifinals, the Panthers forced No.1 Nova Southeastern to overtime but ultimately fell in overtime.
Florida Tech had two players rank in the top 8 of the conference in scoring (Sean Houpt, 21.0 ppg-2nd; Sesan Russell, 18.9 ppg-7th). Niall Harris ranked 6th in the SSC in rebounding at 7.4 ppg, while Mekhii Noble’s 6.7 rebounds per game ranked him 8th. Noble was also ranked 5th in the SSC in field goal percentage (.573). Houpt was fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.357) and 2nd in three-point field goals per game (3.3). Russell led the SSC in assists per game with 7. Elias Martin’s 1.4 blocks per game were 2nd best in the SSC.
The Panthers had three different players earn SSC weekly honors during the season. Martin was named Defensive Player of the Week, Russell was named player of the week and Houpt earned two Player of the Week awards. Two Panthers earned All-SSC honors, Houpt and Russell were named to the second team. Houpt also earned D2CCA All-South Region honors. Harris and Houpt were both named CSC Academic All-District team members.
The Panthers went 13-13 in the 2021-22 season. Florida Tech had four players who averaged double-figures in points per game, Mekhii Noble (15.7 ppg, 11.6 reb), Sesan Russell (14.6 ppg, 5.6 ast), Sean Houpt (14.2 ppg) and Runako Ziegler (14.2 ppg).
Florida Tech finished with a 4-4 record during the shortened 2020-21 season due to COVID-19. Tech made the SSC Tournament Semifinals for the first time since 2012 after defeating Tampa in double-overtime in the SSC quarterfinals at the Clemente Center. Sesan Russell was tabbed to the All-SSC First Team and All-Tournament team while sophomore guard Sean Houpt was selected to the Newcomer Team.
In his first season with the Panthers, James helped lead Tech to an 11-17 overall record had two players rank in the top 8 of the conference in scoring (Derek Murphy, 20.3 ppg – 5th; Sesan Russell, 18.8 ppg – 8th). Florida Tech went 6-2 against non-SSC opponents during the season, including lop-sided wins over Johnson (111-71), Lagrange (89-71), Johnson & Wales (90-68) and Toccoa Falls (86-53). Murphy was named to the All-SSC Second Team following the season.
Before coming to Florida Tech, James served five years as the head men's basketball coach at NCAA DII Concordia-St. Paul. He made an immediate impact on the Golden Bear basketball program when he was hired by CSUP in 2014.
James led the team to an 11-win turnaround and the third-most wins in a single season in program history with a 19-11 overall finish in his first season with Concordia in 2014-15. The team also set a program record for most NSIC wins with a 14-8 conference record in his debut season. The 11-win improvement was a team record and the best improvement in the NSIC in the 2014-15 season. Over his five seasons in St. Paul, James guided the Golden Bears to a 52-96 record.
Prior to joining Concordia's sidelines, James spent a season as the interim head coach at his alma mater, the University of South Dakota, where he had been an assistant coach for 11 seasons before the interim appointment. James played for the Coyotes from 1997-99.
In his interim season, James and the Coyotes went 12-18 overall and 6-8 in the Summit League. USD reached the NCAA Division II Tournament in each of his first five seasons as an assistant, including a Sweet 16 appearance in the 2004-05 season. In his 12 total seasons as a USD coach, the program produced a 225-137 (.622) record. James was involved in all aspects of USD basketball and helped lead the team to seven-straight 20-plus win seasons, to go along with two conference championships.
James began his collegiate career as a player at Iowa Western Community College. After averaging 15 points as a sophomore at Iowa Western, he transferred to South Dakota where he averaged eight points as a junior in his first year with the Coyotes, leading the team to a 19-8 season. During James' senior season, South Dakota finished 23-7, won the North Central Conference championship, and reached the NCAA Tournament.
James graduated from South Dakota in 2001 with a degree in recreational science. He earned his master's degree in athletic administration from USD in 2003.
A native of Winter Haven, Florida, James lived in the area until age nine when his family moved to Bellevue, Nebraska. His parents and family have since moved back to the Sunshine State and currently reside in the Melbourne area, where James lives with his wife Marla and kids, Crew and Teagen.
