JOURNAL SPORTS
It’s rare in college coaching to take a new job at a different school and not have find a new house.
But J.A. Anglin and wife Susan don’t have to pack. They just have to adjust their wardrobe a bit after Anglin, head basketball coach at Bossier Parish Community College the last five seasons, moved across the Red River to become head coach of the NCAA Division III program at Centenary.
Gents’ Director of Athletics and Recreation David Orr announced Anglin’s hiring on Monday.
Anglin, a Shreveport native and former player for Mike McConathy at Northwestern State and for Chad McDowell at LSUS, replaces Chris Dorsey, who led the Gents for the last eight seasons before taking a post as associate head coach at Grambling. Dorsey’s resignation came in early May.
Anglin coached under Kyle Blankenship as associate head coach at LSUS, after he began his coaching days as an assistant to former NBA head coach Tim Floyd at UTEP. Anglin also coached at ULM (under Keith Richard) and UNO (for former McConathy assistant Mark Slessinger).
“I am honored to be named the new head basketball coach at Centenary College,” said Anglin in the Gents’ announcement. “As a native of Shreveport, I deeply understand and appreciate the proud history and high standards of Centenary basketball.
“Throughout this process, I’ve had the privilege of meeting many passionate fans, dedicated supporters, engaged faculty, and proud alumni who are all excited about the future of the college and its basketball program. There’s a strong sense of momentum at Centenary right now, and it quickly became clear to me that this is where I want to be. My family and I are excited to reconnect with familiar faces and build new relationships that will last a lifetime.”
Orr oversaw a search that wound up just a few miles from Kings Highway. Along with Anglin’s coaching chops, his local knowledge provides a major asset, said Orr.
“Coach Anglin has a strong connection to northwest Louisiana and has displayed a desire to win at Centenary College,” said Orr. “J.A. will bring experience and enthusiasm to Gents basketball and the athletic department. Our vision for Centenary Gents basketball and Centenary athletics aligns very well. I am excited to work with him as he hits the ground running.”
Anglin, who won 67 times in his five seasons at BPCC, was named the Interim coach for the Cavaliers in March 2020 and on March 30, 2021 his interim tag was removed and he became the sixth head coach in program history. Anglin is third all-time in BPCC program history in wins and elevated a struggling program to competitive status in NJCAA Region XIV, which is dominated by much-better resourced Texas junior colleges, some that rank among the nation’s best basketball schools.
Anglin had five BPCC student-athletes earn NJCAA All-Academic team honors and the Cavaliers have also received the National Association of Basketball Coaches Team Academic Excellence Award the last three years (2023, 2024, 2025).
At LSUS, working with Blankenship, Anglin helped the Pilots go 23-11 in Anglin’s first season with a win in the first round of the NAIA national tournament. At LSUS, Anglin worked primarily with the post players, including All-American Rakim Lubin and NAIA National Player-of-the-Year Jeff Garrett. While at LSUS, Anglin put together a recruiting class which included two All-Americans, Tra Knight and Jeff Boyd.
While Anglin was with the Warhawks, ULM registered back-to-back seasons with 20-plus wins for the first time since 1991.
During his playing career, he was part of a combined 91 victories and three conference titles. Anglin was a reserve on McConathy’s 2005-06 Northwestern team that upset third-seeded Iowa in the NCAA Tournament.