Jim Sanderson - Head Coach
Jim Sanderson is in his 13th year of his second term as the Eagles’ head basketball coach. It will be his 17th year overall at Faulkner, having served as the head basketball coach from 1985-1989 as well. Under Sanderson’s watch the Faulkner University athletic department has flourished and is considered to be one of the most competitive at both the NAIA and NCCAA levels.
Having posted a 329-192 career record heading into the 2006-2007 season, Sanderson has established himself as one of the premier coaches at the NAIA level. In the 2000-2001 season, his Eagles won the NAIA national championship, Faulkner’s first in any sport. In 1998 he was selected the NAIA South Region Coach of the Year and in 1999 was chosen the National Christian College Athletic Association’s National Coach of the Year. The GACC selected him the Male Coach of the Year for the 2001-2002 athletic year. Before the beginning of his second tenure at Faulkner, the Eagles had made only one appearance in the NAIA national tournament. They now have seven visits to the elite event.
The son of former University of Alabama head basketball coach Wimp Sanderson, Jim was born on August 30, 1959, and played collegiate basketball at Brewer State Community College before earning his degree from Alabama in 1982. He is married to the former Jill Canterberry and they have two children - Katie, age 21 and Kyle, age 14. Sanderson and his family are active members of the Landmark Church of Christ, where he serves as a deacon.
Email: jsanderson@faulkner.edu
Sam Allen - Assistant Basketball Coach
Sam Allen is set to begin his first season in the Faulkner basketball program as head coach Jim Sanderson's top assistant. Allen comes to Faulkner after spending four seasons as an assistant at Reinhardt College, his alma mater. As a player, Allen amassed over 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists, earning all-conference honors in leading Reinhardt to its first-ever national tournament appearance in 2003. He was also selected to the conference's all-academic team, having earned a history degree from Reinhardt.
Allen, who owns a master's degree in sports administration from Georgia State University, will be responsible for on-the-floor coaching, recruiting, facilitating the scouting of opponents, and other duties within the day-to-day operations of the Faulkner basketball program. At Reinhardt, Allen organized and supervised the team's strength and conditioning program, and recruited seven all-academic team members, six all-conference team members and four All-Americans.
Allen and his wife, Sarah, were married April 28, 2007.
Ed Donahoo - Volunteer Assistant Coach
Ed Donahoo begins his third season as a volunteer assistant coach on the Faulkner basketball staff. His responsibilities include on-the-floor coaching as well as scouting. He also became the head men’s golf coach for the university this year.
Donahoo played collegiate football for Alabama coaching legend Paul “Bear” Bryant before transferring to Samford, where he played for current Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden. After his football playing days concluded, he began coaching football and basketball, eventually settling in as a highly-respected high school basketball coach. From 1967-1970 he coached West End High School in Birmingham, where he coached future Alabama and NBA star T. R. Dunn. He was named Birmingham News Coach of the Year in 1970. After spending two years as an assistant at Samford, Donahoo spent six years as the head coach at Trinity High School in Montgomery. His last four Wildcat teams won a combined 96 games and went undefeated in area play. In 1991 the Montgomery Advertiser presented Donahoo with its Coach of the Year award.
“I have a great connection to Faulkner University, and I’m very appreciative to Coach Sanderson for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the program,” Donahoo said.
He has been married to the former Sue Walker for 35 years and has three children – Allison, Christine and Edward – and four grandchildren – Ford, Copeland, Will and Ann.
Mark J. Lehmkuhl (MS, RD, CSCS) - Strength and Conditioning Coach
Mark Lehmkuhl enters his first year as the women’s volleyball strength and conditioning coach at Faulkner University. He will also be continuing his work with the men's basketball team for the third straight year. He has made a big impact on the performance level of the players in these programs. Lehmkuhl received his Master of Science degree in Exercise and Sport Science from Appalachian State University, while serving as the strength coach for the track and field program and teaching Kinesiology. He is licensed with the NSCA as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and also received his Registered Dietitian (RD) license in 2004 from the University of Houston, specializing in sports nutrition.
Mark has experience in training elite athletes in sport specific training, weightlifting and nutrition. Notably, Mary Jane Harrelson (USA track and field 1500 meters), Robert Johnson (USA track and field triple jump), Daniel Wilcox (Baltimore Ravens), Chad Kuhns (New York Jets), and Montrell Lowe (Purdue Boilermakers) have worked with him to increase their performance measures.
Mark and his wife, Gwen, have two daughters, Tatum, age two, and Mason, 5 months.
Eddie Chambers – Team Chaplain
Eddie Chambers enters his third year as the Eagles’ team chaplain and counselor. He played collegiate basketball at Wallace State Community College after leading Dothan High School to a 6A State Championship in 1994. He then signed to play at Wright State University before transferring to Tuskegee University, where he received his degree in 1998.
Chambers is a four-year resident of Montgomery and works as a local real estate investor. He and his wife Shaunta have one daughter – Halley - who was born in October.
Eddie’s responsibilities at Faulkner include serving as a spiritual counselor to the members of the team, and to give weekly devotionals and challenges to the players and coaches.
“Eddie has a vital role in our program and does an excellent job of challenging players and coaches in how we approach life outside of basketball,” head coach Jim Sanderson said. “We are fortunate to have him as a part of our program. Our players definitely benefit from his weekly challenges.”
