Jim Sanderson - Head Coach
Jim Sanderson is in his 16th year of his second term as the Eagles’ head basketball coach. It will be his 19th 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 386-232 career record heading into the 2008-2009 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 2001 Sanderson was named the NAIA National 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 in the last ten years to the elite event including a fab four appearance in 2007 and an elite 8 appearance in 2000.
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 22 and Kyle, age 16. 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 entering his third season 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 have been married since 2007 and are expecting their first child this fall.
Eddie Chambers – Team Chaplain
Eddie Chambers enters his fifth 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 is two years old and they are expecting twins in December.
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.”
