Phillips Named Roadrunner Head Baseball Coach

Jon Phillips really can’t remember life without baseball. He said his earliest memory is as a three-year old watching his father – who played professionally with the Toronto Blue Jays – putting baseballs on a tee while coaching Jon on how to swing the bat.

Years later, Jon is the one teaching players the game, and now he’ll do so as a head coach.

Angelina College this week named Phillips the new head coach for the Roadrunner baseball team, a program with which Phillips has plenty of familiarity, having served as Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Bossier Parish Community College for the past six seasons. This past year, the Cavaliers won the Region XIV North Zone while achieving a national ranking during the season. Phillips has spent ample time on the grass at AC’s Poland Stadium and said he’s excited about the opportunity. 

“Ever since I can remember, the game has been part of my life, and I want be that way for as long as it lasts,” Phillips said. “The game ends for everybody at some point, but from three years old all the way up to now, I’ll just keep doing it the best I can in whatever role I’m in.”

Phillips said he thought baseball as an everyday part of his life ended with his playing career (he played shortstop and third base for Texarkana College, Texas State University and Southern Arkansas University). He graduated with a business degree and thought that would be his path, but then life threw him a change-up in the form of a phone call.

“I got a phone call from Will Davis at Lamar University, and asked if I wanted to coach with him there,” Phillips said. “It was cool that my first job was a Division I job, especially while getting to work with Will, who coached at Louisiana State University for 10 years. After being under his wing and learning so much that first year, I kind of sat back and thought, ‘Man, this is what I want to do.’”

Phillips said these past few years have helped him gain valuable insight and experience in the ever-changing world of recruiting. He noted there are currently around 4,000 players in the transfer portal looking for a place to play collegiate baseball. 

“Knowing how all of it works means looking at every avenue to find good players, whether they’re in the portal or here locally,” Phillips said. “You kind of adapt and learn how to recruit, especially in areas such as social media, which plays a big part in the recruiting process now. Everyone sends videos, and yes, I get emails, but most of the messages I receive are on social media. 

“It’s a never-ending cycle of recruiting,” Phillips added. “With the new 34-man rosters in the NCAA, the landscape is going to look considerably different. I also think it frees up a lot of the good high school players to pursue a role at a junior college where they’ll get more playing time rather than just being one of the names on a roster at a larger program.”

As for beginning anew with a program facing a fresh start, Phillips said gathering the right types of players has more to do with mere on-field talent. 

“The number one thing is to recruit good people,” Phillips said. “Any new head coach wants the same thing. If someone were to describe me, I think they’d say I’m fair, but I also hold players to a high standard. If I’m holding you to a higher standard than you hold yourself, things can go south pretty quickly. If you expect to play at a high level and take care of your work in the classroom, you won’t have anything to worry about when it comes to playing for me.

“We’re starting fresh, and we’re excited about having success right away.”

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

When Kassie James walked out onto the Angelina College softball field this past Monday, she knew exactly where she was going.

Home.

After all, she’d left plenty of her own footprints there 10 years ago. 

James, a two-time NFCA All-American and a member of the Lady Roadrunners’ 2014 national championship team, has been named the program’s new head coach – a position she said she’s dreamed of holding since finishing her playing career at AC.

“It definitely doesn’t feel real yet,” James said while looking around the field. “I’ve dreamed of having this job since I left here. When I first started my coaching career, I dreamed of coming back here, so having it become reality now is just unreal. 

“I’m so grateful for this opportunity.”

James, elected to the Angelina College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016, left more than footprints in the batter’s box. She still holds numerous Lady ‘Runner softball records, including the single-season (79) and career (140) marks for runs batted in, among others. 

Those RBIs, she said, helped her understand even more the importance of establishing an overall “team-first” culture in a program. 

“When I broke the record for RBIs, people were so cool about it, but I always remembered: People have to be on base for a hitter to get an RBI,” James said. “Learning that at such a young age, in my first year of junior college softball, made me realize I couldn’t do anything without my teammates.

“It’s (the culture) definitely something that can grow throughout the season, but looking back at our championship team, every single player – even when they weren’t playing – bought into their roles. When we had the starters having big games and big moments, those on the bench were just as thrilled for them.”

Along with cultivating a “team-first” approach, James said her emphasis is to maximize every player’s potential. 

“Full player development is the key, from academics to athletics to who they are as people,” James said. “I care about developing the whole player and person. I want them to leave Angelina College and be part of the conversation later when we talk about how proud we are of our alumni. 

“I want players who come here wanting the chance to develop enough to play at the next level, whether it’s Division I or whatever.”

Following her playing career at AC, James played two seasons at Houston Baptist University (now Houston Christian University), where she earned Southland Conference Honorable Mention honors before graduating with her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies. Afterward, she served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Dallas, where she earned her Master of Leadership degree. She continued building her coaching resume with such programs as McNeese State University, Stephen F. Austin State University and Otero College, where she served as head coach. In 2024-2025, James was head coach at Kirbyville High School, where she led the Lady Wildcats to a 27-8 record and a postseason berth.

 All that experience, she said, has helped her better define and identify the types of players she believes will help the AC program remain among those in the top tier and make the Lady Roadrunners’ games “must-see” events throughout the season.

“Honestly, when we won here in 2014, the energy was palpable every game,” James said. “It was absolutely electric. You could feel it coming from the stands, you could feel it on the field, you could feel it from player to player. 

“I think it’s just going to take kids who want to come in and compete at the absolute highest level no matter what it takes to be successful. They have to want to win, and they have to care about this program as much as I do.”

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