GREENSBORO, N.C.- Head women's basketball coach Trina Patterson announced Friday morning that she has completed her coaching staff for the 2016-17 season with the addition of Phil Collins as assistant coach. Collins spent a year on Patterson's staff during the 2009-10 season at the University of Albany. He will begin his duties effective July 1 and his main responsibilities will be overall player development, working with the post players and recruiting with an emphasis on international student-athletes.
“I am excited to work with Phil again,” said Patterson. “He will do a great job with skill development and recruiting. He is a worker and is passionate about the game. We are happy to welcome him to our Spartan Family.”
Collins began his coaching career in 2009 at the University of Albany as an assistant coach on Patterson's staff. Following the season he returned home to his native Australia where he spent the next year coaching at Knox Grammar in Sydney.
“I am really excited to be joining the women's basketball staff at UNCG,” said Collins. “I have been given an amazing opportunity to work for Trina Patterson again and can not thank her enough for that. I am looking forward to arriving on campus to begin working with the team and coaching staff as we prepare for the upcoming season and many successful seasons ahead.”
Following Knox, Collins became the head men's and women's coach at University of Technology Sydney for the 2011 season. From 2011-2014 he was the Head Player/Coach Development Manager for Basketball Northern Territory in Darwin, Australia. He made stops with Hills Hornets Championship League Women and Trinity Grammar School where he most recently served as the Assistant Director of Coaching.
Collins began his playing career at New Hampshire as an undergrad but transferred to North Alabama where he helped his team to a NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearance in 2008 when the squad posted 27 wins. He earned a starting role as a senior where he averaged 6.6 points per game and shot 46.3 percent from the field.
He holds a degree in psychology with a minor in fitness management from North Alabama.
