Bio

Buzz Phillips first joined the Huntingdon College athletic department in 1991 and has spent 25 of the past 28 years with the Hawks.

Phillips served as Huntingdon’s Director of Athletics from 2004 until January 2013. From 2005 through 2018, he spent 10 full seasons and two partial seasons as the head coach of the women’s basketball team. He currently holds the title of Director of Athletics Emeritus.

In his 12 seasons as head coach of the Lady Hawks, he compiled a record of 164-129. Since the women’s program was established in 1998, the Lady Hawks have won at least 15 games nine times. Phillips coached seven of those teams.

During a coaching career that began in 1973, Phillips put together an overall record of 590-328 at the college and high school level and a record of 360-218 as a women’s head coach at the college and high school level.

Phillips’ final two Huntingdon teams reached the USA South Athletic Conference Tournament both seasons. The 2016-17 team set the program’s NCAA-era record for wins (20-7 overall, 10-4 USA South), reached the USA South Tournament for the first time and advanced to the conference quarterfinals. The 2017-18 team lost in the first round of the conference tournament and finished with a 16-10 overall record and an 8-6 conference record.

During their first three seasons in the USA South, the Lady Hawks were 15-10 during the 2013-14 season, 13-12 in 2014-15 and 10-12 in 2015-16.  

Before joining the USA South, the 2012-13 team set a new standard for the women’s program as the Lady Hawks reached the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time and defeated 24^th-ranked Ferrum 84-67 in the first round. The Lady Hawks set what was then the program record for wins in a season with a 19-10 record.

The 2011-12 team was 16-11 and reached the Great South Athletic Conference semifinals. The 2008-09 team was 16-12 and reached the GSAC championship game. Phillips was named the GSAC Coach of the Year in 2009. During the 2007-08 season, Phillips’ team almost doubled its win total from the previous season and finished 15-12.

With Phillips at the helm, Huntingdon produced 14 All-Conference performers and 84 student-athletes have been named Academic All-Conference. Following the 2014-15 season, Pat Pickens became the first Lady Hawk to earn All-Region honors as she was named second-team All-South Region. Juliette Harp duplicated the accomplishment, earning second-team All-Region honors following the 2017-18 season. As a member of the Great South Athletic Conference, Phillips coached one GSAC Player of the Year (Tiffany Jordan) and one GSAC Freshman of the Year (Lori Bonds).

Before returning to Huntingdon, Phillips spent three years at Troy University. He joined the Trojan staff in the spring of 2001 as Director of Marketing. Phillips was the Director of Football Operations for two seasons and he also served as director of basketball and baseball operations and as the athletic department's director of special events.

During his tenure with the Trojans, Phillips received numerous awards from Troy University. He received the prestigious Trojan Award and later was named the Troy Alumni of the Year in 2003. In 2002, he was selected as the Women's Sports Foundation Joyce Sorrell Achievement Award recipient. In addition to his recognition from Troy, Phillips earned the 2004 All-America Football Foundation Bill Wade Unsung Hero Award.

Phillips spent most of the 1990's with Huntingdon College in various capacities. His first five seasons (1991-96), Phillips served as an assistant baseball coach. In 1997, Phillips helped revive the men’s basketball program and became the Hawks’ first head men’s basketball coach since 1979. He was also assistant athletic director from 1996-2001.

In 2000-01, Phillips guided Huntingdon to the National Small College Athletic Association national title and was named Coach of the Year by the NSCAA.

Before entering the college coaching ranks, Phillips coached for 20 years at the prep level and handled the athletic directorship of the Sylacauga Recreation Department.

He attended Troy from 1967-70, earning his bachelor's degree in 1970. During his time at Troy, he was a student assistant for the football team and was a member of the 1968 NAIA national championship team. He was also a member of the baseball team in 1968 and 1969.

After leaving Troy as a student, Phillips attended Auburn University and the University of Montevallo, working on his master's degree.

A native of Montgomery, Ala., Phillips is married to the former Nancy Hart. The couple has a son, Scott, and three grandchildren, Kameron, John David, and Mary Katherine.