James Holland spent six seasons as an assistant coach for the Western Michigan men's basketball program under head coach Steve Hawkins from 2012-18.
During his time with the Broncos, Holland coached three WMU teams which captured MAC West titles, including the 2013-14 team which won both the MAC regular season and tournament titles on the way to the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade. In his first season at Western Michigan, the Broncos won 22 games and made the program's first appearance in the CBI. Overall, WMU boasted a total of 14 All-Conference honorees and 12 Academic All-MAC selections while Holland was on staff.
Holland arrived in Kalamazoo with a wealth of experience, having won league championships in three different conferences. He came to Kalamazoo having already been a part of five NCAA Tournament teams and three NIT teams in his career, and boasted recruiting classes ranked among the nation's best. In addition to his collegiate coaching credentials, Holland served as the Southeast Regional scout for the NBA's Washington Wizards during the 2003-04 season.
Prior to WMU, Holland worked as an assistant coach for three seasons at Alabama from 2006-09. He helped the Crimson Tide to three straight winning seasons and a bid to the 2007 NIT. During his time in Tuscaloosa, Ala., he coached Jermareo Davidson (2007) and Richard Hendrix (2007-08) to All-SEC honors.
Before joining the Crimson Tide, Holland was an assistant for two seasons at UTEP, where he helped the Miners to a 2005 WAC championship and NCAA Tournament berth. UTEP posted a 27-8 record that season and had three All-WAC performers.
From 1999-2003, he was an assistant at Georgia. While at UGA, Holland helped guide the Bulldogs to the 2002 SEC East title and appearances in the 2001 and 2002 NCAA Tournaments. Prior to his time at Georgia, Holland served a six-year stint (1993-99) as associate head coach at San Diego State and two seasons (1997-99) as an assistant at South Carolina.Â
Holland found great success early in his career at Murray State. As an assistant coach from 1988-91, Holland helped turn the Racers into a formidable mid-major program. Murray State won three consecutive Ohio Valley Conference titles from 1989-91, made the NCAA Tournament in 1990 and 1991, and appeared in the 1989 NIT. Holland helped to develop three consecutive OVC Players of the Year in Jeff Martin (1989) and Popeye Jones (1990-91).
Holland began his coaching career at his alma mater, USC-Spartaburg (now USC Upstate), from 1984-87. He later moved on to coach one season in his home state at UNC Asheville before heading to Murray State.
A three-time team captain as a player, Holland starter in all four of his seasons with the Rifles, and concluded his career as the program's all-time assists leader. He also ranked second in all-time games played. Holland was a part of the 1982 team that won the NAIA national championship, defeating Biola 51-38. In 2006, Holland was inducted into the USC-Spartanburg Hall of Fame.
After his collegiate career, he went on to play with the Harlem Globetrotters in 1982-83, teaming with Globetrotter greats Curly Neal and Gees Ausbie.
Holland earned his BS in Political Science from USC-Spartanburg in 1985. He is married to the former Rhonda Edwards, and the couple has two sons, Anthony and Kevin.
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