Wayne Brent enters his ninth season at the helm of the Jackson State men's basketball program. Brent was named to the post as Head Men’s Basketball Coach on March 27, 2013. In 2019, Brent guided the Tigers to a 15-17 mark overall and 11-7 in SWAC play. His Tigers closed the season on a five game winning including a four game winning streak to end the regular season and give the Tigers a first round host spot in the 2020 SWAC Tournament. JSU ended the season with a 69-52 win over Alcorn in the first round of the SWAC tournament before ending the season due to the 2020 World Wide COVID-19 Pandemic.
Brent, who is one of the most successful basketball coaches in the history of the Jackson Public School system, brings over 15 years of coaching experience at the high school and collegiate levels to JSU.
Prior to his arrival at Jackson State, Brent had a successful tenure at the helm of Callaway's boys basketball program. From 2007-13, his teams won five division and four state championships. In his first year, the Chargers finished 26-11.
The following year, the Chargers recorded a 33-6 mark and won their first state title under Brent. In 2009, the team tallied a 22-11 record and repeated as state champions. After a 13-11 record in 2010, the Chargers rebounded in 2011 finishing 24-6 en route to their third state crown. Prior to taking the Callaway job, Brent was the head coach at Piney Woods High School.
In three years at Piney Woods, he led the Tornadoes to a 72-16 record. In 2004, his first season at the school, the Tornadoes finished with a 31-6 record and earned a divisional title. Over the next two years, his teams went 20-6 (2005) and 21-4 (2006) adding two more divisional titles.
From 1998-1999 through 2000-2001, he served as an assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Mississippi. While at Ole Miss, the Rebels made three NCAA tournament appearances and a post-season NIT appearance.
Ole Miss finished with a 27-8 record, won the Southeastern Conference Western Division title before winning the SEC Tournament. That season, the Rebels advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. Prior to serving as an assistant at Ole Miss, he was the head coach at Provine High School.
In his six seasons at Provine, Brent compiled a record of 116-65, winning two state crowns. The Rams had only one losing season under his direction. It would also be his first as a head coach. In the final two seasons at Provine, the Rams won the Mississippi Class 5A title (1998) and finished ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 25 in the final USA Today Boys High School Top 25 poll.
For his efforts, Brent was named the Clarion-Ledger's Metro Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons.
Prior to his time at Provine, Brent served as an assistant coach at Tallulah High School in Tallulah, La., for one year (1991-1992). Tallulah finished the season with a 13-15 record, but won the district championship and advanced to the state playoffs.
Brent is a 1989 graduate of University of Louisiana-Monroe, then called Northeast Louisiana University, where he played two seasons for the Warhawks basketball program from 1987-1989.
ULM finished the 1987-1988 season with a 21-9 mark, placed second in the Southland Conference and received a National Invitational Tournament (NIT) bid. The 1988-1989 team had a 17-12 record again finishing second in the Southland Conference.
Following graduation, Brent served as a graduate assistant coach at ULM for two years (1989-1991). During his two seasons as a graduate assistant, the Warhawks posted back-to-back 20-win campaigns (23-8 in 1990; 25-8 in 1991), won consecutive Southland Conference titles and advanced to two straight NCAA Tournaments.
Brent holds three degrees from ULM, including a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (1989), a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance (1992) and a Master's of Education in Health and Human Performance (1992).
Brent graduated from Provine High School in 1985 and also played three years of basketball for the Rams from 1982-1985. During his three playing years, Provine compiled a 66-28 record and won two city championships.
He is the father of Kristian Nycole (daughter) and Cameron Wayne (son).
